Tender Echo Sounder

[Chris Edwards]

When going into suspect areas for transiting and anchoring, we have always used the tender out in front to scout ahead.
The boat echo sounder shows shoaling but its basically reading whats under the hull - sometimes a bit late.

The wife normally takes the tender ahead and I follow astern with the boat. Very useful for scouting channels.

Years ago, I bought a little humming bird, wrist mounted, wireless echo sounder (designed for rod fisherman) in the states and she wears that and radios back the depths so I get some notice of whats coming and can make my choices.

Unfortunately, the battery in the floating transducer has died and isnt replaceable.

My disappointment was soon taken away when I realised that technology has moved ahead and these devices are now plentiful.

So, Ive ordered a new model and should receive it in the next port.

Looking forward to testing it out - its a handheld display with a wireless float transducer - batteries are chargeable/changeable and it was £50 odd quid.

 

[capnsensible]

When sounding from your tender, leave all those keep up with the joneses technology worries behind and use 'stick', the long lasting and durable workhorse. Available in several shades of brown, but batteries not included. :encouragement:

 

[Romeo]

When going into suspect areas for transiting and anchoring, we have always used the tender out in front to scout ahead.
The boat echo sounder shows shoaling but its basically reading whats under the hull - sometimes a bit late.

The wife normally takes the tender ahead and I follow astern with the boat. Very useful for scouting channels.

Years ago, I bought a little humming bird, wrist mounted, wireless echo sounder (designed for rod fisherman) in the states and she wears that and radios back the depths so I get some notice of whats coming and can make my choices.

Unfortunately, the battery in the floating transducer has died and isnt replaceable.

My disappointment was soon taken away when I realised that technology has moved ahead and these devices are now plentiful.

So, Ive ordered a new model and should receive it in the next port.

Looking forward to testing it out - its a handheld display with a wireless float transducer - batteries are chargeable/changeable and it was £50 odd quid.

are you going to post a link?

 

[Chris Edwards]

There are lots on Amazon and Ebay.
Just google wireless fishfinder.

Once Ive received it and tried it out, I will probably post up some pics and a small review.

 

[geem]

We use an old fashioned lead line marked off with knots every 1metre. Never goes out of calibration or lies ��

 

[Chris Edwards]

Difficult for the Mrs to wield singlehanded, what with steering the tender as well and talking back to me on the VHF.
We just stream the transducer behind the tender on a piece of stout fishing line and she can see the display without having to do anything with it.

Modern kit doesnt need to be calibrated and its pretty reliable (not much different to the Raymarine sounder on the boat really, just portable).

If bits of string and wood work for you, thats great.

I just thought Id share something that I discovered and which we find useful.

 

[Tradewinds]

Well done Chris - thanks for sharing.

There's always alternatives be they old school or relatively new.

. . .
I just thought Id share something that I discovered and which we find useful.

 

[AndrewB]

For use in the dinghy, I've mounted my Humminbird transducer on a stick. Best of both worlds?

 

[TQA]

I am with capnsensible on this, I like a sounding pole, 10 to 12 ft weighted so it floats with about 2 ft out of the water tie to the rowlock with about 18 inches slack.

No batteries to go flat, no false bottoms can be read in bright sunlight and best of all is totally water proof.

TOP TIP if using a sounding pole single handed from a rowing dinghy tie the oars to the rowlocks.

 

[Ladybirdgaffcutter]

Chandlers used to sell a non-wireless battery operated, handheld depth sounder for dinghy use, looked like a yellow torch, they were quite good. Edit, just looked online, Plastimo and Force 4 both do them, about £140 though.

Wireless plus VHF comms? What's wrong with shouting, if it's good enough for Mark Twain..

 

[GHA]

By coincidence just been on google looking at the same sort of thing!

Or similar for scoping an anchorage or uncharted area in the dinghy before venturing in. Though might end up with a raspberry pi/opencpn and usb gps in freezer bag with a button for inputting a way point with wet fingers - then fishing rod with float/big weight set to 3m or whatever and only create a waypoint when the float sinks.

Do the wifi ones send position & depth data? Didn't look like they did but very cool if they do - diy charts

 

[geem]

Difficult for the Mrs to wield singlehanded, what with steering the tender as well and talking back to me on the VHF.
We just stream the transducer behind the tender on a piece of stout fishing line and she can see the display without having to do anything with it.


Modern kit doesnt need to be calibrated and its pretty reliable (not much different to the Raymarine sounder on the boat really, just portable).

If bits of string and wood work for you, thats great.

I just thought Id share something that I discovered and which we find useful.

Had a couple of those. They fail hence the old fashion solution. No wood involved. Lead n string only?

 

[tudorsailor]

I bought a wired fish finder a few years ago. The sensor floats and its easy to read off the display while steering the dinghy
Still available on Amazon for £31 so not a major outlay
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JZGV2S4/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

TudorSailor

 

[Greenheart]

Rather than make exploratory trips in the tender, how about a radio-controlled motorboat-drone equipped with an echo-sounder?

Stand off in safety, launch the brightly coloured drone, check all the depths in places that look suitable, and enjoy the nerdiness.

I've no idea whether a system exists that can transmit the depths from the drone to the mother-ship, but I expect anybody born this century could work out how to do it.

It could avoid a lot of time spent going in circles, stabbing at the seabed with a stick.

 

[capnsensible]

Rather than make exploratory trips in the tender, how about a radio-controlled motorboat-drone equipped with an echo-sounder?

Stand off in safety, launch the brightly coloured drone, check all the depths in places that look suitable, and enjoy the nerdiness.

I've no idea whether a system exists that can transmit the depths from the drone to the mother-ship, but I expect anybody born this century could work out how to do it.

It could avoid a lot of time spent going in circles, stabbing at the seabed with a stick.

Comedy genius!!!

 

[Chris Edwards]

Ive seen a drone that can land on the sea and then take off again - its camera gives underwater photos when its floating. Just to consider this concept for a moment, for a bit of tongue in cheek fun, you could attach the transducer/sensor of one of these “fish finders” as they work wirelessly back to the display, so its technically possible.

We tested the product mentioned in the OP yesterday and it works fine. We just trailed it behind the dinghy on a piece of fishing line. The readings get interrupted if you go too fast but otherwise it works well and the water temperature reading is very useful - unfortunately you can only select metric or imperial so you cant mix depth in feet with temperature in degrees C.

Rather than make exploratory trips in the tender, how about a radio-controlled motorboat-drone equipped with an echo-sounder?

Stand off in safety, launch the brightly coloured drone, check all the depths in places that look suitable, and enjoy the nerdiness.

I've no idea whether a system exists that can transmit the depths from the drone to the mother-ship, but I expect anybody born this century could work out how to do it.

It could avoid a lot of time spent going in circles, stabbing at the seabed with a stick.

 

[DJE]

Hydrographic surveying from a dinghy? See here http://www.benfleetyachtclub.org/files/Newsletter/2016_Newsletter.pdf Pages 30 to 32.

 

[GHA]

Hydrographic surveying from a dinghy? See here http://www.benfleetyachtclub.org/files/Newsletter/2016_Newsletter.pdf Pages 30 to 32.

Ta for the link. Similar setup with a raspberry pi instead of a pic would be much easier to set up, can you get cheap NMEA portable sounders?

 

[noelex]

I made a bracket so an inexpensive fish finder, with its own battery, can be dropped over the dinghy transom.

 

[noelex]

This sideways photo shows the construction: