Plastic Transducers.

[Aja]

Father's boat has just been re-launched for the summer. Robert Clark 1947, mahogany on CRE.

He has a very old Seafarer echo-sounder with a plastic through hull transducer. It's not registering. I will be aboard this weekend and will listen for any sound from the transducer and check contacts.

I've read many times on here and elsewhere that a bronze transducer should be used but the old plastic transducer has been in place for at leats 20 years (I can remember fitting it all those years ago..)

So. Nitty gritty. Replacement. Use plastic transducer again? Never been commented on when surveyed....

Donald

 

[tillergirl]

This will help. I'm on my second bronze transducer in 6 years - at £210 each!

I think the argument is that the timbers swelling can 'crush' the skin fitting with obvious consequences. But you hear this happening as often as yachts sinking from osmosis.

 

[Aja]

Yup. Just what I thought.

OK Supplementary question if I may.

As the boat is now afloat for the season - and Mum and Dad being what they are don't go too close to anything that looks as if it may dry out, I would like to try and get them a depth sounder in place soonest.

What does the panel advise about trying to see if I could get a signal internally? Not sure of the thickness of the planks, but will a transducer have a hope in hell of emitting - and receiving a decent signal?

TIA

Donald

 

[ccscott49]

I´ve never got a transducer to work through a wooden hull, not saying it isnt possible, but never heard of it working either. A quick fix would be an echo sounder and transom transducer, or a lead line!

 

[Sniper]

The short (and traditional) answer is 'No, you won't get a decent signal'. However, based on empirical research, I can tell you that it is possible to mount a transducer internally on a wooden boat. I fixed a section of small gauge drainpipe into the bilge with sikaflex (or similar gunk) and then filled this with castor oil. The transducer was then hung in this bath. The results were not overwhelming, but I was able to get depths below about 15 feet I think, which was good enough for a short period to a) prove the transducer was working and b) keep me out of trouble for a while. Obviously, the proper solution is through hull mounting, but like you this had to wait until end of season. The planks of my boat are larch, around 1 inch thickness. You probably already know this, but Nasa transducers work on the same frequancy as Seafarer.

 

[tillergirl]

I thought I would add to the bronze thing. When I've heard it discussed, its always been with reference to a log fitting - I have a combined thing hence the answer above - and of course a log fitting is much larger and presumably more vulnerable. I would have thought the easiest thing would be to get a NASA one and just replace the duff one. I am sure you will find the end of the transducer which is a cylinder about 1.5" diameter by about an 1" deep is set into a wooden block externally leaving only the narrow stem (half inch?) through the plank so there's little danger of that being crushed provided the hole isn't v. tight. I'm sure there have been thousands of wooden yachts with Seafarer's fitted that have survived.