Transducer Help

[RS]

Originally posted by capt chuck steele:
I'm going to be enclosing the transom this year and installing a Potter Bracket [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

I will be eliminating the transom mount transducer. I have a older Sitex CVS106 in perfect condition. It is only a 200 RMS Output. The transducer is 120kHz. It is supposed to read to 1280ft but I lose it approx 800ft. Mike at Wildfire Marine is suggesting I cut a space in the center PVC stringer and glass in a transducer in the bilge.
I have several questions [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

1.Can I use my existing transom mount transducer?
**Yes but since it is a low power transducer you will have marginal performance. That is what happened to me. 800 feet may become 400 feet still, and 100 feet underway (slowly)**

2.Anyone have experience with installing one in a mineral oil bath verus epoxy to the hull?
** Yes, I have and it works well. See this hull truth thread**
http://thehulltruth.com/6/ubb.x?a=tp...1&m=8776029445

3. I hear talk about the Airmar high performance transducers and will they work with my machine.
** I don't think they will work well. It's like putting expensive speakers on a desktop radio. You need more power.**

Bottom line is should I keep this older machine or suck it up and spring for a new one ? [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
Anyone have experience with these issues? Thanks for the advise [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Capt., I suggest you suck it up and buy a new one. That's what I did.
My Seacraft came with an inexpensive Humminbird 300 RMS, 200 kHz FF with transom mount. The transom mount broke, so I put the 'ducer in the bilge in a PVC pipe with mineral oil. I also experimented with an old King 920 unit (120 kHz, 200 RMS) that had worked very well as a TM on my other boat.
Results: the King failed at all but the highest gain settings in over 50 feet of water.
The Humminbird works well in 50 to 80 feet and easily holds bottom to 40 MPH in under 50 ft. The Humminbird just does not perform very well (target separation, pixels, etc), though the in hull transducer setup is very good.

Sooo... I bought a Garmin 320C, and intend on an in-hull, shoot thru installation.

[Capt Chuck]

Thank you everyone for responding. I appreciate all the advise. Considering that the temp sensor on the ducer has quit, I might sell the machine because of it's age and spring for a new one with more power. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

I have not made a final decision on the mineral bath or thru hull option yet [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[Ed]

Reel Smoker-

I bought the unit in the fall of 2002, but only started using it last summer. No problems with screen delaminations for me. However, our season is much shorter and much cooler than yours.

Has Garmin been replacing the unit free of charge or just fixing it? If I were you, I would get on the phone with them and tell them you're a charter captain in the keys and if they dont solve this problem once in for all, you'll tell all your friends and clients that Garmin products arent good.

The only problem I had withthe unit was the original transom mount ducer. With all the prop wash and trim tab interference on the stern of my Mako, I couldnt get any readings so I switched to the shoot thru the hull unit.

[hermco]

You can get a bronze thru hull and glass it in flush with the keel. I have been doing installs this way for 15 years with good results. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Capt Chuck]

Hi Don

Thanks for the come-back [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
I think your right with the thru hull deal but should I keep this machine considering it is only 200 watts rms and a few years old (like me)? or spring for higher power coupled with the
50/200 dual ducer [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[ScottM]

Capt. Chuck,
Just my two cents, but go with a new color LCD unit. My father has a CVS102 color CRT, and while it works great, it's old, and very big and bulky. You need a lot of space for these units. I went with the Furuno LS6100 monochrome for my Seabird, but I would have gone with the color FCV600L if I had the extra $. I think you'd be much happier with a new color sounder with the 50/200 'ducer.

[Capt Chuck]

Scott M

Thanks and I think your right on target [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Besides costs, how about that 582L ? I like the 600 watts and a little bigger screen feature as I do the deep drop deal for Tilefish and Yelloweye on occasions (650'- 800'). I'm just starting to look at the FURUNOS. It appears that the new LCD's produce a picture of equal quality as my old CVS106 CRT and as you mentioned a lot less space? [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Scott]

Besides costs, how about that 582L ?

Very nice machine .... does well in sunlight also. A lot of the "canyon" boats around here use them ..but I'll admit to being biased towards Furuno FF's and Radar [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img].. there are a whole lot of other machines out there too...

[gbf03]

The 582L is excellent machine, I use it for finding ridges and caynons swordfishing in deeper water. Very dependable!