Hi all! I am sure this was discussed somewhere but am unable to find the thread. We need to replace the depth sounder on Catalina 30. We want the new one to fit in the old cut out, if possible. It is round with 4@ diameter. Anyone found any matches? The modern instrument all seem to be with square/rectangular or smaller in diameter than our current instrument (by Signet Scientific).
Depth sounder replacement on C30
- Thread starter manymoon
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- depth sounder
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
Welcome to the SBO Forums.
Is this what you are searching for?
If so they are found at SL172 Depth Sounder
Listed at $619, they are not cheap. A lot of alternate ideas are being used by sailors to identify and report their the depth.
Is this what you are searching for?
If so they are found at SL172 Depth Sounder
Listed at $619, they are not cheap. A lot of alternate ideas are being used by sailors to identify and report their the depth.
Yes! This looks exactly like ours. Is this worth the price? Or if we are spending this much, should we go with the more commonly available Garmin or Raymarine? If we go with the instrument that is different in size/shake, what to do with existing cutouts? And could you please elaborate on the alternate ideas we should consider?
One alternate is handheld chart plotter, but it doesn't give you read-out in real time like a dedicated depth sounder. Another alternate is lead-line.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
What other electronics do you have on board? What other displays are in your eyesight when you look at the Depth gauge?
When are you looking at - using - the depth gage? Are there other ways, like examing the chart and plotting your entry into an anchorage without a depth gauge? Do you anchor in the usual sites or are you always exploring unique and unproven anchorages?
If you did not have to install another round guage in the hole, what would like to have instead?
I know more questions than just replacing what someone else had. That is the fun of having your boat and making it yours. I am putting speakers in the holes that were used for outdated electronic gauges that do not work on my boat.
When are you looking at - using - the depth gage? Are there other ways, like examing the chart and plotting your entry into an anchorage without a depth gauge? Do you anchor in the usual sites or are you always exploring unique and unproven anchorages?
If you did not have to install another round guage in the hole, what would like to have instead?
I know more questions than just replacing what someone else had. That is the fun of having your boat and making it yours. I am putting speakers in the holes that were used for outdated electronic gauges that do not work on my boat.
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I had that same depth gauge on my C30 but went a different direction. I replaced it with a Garmin GMI-20 repeater. It can display most of my chart data or wind info.
I installed a Garmin chart plotter which also has depth on it. The Clear-vu transducer is mounted inside the boat on centerline just forward of the keel in the compartment under the vee-berth. It is mounted in a "water-box" that I made from a water-tight" electrical box and some plastic sheathing. I glassed this to the hull and filled it with Propylene Glycol antifreeze.
I installed a Garmin chart plotter which also has depth on it. The Clear-vu transducer is mounted inside the boat on centerline just forward of the keel in the compartment under the vee-berth. It is mounted in a "water-box" that I made from a water-tight" electrical box and some plastic sheathing. I glassed this to the hull and filled it with Propylene Glycol antifreeze.
We are going to sail on the Chesapeake Bay which has rapidly changing depth and is often shallow so depth finder is important. Thank you for your advice against buying another Signet!! We really didn't want to deal with adjusting cut outs 
but i guess we don’t have much choice here. Thanks, everyone!
but i guess we don’t have much choice here. Thanks, everyone!
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,727
And it works. We did not run aground once while racing around Whidbey Island
I couldn't find a replacement and just did this instead. My transducer shoots through the hull, just forward of the keel, mounted in a blob of silicone.
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I have an 87 Catalina 30 whose signet instruments gave up the ghost. For the panel instruments I cut a mounting plate to cover the old hole and mounted the new displays (except the wind instrument which I haven't mounted on the mast yet). As a test I used some scrap 1/4" plywood painted with outdoor latex paint, so I could see if I like the look or not. I now have three new mounting plates ready to install made of 1/4" HDPE Plastic Sheet, Starboard would also be a good choice. These pictures are from 2019, I really need to replace the wind instrument.
