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Depth Sounder Recommendations

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BLEE
Deckhand

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USA
19 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/09/2006 : 20:27:36

I am considering buying a NAVMAN 3100 depth sounder to replace my aging Kenyon model. I would like to install the transducer without drilling a hole in the hull and am considering the numerous posts claiming victory with an epoxy or toilet bowl wax installation solution. Have any of you installed a NAVMAN 3100 and if so are you happy with it. Are there any other recommendations for an updated solution that can be installed easily?

Thanks
Bob

Knotty Dream

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2006 : 20:37:35

I will jump in as nobody has. I do not know anything about the Navman, but will suggest that you consider fishfinder. Even the bottom of the line models offer great bottom mapping which shows the bottom contour and density of the bottom. I just installed a color Eagle chartplotter/ depthfinfer and have been intrigued with it so far. Not to mention it will show fish. I am using an external transducer with toilet bowl wax. It seems to work well but I am still working on the best location. Once I find it, I may epoxy the transducer.

Here is a small color unit. For $200. With gps it is about $400 To get a unit that accepts maps $450+

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/319392809.htm?bct=t13046503%3Bcielectronics-navigation%3Bcifishfinders%3Bcifishfinders-depth-sounder

It really depends on your waters and desires for information. I have been having fun fishing with the fishfinder.
That is my 2cents.

Tom.

Edited by - on

BLEE
Deckhand

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USA
19 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2006 : 20:56:10

Thanks Tom

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2006 : 21:51:27

I'll second Tom, I would look at fish finders. The cost of color ones have come down. Maybe a fish finder/GPS combo? Also toilet bow wax has held my transducer now going on 2 years...

Edited by - Tom Potter on 07/10/2006 21:55:41

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/10/2006 : 22:37:15

My Humminbird Matrix 10 with GPS was cheap and works well. (thats a fish finder)

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2006 : 05:46:06

ditto on the fishfinder.

I went thru this last year after buying my boat with a non-working depthfinder. I looked at a number of depthfinders including the Navman. I was considering a Lowrance model that had a digital readout and an outer ring that indicated depth but mainly because it was one of the largest I could find that would fill the large diameter hole that my anaolg (dial) depthfinder occupied. even so, that and other depthfinders were too small for the hole and I would have had to install a circlular patch to make the installation fit.

But then with the comments from this Forum, I started looking into fishfinders especially because i sail on the Potomac River and am constantly concerned with the depths becoming shallow on the edges of the channel. the fishfinder has a view whereby the digital numbers are very large and that combined with the seeing the river bed contour is a definite improvement over just using a digital depthfinder (at least for me). I wound up going with Humminbird fishfinder similar to the success that frank hopper had mentioned in earlier postings.

My website has the photos of the installation. I used a scroll saw to cut out a circular patch to cover the exisiting depthfinder hole and then mounted it with bolts into the cabin. On the cabin side, i mounted a RAM Swing Arm and attached a Humminbird Matrix 17. I then used the toilet bowl wax ring minus the toilet bowl. This is such an easy way to secure the transducer. Temps have been in the 90s and the wax ring installation holds up well.

Another improvement I recently finished was to install a plexiglass compartment around the knotmeter transducer, fishfinder transducer and seacock so that the V-Berth storage area can be fully used without regard to how things are thrown into this forward storage area. Those photos also on my wbesite.

The fishifnder greatest attributes are seeing the river contour and how quickly it comes up if not watching the fishfinder constantly, large view digital readout and....an inkling as to how many fish are meandering about.

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2006 : 08:29:16

Consider this another enthusiastic vote for at least considering a fish finder. I installed about the cheapest one I coud find, and it has worked well for 10 years.

My cheap fishfinder is just now starting to develop some intermitant pixels in the display. Being the packrat I am, I have an identical spare unit still in the box which I plan to swap it with 'when I get around to it.'

A very handy feature on some of the fishfinders is a built in digital volt meter intended I suppose to keep track of remaining charge while using an electric trolling motor. I'd sure be looking for that if I were fishfinder shopping.

I installed the transom mount depth transducer as shoot-thru-hull under the V-berth. I built a water tight housing around it using a large PVC pipe cleanout with water in it, rather than epoxy the expensive transducer permanently to the hull. The bowl base ring wax sounds like a good idea too, along with a protective housing to prevent the transducer from becoming dislodged or damaged.

-- Leon Sisson

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John Bixby
Navigator

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118 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2006 : 20:24:04

I installed the NAVMAN in the area under the v berth. I installed a puck and used epoxy. Ran the cable down the starboard side. One of the reasons I chose NAVMAN is the Coast Guard in Galveston have gone to the NAVMAN and recommended it. I am completely satisfied and have had it for approx 18 months. Another feature I liked was the puck, one less hole to drill in the hull.
john on Ms Achsa 77 FK/SR

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2006 : 00:04:47

Ditto on a GPS/Sounder (aka GPS/Fishfinder). I have a Garnmin 168, and love it. My only beef with Garmin is that their products can only use Garmin BlueChart cartography. S-57 ENC is becoming the international standard for electronic navigation charts, and it is a pity that Garmin chartplotters don't accept them, especially since all S-57's for U.S. navigable waterways can be downloaded FREE OF CHARGE from WWW.NOAA.GOV

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Brian King
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2006 : 06:48:24

John, did I overlook it or did you not mention the particular model of Navman that you installed? Did the puck come as standard equipment? And does Navman use S-57? Thanks.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2006 : 08:10:44

There is no free lunch with the charts. They work great on the PC but, people go sailing to get away from their computer. Many marine chartplotters now include a basemap that goes down to 4 miles. That is ok but not detailed enough for most. The best deal IMHO is the lowrance charts. $80-100 gives you nationwide coastal coverage. The detail is great and they seem to be very accurate. They are on a single SD card that will work with most of the Eagle/Lowrance units.

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