I would like to install speed and depth instruments on my 1985 C-22. I would prefer not drilling any holes in the bottom of my boat, and I would prefer a single display. Any suggestions would be appreciated? Thanks, David
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R
RonD
If you have a GPS (fixed or hand-held) most will give you a speed-over-ground (SOG) reading. Personally, I use that on my boat, since my paddle-wheel speed instrument often gets clogged with seaweed, etc. and is difficult to calibrate. My Raytheon ST60 speed instrument can display the SOG, too. As for depth, that's tougher to do effectively without punching a hole in the bottom. I have read that some depth transducers can be expoxied to the *inside* of the hull and give adequate performance. However, that is surely going to attenuate the acoustic signal that finally makes it into the water, limiting the depth range. I'm not sure what the sensor-hull-water discontinuities will do to the reading stability or display calibration, either. You might ask various instrument manufactures about that option. --Ron
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Art
Humminbird, no realy!!
David I know that this may sound strange and I am sure that my fellow sailors would cringe when I suggest a fish finder. First some back ground. I have been sailing for 30 years on every kind of boat you could think of from 8 -60 feet as captain. One of those boats was a Catalina 30 years ago in Florida. The owner that we rented it from had installed a Humminbird fish finder with speed, temp, and depth. It first I laughed, being aserious sailor. But as our trip went on I realized the benefits of this device. When it cane time to put something on my C-22 I went this way. These units can show all the info that you need, speed, temp, depth etc. and are priced starting about $80.00. If you dont want to drill holes in your boat you can do what I did and mount the transducer on the stern near the centerline of the boat on the opposite side of the outboard motor. I used 3m 5200 to secure the unit to the stern. One of the best things about these units and the main reason I chose it was the display. I like to troll a line for fish when I am on a long passage so it's helpful for that, but more than that it shows bottom contours. Meaning that you can actualy see the bottom shallowing or getting deeper as you go in a graphic display. and it displays botom conditions. It has been helpfull to me to be able to not only see how deep the water is when I am anchoring but with a little practice you can get a good idea from the display if the bottom is mud, sand, rocks etc. The more expensive units can even look ahead a little. As for mountng in the boat if your hull is not cored (solid glass) the transducer will shoot through with no problem. In this case you can use your GPS for speed and simplify your instalation. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!! Art <)))><
David I know that this may sound strange and I am sure that my fellow sailors would cringe when I suggest a fish finder. First some back ground. I have been sailing for 30 years on every kind of boat you could think of from 8 -60 feet as captain. One of those boats was a Catalina 30 years ago in Florida. The owner that we rented it from had installed a Humminbird fish finder with speed, temp, and depth. It first I laughed, being aserious sailor. But as our trip went on I realized the benefits of this device. When it cane time to put something on my C-22 I went this way. These units can show all the info that you need, speed, temp, depth etc. and are priced starting about $80.00. If you dont want to drill holes in your boat you can do what I did and mount the transducer on the stern near the centerline of the boat on the opposite side of the outboard motor. I used 3m 5200 to secure the unit to the stern. One of the best things about these units and the main reason I chose it was the display. I like to troll a line for fish when I am on a long passage so it's helpful for that, but more than that it shows bottom contours. Meaning that you can actualy see the bottom shallowing or getting deeper as you go in a graphic display. and it displays botom conditions. It has been helpfull to me to be able to not only see how deep the water is when I am anchoring but with a little practice you can get a good idea from the display if the bottom is mud, sand, rocks etc. The more expensive units can even look ahead a little. As for mountng in the boat if your hull is not cored (solid glass) the transducer will shoot through with no problem. In this case you can use your GPS for speed and simplify your instalation. Good luck and let me know how it turns out!! Art <)))><
G
greg
install a well
When I bought a digital depth sounder for my Cat 22, the mounting instructions gave three options to mount the transducer. 1) mount the transducer externally, 2) epoxy it to the inside of the hull (expoxy putty was supplied) or 3) mount the transducer inside a well that was epoxied to the inside of the hull. I chose the last option. The "well" was a 6 inch long piece of 4 inch PVC pipe open on both ends. One end was epoxied to the inside of the hull under the V-berth (the flatest area in that location). The expoxied joint should be water tight. Next fill the "well" with water (about 1 1/2 cups) so that the transducer will be covered when it is dropped into the well. The cable from the transducer head is run through a hole (previously drilled) in a PVC pipe cap and then the cap is placed ontop of the "well" pipe but not glued. The transducer cable is then run to the display unit. The small hole in the PVC cap for the cable can sealed with putty or clay to finish the job. Alternatively, the "well" can be filled with mineral oil. I am not sure what the advantage of mineral oil is over water but apparently either one will work. I like this type of installation because the depth transducer is far forward away from the motor and presumeably gives me a little advance notice about depth conditions before I run aground. The extra 3 seconds of notice is somehow comforting. As for absolute accuracy between internal and external mounting of the transducer, I have no data to make a comparison, although I believe we would be talking inches instead of feet. I have use a pole marked in feet to check against the digital display and both have indicated my depth is too shallow to sail in. But I already knew that!
When I bought a digital depth sounder for my Cat 22, the mounting instructions gave three options to mount the transducer. 1) mount the transducer externally, 2) epoxy it to the inside of the hull (expoxy putty was supplied) or 3) mount the transducer inside a well that was epoxied to the inside of the hull. I chose the last option. The "well" was a 6 inch long piece of 4 inch PVC pipe open on both ends. One end was epoxied to the inside of the hull under the V-berth (the flatest area in that location). The expoxied joint should be water tight. Next fill the "well" with water (about 1 1/2 cups) so that the transducer will be covered when it is dropped into the well. The cable from the transducer head is run through a hole (previously drilled) in a PVC pipe cap and then the cap is placed ontop of the "well" pipe but not glued. The transducer cable is then run to the display unit. The small hole in the PVC cap for the cable can sealed with putty or clay to finish the job. Alternatively, the "well" can be filled with mineral oil. I am not sure what the advantage of mineral oil is over water but apparently either one will work. I like this type of installation because the depth transducer is far forward away from the motor and presumeably gives me a little advance notice about depth conditions before I run aground. The extra 3 seconds of notice is somehow comforting. As for absolute accuracy between internal and external mounting of the transducer, I have no data to make a comparison, although I believe we would be talking inches instead of feet. I have use a pole marked in feet to check against the digital display and both have indicated my depth is too shallow to sail in. But I already knew that!
A
Alan Douglass
Easier than a well
I simply used "slow cure 2 part epoxy" and didn't need a well. I used a bead of caulk to establish the "banks" of the epoxy lake. Once the caulk bead was dry (approx 4 inches in diameter)--then I poured the 2 part epoxy in the circle making a little 4" lake. I then set the transducer in the middle of the lake and put something heavy on top to hold it down while the epoxy cured. Works perfectly, and no holes in the boat. I did this under my V-berth as far forward as possible so that I could "see" the deapth ahead of me, rather than where I've already been. Any transducer will work. Mine was originally meant for a powerboat's transom.
I simply used "slow cure 2 part epoxy" and didn't need a well. I used a bead of caulk to establish the "banks" of the epoxy lake. Once the caulk bead was dry (approx 4 inches in diameter)--then I poured the 2 part epoxy in the circle making a little 4" lake. I then set the transducer in the middle of the lake and put something heavy on top to hold it down while the epoxy cured. Works perfectly, and no holes in the boat. I did this under my V-berth as far forward as possible so that I could "see" the deapth ahead of me, rather than where I've already been. Any transducer will work. Mine was originally meant for a powerboat's transom.
K
ken
Art is right.
Humminbird is a pretty good instrument..... can't beat the price. You can epoxy it in the portipotti area....... no drilling required. kennethbernard2@attbi.com ken in sacramento
Humminbird is a pretty good instrument..... can't beat the price. You can epoxy it in the portipotti area....... no drilling required. kennethbernard2@attbi.com ken in sacramento
D
David
hummingbird
Iwant to thank everyone for helping me. I was looking at the Legend 1000. Is this the best choice?
Iwant to thank everyone for helping me. I was looking at the Legend 1000. Is this the best choice?
A
Art
Do your homework!!!
Dave I read your last post. That is a good unit but please do your homework. What I mean is that I looked that unit up on west marine's site and it is pretty expensive and big for a C-22. If that't what you want great. Ask your self some questions, Do you need a unit that big, Does the transducer come with it unit or is it extra. (west marine sells the tranducers as extra cost items I think.) where will you mount it, What do you realy want to know from the unit. For example, If you need depth and bottom conditions I would go with the basic Piranha 2, its $90 and small. It will do well for you if you want to mount the transducer inside the boat. But if you want speed, water temp you have to mount the transducer IN THE WATTER. That meant a hole in the boat or a transom mounted unit. For me I have the basic set up and use my GPS to determine speed (its more accurate anyway). the transom mount wont give you much warning if you are shallowing because it is in the back of the boat, but it works well and will keep you out of trouble for the most part if you are paying attention, it is also easy to replace and service. If I had to do it again I would epoxy a tranducer in by bow (and I just might). One final note where do you mount it? I have heard about mounting on the bulkhead going into the cabin and a few olther places but I did something else. I am sure that my fellow sailors won't like this either. There are many great locations in front of you as you sit and steer but I did not want to put holes (even mountin screw holes) in any area of my boat that is obvious or could foul lines. (I have heard and seen people mount electronics in the wrong place and in the heat of the moment pull on a tangled line and launch their electronis overboard, well enough said) I mounted mine on the inside of the transom under the tiller in the back of the cockpit. I almost never sit all the way back in the cockpit so it doesn't hit my toes, there are only two lines in this area, I can see it well from either side of the cockpit (come on it's 2 feet from my face, great at night) This may take some getting use to and I know that you have to look away from the bow for a second but you can feel what your baot is doing, and it's not a great inconvience. Good luck let me know how it turns out Art <)))><
Dave I read your last post. That is a good unit but please do your homework. What I mean is that I looked that unit up on west marine's site and it is pretty expensive and big for a C-22. If that't what you want great. Ask your self some questions, Do you need a unit that big, Does the transducer come with it unit or is it extra. (west marine sells the tranducers as extra cost items I think.) where will you mount it, What do you realy want to know from the unit. For example, If you need depth and bottom conditions I would go with the basic Piranha 2, its $90 and small. It will do well for you if you want to mount the transducer inside the boat. But if you want speed, water temp you have to mount the transducer IN THE WATTER. That meant a hole in the boat or a transom mounted unit. For me I have the basic set up and use my GPS to determine speed (its more accurate anyway). the transom mount wont give you much warning if you are shallowing because it is in the back of the boat, but it works well and will keep you out of trouble for the most part if you are paying attention, it is also easy to replace and service. If I had to do it again I would epoxy a tranducer in by bow (and I just might). One final note where do you mount it? I have heard about mounting on the bulkhead going into the cabin and a few olther places but I did something else. I am sure that my fellow sailors won't like this either. There are many great locations in front of you as you sit and steer but I did not want to put holes (even mountin screw holes) in any area of my boat that is obvious or could foul lines. (I have heard and seen people mount electronics in the wrong place and in the heat of the moment pull on a tangled line and launch their electronis overboard, well enough said) I mounted mine on the inside of the transom under the tiller in the back of the cockpit. I almost never sit all the way back in the cockpit so it doesn't hit my toes, there are only two lines in this area, I can see it well from either side of the cockpit (come on it's 2 feet from my face, great at night) This may take some getting use to and I know that you have to look away from the bow for a second but you can feel what your baot is doing, and it's not a great inconvience. Good luck let me know how it turns out Art <)))><
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