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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Which depth finder?

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mariuccia
Deckhand

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2 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/30/2002 : 17:54:16

I am going to install a depth finder this Spring in my C250WB. Does anyone recommend a certain one? Also, which threw-hull transducer is the best? i know West Marine sells many different types, bronze, plastic mushroom? Does anyone know the difference? Thanks!

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n/a
deleted

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125 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2002 : 18:58:27

Last year I got the new series "40" raytheon bi- gauge. It shows both depth and speed, This comes with Raytheons best plastic senders with full and complete installation instructions. Last spring this item was so new that none of the Boat shops ( west, sailnet, u.s. etc) had any knowledge of it. I called a Raytheon dealer in my area as was recommended on the Raytheon website, and they sold it to me for about $329.00 and gave me a class in how to utilize all the features. I have had NO trouble, it works perfect every time. In my C250 WB, there is a cavity under the 1/4 berth, I drilled 2 holes of the approprate size, used plenty of "GOOP". No leaks, and like I said work perfectly. Look on the raytheon website, see if you like what it says....It was the least expensive "Dual-mode unit I could find, and raytheon is a well respected brand.

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2002 : 13:09:52

Hi: From time to time I like to pop over here to the C250 side of the house. Hear are several ideas for depth sounders. Many of the C25 owners have experiance failure of the older units over the years and there have been many fixes. Several people have gone to fish finders. Fish finders run 1/4 to 1/3 of the price. Not only will they give you depth but bottom composition and contour and some even water temp and speed. The screen can be mounted on a swing out arm in the companion way. Secondly you dont need to make a hole in your hull for a depth sounder. A puck type transducer bonded inside a flat part of the hull will transmit and receve through the fiberglass. I recomend you do an archive search both here and on trailersailor you should find all the info you need. Do some homework before you make that permanent hole.

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MarkTM
Navigator

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USA
178 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2002 : 13:17:18

Like Gary, I installed the Raytheon Bi-data. Mine is the older ST-30 unit (predates the ST-40). I have the same two holes beneath my v-berth. The paddle wheel puck for the speedo, and a smooth puck for the sounder. A little more expensive than some of the competitors but they are built well and keep on working.

Mark Melchior
C250wb "Lorelei" #384
[url="http://www.texassailor.com/"]<img src="http://www.texassailor.com/texas.gif " border=0>[/url]
<font size=1>(click flag to visit Central Texas Sailor)</font id=size1>

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/31/2002 : 19:38:56

The fiberglass at the bottom of the tranducer cavity is aproximately one inch thick. I am not sure the shoot thru the hull transducers experience any degradation with that amount of glass or not....maybe someone has done it and can answer that question. Lacking an answer....I think I would go for the thru hull transducer.

Speedo is a big issue....here's why. Speed transducers tend to foul. And, you can get speed by use of a gps if you plan to use one. Speed accuracy is likely not quite as good with gps for sensing acceleration etc...but all in all...speed by use of the gps has some advantages. One of them is of course, better estimates of time can be had during cruising...as gps speed calculations are based actual over the land type of measurements not influenced by tides, currents or leeway.

In my opinion...the speedo need it somewhat based upon your type of sailing. A cruiser does not need a speedo as they will likely have a fixed gps. A racer...would want a speedo...to measure aceleration/deceleration instantly.

I agree with the fish sounders....they make excellent sounders for sailboats. The added advantage of seeing the bottom surface is a plus at times.

Another route that didn't gain a lot of popularity but one I really like is a combo gps/sounder but I'd only reccomend it if your primary sailing will be cruising where you want a fixed mount gps. This puts the sounder with it and requires no bulkhead holes etc. I fix mounted mine on a stud that protrudes both within and without the bulkhead. So, it stores inside the cabin or can be mounted inside when using autohelm or of course on the other side of stud in cockpit...the wires running out the hatch corner...the same basic game plan as a swing out or hatch board mount.

Do not be tempted to try to use a speedo or depth transducer from a fish finder that stern mounts...I doubt you would have much success.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

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Doug Robison
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 02/04/2002 : 15:40:23

I recommend using an "in hull" transducer because it does not involve drilling a hole in the bottom of the boat. I have installed a Standard in hull transducer in my c250 wing keel and it works great. The c250 has a solid, non-cored hull so there is no loss of sensitivity of the signal through the fiberglass. If your boat is a water ballast then the transducer must be installed in the bow to avoid the water ballast cavity. If is is a wing keel it can be located in either the bow or stern as long as it is at least 3 feet away from the keel. Mine is installed beneath the rear berth where the hull form is flatter.

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Doug Robison
Deckhand

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13 Posts

Response Posted - 02/04/2002 : 15:40:32

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Alan Therrien
Navigator

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USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 02/04/2002 : 17:05:25

I have a 1999 250 WK. I installed the Standard Horizon thru hull transducer before we launched. Much to my surprize I found the transducer to be defective. So rather than haul and re-launch (expensive), I installed a second thru-the-hull transducer in the bow (under V berth). It worked very well for two seasons. I hit some very rough sea conditions at the end of last season and the epoxy between the transducer and the hull gave way (I probably didn't do a good enough job on the installation).

As an aside, Standard Horizon made good on a replacement for the original defective unit, which I replaced at the end of the first season when we hauled and winterized the boat. So I actually have two transducers. Nothing like having a spare at all times<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

We like the large readout on the display, and have been happy with both the Standard Horizon depth and knot log.

Alan T.
Moonpenny 250 WK #418

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mmodine
1st Mate

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26 Posts

Response Posted - 02/10/2002 : 12:19:35

Have a look at Interphase (http://www.interphase-tech.com/)

Besides being a depth/fishfinder/speedo/temp it is a forward scanning sonar. Pricier than other options it is very nice if you sail in a place with sometimes rapidly changing bottom conditions (mountain lakes) or floating debris. (mountain lakes in the spring)

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ddorsey
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2002 : 21:44:04

bought the ST 60 and had the dealer install it. The 2001 c250 wb has a nice area already boxed in for installing the sensors in an area under the forward berth. A nice feature of the speed sensor is that the housing has a 'check valve' that allows you to switch between the speed wheel and a blank insert without water getting in the boat. A real nice maintenance feature.

I had minor concerns about holes being drilled in my new boat, but had a lot of trust in the dealer, whom I have bought several boats from and known for about 20 years. He did a beautiful, leak-free job.

darrell
c250 wb #649
kansas city

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.