should I antifoul echosounder transducer?

[PaulR]

we never have as somewhere in my memory I seem to think it was recommended not to apply antifoul to the exposed plastic transducer face (raymarine) - reason we ask is that on our boat the echosounder transducer is immediately ahead of the log impeller and when log stopped a few weeks ago - subsequent dry out found strands of weed firmly affixed to the e/s transducer and interfering with the log .

 

[sailorman]

It doesnt help your question but why not mount it inside the hull

 

[johnalison]

I've been antifouling my Raymarine transducer annually for the last 17 years and it still works.

 

[philwebb]

If your transducer is through hull the manufacturers recommend that the face is not antifouled. I used to antifoul round the edge. However I now have an internal transducer epoxied to inside of the hull. The hull is antifouled on the outside and the sounder still works.

 

[[164147]]

It doesnt help your question but why not mount it inside the hull

You need a different transducer for in-hull mounting for cored hulls - then you have to decide what to do with the hole...

 

[philwebb]

My internal sounder is Raymarine. I had a through-hull NASA which occasionally gave a very shallow reading and frightened crew members.

 

[pvb]

I've been antifouling my Raymarine transducer annually for the last 17 years and it still works.

I've always antifouled the transducer on my boats, for the last 40 years. No problems. I antifoul the log paddlewheel transducer too, again with no problems.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have been antifouling my transducers for even longer than John Alison has, never had a problem. I know that NASA advised not antifouling theirs as a precaution against attack of the plastic by the solvents but it doesn't seem to be a big problem in reality. Best not to apply it too thickly in case the signal is affected. Now that I have a combined Airmar log and depth transducer I use Velox on it, seems to be quite effective but with the old dedicated depth transducer I used whatever the hull was painted with.

 

[findus]

Vyv, is your transducer the plastic type? Any issues with the solvent in the Velox? Need to make a decision on that.
Thanks, Findus

 

[pvb]

Vyv, is your transducer the plastic type? Any issues with the solvent in the Velox? Need to make a decision on that.

I have the plastic Airmar log/depth transducer, and use International Trilux on it, with no problems. It's best to slip the axle out and paint the paddlewheel separately from the housing.

 

[TQA]

They sell a special antifouling paint that does not attack the face of the transducer. I have always used it.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/mdr--transducer-antifouling-paint--128225

I always pay into the bank of good karma and wander round the yard offering to paint anybodies transducer on the basis that I will never use up my pot.

 

[johnalison]

They sell a special antifouling paint that does not attack the face of the transducer. I have always used it.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/mdr--transducer-antifouling-paint--128225

I always pay into the bank of good karma and wander round the yard offering to paint anybodies transducer on the basis that I will never use up my pot.

I'm sure that your stuff is wonderful but I reckon that by using the wrong stuff it binds itself to the plastic which it is slowly dissolving and won't fall off. If you disapprove, is Essex too far for you?

 

[vyv_cox]

Vyv, is your transducer the plastic type? Any issues with the solvent in the Velox? Need to make a decision on that.
Thanks, Findus

Yes, it is a new Airmar one installed in a B&G NMEA2000 system. Velox dries in a very short time so I doubt there is much risk of solvent attack.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I recently fitted an Airmar DST 800 triducer and Airmar say to antifoul the transducer face and the paddle wheel.

 

[pvb]

I recently fitted an Airmar DST 800 triducer and Airmar say to antifoul the transducer face and the paddle wheel.

They do, but they say to use water-based antifouling only. I ignored that and used Trilux on mine, with no adverse effects.

 

[PaulRainbow]

They do, but they say to use water-based antifouling only. I ignored that and used Trilux on mine, with no adverse effects.

I used some antifoul from Gael Force, didn't seem to eat the transducer in any way.

 

[HunterWanderer]

I antifouled mine again this year and on relaunching found that the depthsounder wasnt very reponsive and went blank for several seconds. I hauled the boat out and cleaned the sensor and then applied one thin coat of antifoul and its working perfectly again.
I shall clean off and recoat every time in future.

 

[salar]

You can buy small pots of water based antifouling specifically for use on transducer faces. Alternatively you can risk it and paint with a solvent based antifouling which may or may not melt your transducer. I guess it depends how much you spent on your transducer, but having just spent a small fortune on a through hull Airmar one I was in no mood to risk it so invested in the water-based pot. Although it is a tiny pot, it will do three seasons on two transducers easily.

 

[Rum Run]

My internal sounder is Raymarine. I had a through-hull NASA which occasionally gave a very shallow reading and frightened crew members.

I still have a NASA sounder which occasionally gives very shallow readings that frighten the crew, but this is because I sail on the east coast

 

[Robin]

I've always antifouled the transducer on my boats, for the last 40 years. No problems. I antifoul the log paddlewheel transducer too, again with no problems.

me too