Need depth sounder for a Hunter 270

onecoolair · Jul 30, 2012

Igetit said:
I'm in the process of trading up to a 2002 Hunter 270 that was owned by a doctor who rarely sailed her. The boat has no thru halls or depth sounder, and I plan to add one due to the wing keel. I know my lake well but have gotten used to the simple BiData unit on my Oday 222 and can't imagine being without one.
My short-term goals are to learn to handle a boat of this size and configuration (wheel steering, inboard diesel) while continuing my sailing education. My long-term goals are to do coastal cruising on something bigger, so I would like to start learning to read charts and understand navionics.
Lots of reading on this forum and others has me leaning toward the iPad/Navionics setup, but before committing to that route, are there any requirements I should look for in depth sounders, or at least the transducers? Are the fittings standardized on these things? For example, if I go with a Raymarine model, can I integrate any Raymarine chartplotter later with the depth finder? Other makes of chartplotter? iPad?
I've started to approach "information overload" and would rather just go sailing, but I need to get clear on this before proceeding.
Any thoughts appreciated.
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After > 24 hours with no replies, I came across this thread that answers some of my questions:

http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=136297

Posting it again in case it might help another - good discussion of hardware/software, plotters vs laptops, etc.

Just get yourself a humming bird. I got the 100 dollar model. No need to drill holes just cut hole in bottom of gladware container. And goop it down. Just find a good location inside hull.
My situation.
Because of antenna cable length mounted puck just behind keel and slightly off center. It sees just enough out in front of boat to make it easy to find the ditch I am trying to follow. Just do a little snakey wakey to find the sides of ditch.
Once the container is bedded down. Place puck inside container and fill with goop allow for it to slowly cure no bubbles. Run antenna cable to display. I loved it so much I bought 2 more. For a told of 3 units all interchangable. The one at nav has the puck glued to the inside of hull in front of keel. I like the goop because it does not destroy the antenna puck. If I need to move it I just use a spatula. The third is in a humming bird portable mount for dingy. http://fishfinders.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/1382/Humminbird-PiranhaMAX-Series-FishFinders.html
To mount the one in cockpit you can use a edison arm mount or a ram mount on the cockpit pedestal.
http://www.edsonmarine.com/marinestore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=87_100
http://www.rammount.com/marineelectronics.htm#/

Jackdaw · Jul 30, 2012

Longer term, having electronics that talk to each other is a very good idea. Until a few years ago, this was very hard if your gear was not from the same company. Now, most current electronics support the NMEA-2000 networking standard, and can share data. This would allow (for instance), your Simrad depth sounder to talk to your Garmin plotter.

You mentioned Raymarine. They held onto a proprietary networking standard (called Seatalk) longer than most. If you get Raymarine, it needs to be newer than ST60+ to support NMEA2000.

Having access to depth info is a good idea. Never take a charts depth soundings as gospel..

onecoolair · Jul 30, 2012

Jackdaw said:
Longer term, having electronics that talk to each other is a very good idea. Until a few years ago, this was very hard if your gear was not from the same company. Now, most current electronics support the NMEA-2000 networking standard, and can share data. This would allow (for instance), your Simrad depth sounder to talk to your Garmin plotter.

You mentioned Raymarine. They held onto a proprietary networking standard (called Seatalk) longer than most. If you get Raymarine, it needs to be newer than ST60+ to support NMEA2000.

Having access to depth info is a good idea. Never take a charts depth soundings as gospel..

I have all this raymarine connected up and talking to each other stuff already. With the auto pilot remote I can even steer my boat while following behind in the dingy. But the 100 buck humming bird blows the raymarine depth reading out of the water. I compare the over priced raymarine depth display as an idiot light on the dash board. While the humming bird gives much more tactile information on what is going on under my boat.

onecoolair · Jul 30, 2012

Igetit said:
I love the thought of getting good data without drilling a hole. Can you be more specific about this goop of which you speak?

I find that the cheaper 6 to 8 dollar tube of goop preforms just as well as the tube marked marine.
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=goop&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=0

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...pe=3&Ns=Most+Popular|0&keyword=goop&searchBtn=

Okay now where is this Lake Monroe you speak of?

onecoolair · Jul 31, 2012

Igetit said:
Indiana, just south of Bloomington. Not to be confused with the one in Florida. We have far fewer alligators and sharks in these parts.

Yes...I googled your location last night. The lake looks beautiful. Is this your marina?

onecoolair · Aug 1, 2012

Igetit said:
Point of clarification here: do you also use goop to bed the plastic container, or some other adhesive? Might sound overly cautious, but I didn't want to assume and end up with some fiberglass-eating chemical reaction!

Just enough goop to hold the container in place and so that when I do the pour none leaks out. The goop will heat up as it sets. I used a dixie cup once. It melted. Worked but barely.
For simple stuff like this I use the goop especialy if I do not want it to be so permant. As I may need to relocate or change something later.

Need depth sounder for a Hunter 270

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