Nearly a perfect trip

[Happy1]

I understand that Barry, but as you know the GPS is only accurate to say 15' min, so a chart plotter in the medway river at times when it is only 20' across is as good as the 'republican guard'! I find my depth guage invaluable, but is it right? I will take some rope and do an experiment I thing. Perhaps I can try it on the driveway tomorrow /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Happy1]

I thought Brendan said you needed to know how it had been calibrated!! If the dealer fitted it he should know, shouldn't he?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BarryH]

Should do, but your dealer doesn't seem to have donr the PDI correctly, so whats the chances of them knowing how to set the offset of your sounder!!!

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[BrendanS]

If you have a pipe on the transom with a transducer inside, you've been sold a dud

In any modern sportsboat, the transducer will be hull mounted. I'm sure you're aware of this.

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[Happy1]

It must be the speedo then, the one that works on water pressure. I will have a look under the baot tomorrow and see what else I see.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BarryH]

It won't be under the boat probably inside the hull somewhere. Either glassed directly to or in bath of castor oil or something like it.

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[Happy1]

Barry, I think I will learn a lot this weekend /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Maybe you can help me set up the safety boat and new engine, if I do 10 hours in the boat and I gave you £50 would you do the first 10 hr service i.e. change leg oil !!!

I see Honda are doing 5yr guarantees, no wonder if you have to keep paying a fortune to do a simple service on the boat to keep the warranty, they are creaming the cash in!!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BarryH]

Haven't you got to have your bumps felt first! My weekends are for chillin' with the family

So no rushing about for me or I'll

someone before the weekend is out!

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[robinborton]

Thanks everyone ... whats good about this forum is you can own up to your mistakes with little risk of feeling a bigger prat after reading the responses. Boating seems to me a bit like riding a horse until you've fallen off a few times you wont be much good and after talking to a few people Byron's right below Richmond the depth at anything near low water is not enough although I did phone Richmond lock after going uner Tower Bridge who said I would have no problems as there was enough water.
Its great to be back on the Thames IMHO its a beautiful river ....may we have a great summer






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[Happy1]

I will get the lump felt, I can't see that being a problem really, but I will be down no matter what, even if I just bring the safety boat and the 3.3hp /forums/images/icons/wink.gif Chilling sounds good to me.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BarryH]

Mmmm! seems to have got hijacked a drifted a bit, sorry. Going back to your original post.....join the club, I've hit the bottom there too.

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[Happy1]

BUT, we are all waiting to hear of you have a depth guage. Nothing sinister or trying to be funny, just interested to know if you had one and if it gave a true reading.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BrendanS]

In a sportsboat, you shouldn't have anything mounted on the transom, pipes or not,, and certainly no visible wiring to it.


If you have, you've been sold a dud. Every boat of that size I've seen has hull mounted depth and/or speed sensors.

You mentioned that you know have two depth sensors, it's quite likely that the forward seeing depth/fish sensor has been transom mounted. That's not what I'd have bought for a fast planing hull!

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[Happy1]

I never said I had two depth guages! The depth guage for my boat was a optional extra, so it was dealer fitted. A wire come out of a gromit on the transom at deck level then goes down the transon on the outside to a pipe looking thing that is lower than the hull. I don't know what it is, perhaps I can e-mail aphoto to one of you and you could tell me. Can you tell the difference between a speedo and a depth guage tranducer?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[petem]

Robin,

Does your minimum depth alarm work? I hadn't bothered to set mine up (manufacturer hadn't given me the correct manuals) and consequently ran aground a couple of times. At least when the alarm goes off you can exercise more caution.

Pete



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.FairlineOwnersClub.com>Fairline Owner's Club</A>

 

[Happy1]

Well done Pete, that is the most diplomatic way of asking if he has a depth guage and if it is working correctly. I never knew about different settings, so I will have to see if there is a manual for mine as the dealer fitted it. I checked the internet and apparently mine has an alarm, I never knew that!! I will certainly be looking into this more.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[duncan]

Re: depth gauges, offsets, the bottom and bits st

On some models you can set various offsets in relation to the transducer - below water line and above lowest part of boat are normally available. YOU still have a choice because some prefer the former because it gives them an accurace measure of the water depth all the time, from which they can subtract their draft and know what clearance thay have from the bottom. Others choose the latter so that the gauge is showing clearance at all times. However many leave it all alone and know that the water is 1ft deeper than their unit shows (for jumping off into the shallows and expecting to keep sunglasses dry this is critical) and that their boat touches the bottom when the gauge shows 2ft 4inchs - although they draw 3ft odd. The suggestion of a rope and weight (use the anchor maybe?) will give you the depth of water base to work from. Thus the dealers will not have attempted to 'calibrate' it (?) for you. Read the manual to see what yours does.........
All of these will help you when the bottom is at a near constant depth - like areas of the Thames estuary! - but few will assist when the depth varies. Chart contours only show the change of depth at their preset 2m 5m etc and spot depths aren't shown sufficently for shallow water navigation only a general guide. Finally on a river, estuary etc the variation in the river bed from the chart alone is significant - -thus most navigate with a spare metre of depth if they can - trips like that outlines, and areas of Poole Harbour as you will see(!), don't alloow this luxury.
In shallow water your depth gauge will be showing you the depth under the transducer alone - 20 degree cones in 2 metres of water will be very small! It may miss a submerged object or obstruction that your drive or drives don't.

Having quickly checked the spec.........
3500 In-Dash Digital Depth Gauge
Compact size fits standard 2-1/8" hole.
Mounting system for easy installation from the front of the dash.
Depth capability to 700 feet (213 m).*
Shallow and deep depth alarms, set in 1-foot increments.
High-speed operation and backlit for night use.
HS-WS Skimmer® transducer included.
Completely sealed to withstand the harshest environments.
Includes round and square black snap-on bezels.

You will have a trasducer on transom and probably don't have any offset programable and being a digital display you will have to mointor it constantly to get any 'picture' of the bed below.

Look forward to meeting you and your family over the weekend, Jon Bailey and I were thinking of you and your forthcoming trip next weekend as we pottered through the harbour in the sunshine yesterday.



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[BarryH]

Re: depth gauges, offsets, the bottom and bits st

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Jon Bailey and I were thinking of you and your forthcoming trip next weekend

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I'm trying not to think about it, in fact I cant go the trailers thrown a bearing.....the props not been refurbished.......the engines got the wrong colour oil in it......theres dead flys on the windscreen.........the alternator has ahd and argument with the battery switch............................

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[Happy1]

Re: depth gauges, offsets, the bottom and bits st

Thanks Duncan it is guys like you that make it so worthwhile on this forum. I will ensure I bring a good selection of beverages next weekend! I look forward to meeting you, Barry & possibly others there. I am sure it will be a brilliant laugh, with ahint of techy stuff.

Cheers,

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I thought a speedo was something you had on a bike?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> Julian </font color=blue>

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