Planning Ahead Comes in Handy...

Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
So it's Thursday night a few weeks ago, the night before we left for a two week cruise. I'm going through all of my checks, oil, ATF, HX anode, sea strainer, electronics, alt belt, refrigeration belt, packing gland, etc. when I suddenly realize my depth sounder is reading --- not good...Oh fahk I think to myself, I have no time to replace the sounder before we leave.

In Maine our depth sounder is the #1 navigation tool I rely on most often. This probably stems from my days as a commercial lobsterman where I could navigate almost entirely by depth, even in pea soup. I am constantly cross checking spot soundings with actual depth, just an old habit and left over practices from before GPS or Loran, but it is ingrained and I am not going to stop anytime soon...

I am just about to run back to my shop, where I know I have a Garmin P-79 in-hull depth transducer in-stock, and I can snip the ends and convert it to my ST-60, but this will entail allowing sealant to cure etc. and I have no real time for that.

It was at that moment when I remembered back to about 8 years ago when I did a 100% re-wire of the vessel. At the time I had a P-79 kicking around the shop so I installed it and ran the wires to the NavPod, but I never connected them and left it alone as a spare/redundant transducer...

The original Radarsonics transducer had survived at least 4-5 displays and was still going strong so I continued to use it. It lasted 38 years and one lightning strike.. It was one of the only things to survive that strike. How? I have not a clue...

Once I realized I had already done some pre-planning, to fix this problem, hours before leaving, I simply pulled out my NavPod tool, loosened four screws, tilted the bezel forward, unplugged the 38 year old transducer and plugged in the P-79's three wires.... All fixed and in less than 60 seconds....... Redundancy is a nice thing....
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I have three transducers 2 thruhull and one surface mounted. I have 2 displays. I agree in 60's & 70's following depth curves and a compass could usually get me within 1/4 mile when in the soup.

Les
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Redundancy is the worst enemy of Murphy's Law. Any system can fail at the most inopportune moment but seldom will the backup fail at the same time.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Don. I believe it is known as "sometimers".

The good news the thing for which you search will generally be in the last place you look.
 
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Jul 29, 2017
169
Catalina 380 Los Angeles
Thanks for the post Maine Sail. I have a new sounder in the box waiting for my next haulout for installation. I was already planning to leave the old sounder and instrument in place for that very reason... redundancy.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Thanks for the post Maine Sail. I have a new sounder in the box waiting for my next haulout for installation. I was already planning to leave the old sounder and instrument in place for that very reason... redundancy.
Any time you are replacing a sounder consider a shoot-though transducer such as the Airmar P-79's or a transducer with a removable insert like a speed log. Insert depth sounders are avaible for just about every depth transducer made but you'll usually need to go through a dealer who can buy direct from the Airmars wholesale division. Airmar makes 90% of the transducers out there regardless if it is labeled as Garmin, Simrad, Raymarine, B&G, Furuno or Lowrance...

Next time it dies simply pull the insert and replace it with no haul out. A P-79 style shoot-through is even easier to replace....
 
Feb 14, 2014
7,400
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Redundancy is the worst enemy of Murphy's Law.
:plus::plus:

Unless you don't know about Murphy's Second Law.:yikes:
Simple version..
"Junk fills all available space! Plus 10%!:rolleyes:

So...
Too much Redundancy become Junk.
Jim...
 
Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
At this point in my life I'm more surprised that I actually remember that I have a spare part, than I am by the fact that I thought ahead to the emergency years ago.
Can't tell you how many times I have run out to buy a replacement part only to find later that I had a spare packed away in a cubby somewhere...
 
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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I keep all spare parts on an excel spreadsheet which also has tabs for my sailing and maintence logs. If it's not written down it doesn't exist. I alway say my memory is the second shortest thing I have......

Les
 
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danm1

.
Oct 5, 2013
164
Hunter 356 Mamaroneck, NY
I keep all spare parts on an excel spreadsheet which also has tabs for my sailing and maintence logs. If it's not written down it doesn't exist. I alway say my memory is the second shortest thing I have......

Les
When it comes to small parts, bolts, nuts, half a tube of whatever, anything left over from a repair, I find that throwing it away is the best course. Then I don't have to waste time looking for it and just run to the store. And then I don't find it and feel like an idiot a week later.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,667
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I keep a notes document in my phone that list vessel inventory and the location on the boat where it is stored. Pretty easy to keep updated once the inventory has been done.