How about a depth guage?

[Chris]

Me again I am sailing in the Chesapeak and a depth guage is probably a good idea. Any of you folks install one of these in a Catalina 22? My question is the model number and type and how is it installed?Thanks

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Stuck in the Mud

I would definitely get a depth guage for the Chesepeake. While dinking around there with my outboard runabout in the 70's, I saw many a sailboat hard aground, praying for a rising tide. My used Cat 22 came with a Horizon depth gauge mounted flush on the cockpit side of the cabin just to the port side of the companionway. Great spot. When it failed after 22 yrs, I replaced it with another digital type, including a new transducer. The transducer is mounted thru the hull in the bilge compartment where the tie-down bolt for the keel is located (i.e. beneath the forward seat of the table area). The transducer needs a shim on the inside, and don't use wood which could swell if wet and thereby hurt the housing or destroy the water tightness. For my shim, I used a large pvc cap and drilled the hole with the same size hole cutter (round saw on around an electric drill) that is used to go thru the hull. West Marine provided advice on the sealant, and use a good one. Also don't overtighten the mounting nut as that too could injure the water tightness you need for the thru-hull mount. Many like a fishfinder because of cost and versatility, but I prefer the digital type with large numbers such as made by Horizon, Hummingbird or Lowrance because they are so easy to see from the tiller.

 

[Brandon Pellow]

Staying off of the ground!!

I spoke with a gentleman at West Marine about this the other day and he said that you can actually put some of the newer transducers under the forward v-berth in a bed of vaseline and that the transducer reports depths just as accurately as if mounted on the water side of your boat. I have never tried it and it sounds like it could be a pain dealing with 120 degree vaseline in the middle of the summer but it keeps you from drilling a hole in the hull.Otherwise find one that doesn't require drilling a hole and just use adhesive to place it on the bottom.Brandon

 

[ken]

depth meter

Chris.........................Last year I bought a Humminbird 100...... about $100....or $89 on sale. Very pleased with it................. very accurate. I remove it from the mounting bracket when the boat is in the slip and bring it home with me until next time.Not real sure how Vaseline would work (especially in July and August). I don't like to drill holes in my boat...... so I mounted the transducer in the compartment just forward of where the portipotti goes (forward of the keel). I went to HomeDepot in the paint dept and bought a tube of epoxy adhesive forabout $3. It is actually 2 tubes and you mix it. Works great and no holes to drill. Complete instructions come with the unit. Good luck.kenbernard@earthlink.net

 

[greg]

removeable transducer

I have a cat22. I use a Hummingbird digital. I placed the transducer under the forward V berth. Instead of mounting it with epoxy. I built a well and filled it with water. The well is simply a 4" long section of 3" diameter PVC pipe epoxyed to the floor. I filled the "well" with water (or mineral oil) and placed the transducer in the well. I also drilled a hole in a 3" PVC cap and ran the transducer wire thru the cap and placed it on top of the 3" pvc stud. Works great and is accurate. THe transducer is removeable for a future boat.

 

[Rick]

Silicone

My thru-hull mounted transducer failed a year and a half ago so I ordered a replacement from Signet. They suggested that if I didn't want to haul the boat just to change transducers that I could mount it inside the hull by putting down a large glob of silicone and sticking the face of the transducer in that. They told me that the only important thing to remember was that there should be no air bubbles in the silicone.That is what I did and it has been working great all this time. I may remove it and mount it proper at my next haul-out (or I may not). I am sure it works on the same principle as vasoline but it is much neater and never gets sloppy in the heat.