Where to install depth and knot meter?

[MacGyver]

Anyone install a depth sounder and knotmeter?

I am toying with buying the Raymarine ST40 set, I think........ I know we dont really need it, but I like to see how fast we are going and my wife wants to swim so I would like to know depth and possibly temp readings......

I have a feeling I will have to cut out part of the V berth floor, and then dig some foam out possibly? But just figured I would see if anyone else has installed them that may know of a better option.

Thanks!
Mac

[skip1930]

Two, two inch holes, 6 inches in front of keel and off set 6 inches. Rent the 2 inch hole saw from ACE Hardware.
Copious amounts of 3M-5200 and screw down hand tight. Plus 1/8 turn more. Cut and frame a 16" x 16" hole in the vee birth behind the compression post. Now you see it, now you don't. Painted with Rustolem gloss grey oil base paint. That line is my 150 foot anchor line tied to the compression post. Mount the Rayathon ST-40 Bi-data head where you like.

" Hard to tell when I will be there other than those days, been really sick from a multitude of issues related to allergies. " Do you Netti Pot?

skip.

6" off centerline port and starboard and 6" ahead of the cement of the keel.


The sound damping foam needs to be ground away for about 4" behind the bulkhead going fwd till a flat spot for the ST-40 heads can be had.
Great place to stow extra life jackets, and blankets, and??? whatever. I like the ST-40 heads because they are so flat/close to the hull. No drag.

[kickingbug1]

       not a reply to your question but just wanted to tell you that i was at west access yesterday and saw your 19. it looks like you got a good one (a twin to mike greenes). look forward to meeting you in august if not before. you might see me on the lake in the interim. our 16 is a stock white boat with the sail number 1344. we have a blue pennant (thanks to brenda) and an american flag flying from our topping lift. see you on the water

[MacGyver]

Skip,

Did you have foam to cut out as well up there?

Im very appreciative of the photos! Makes me feel good I was planing the right space once we can afford to do it!

Mac

[MacGyver]

OH, Cool Kickin!

We look forward to meeting you as well, If you are ever up at West Access between Tuesday through Saturdays, come see me, I work 7 to 3.

Hard to tell when I will be there other than those days, been really sick from a multitude of issues related to allergies. Still having trouble hearing from the double ear infection, Surgery to put tubes in on June 20th.

My wife keeps on me that we need to have a good idea about sailing by August, And we are all setup to be there as far as vacation time and such.

I cant wait to see whomever in august, it will be neat to not only see all the Compacs, but to see all the ways you all run them!

Mac

[Keith]

Late reply.  I originally installed the puck for a simple Humminbird fish finder at the bow, just aft the anchor rode "locker".  On my 1986 CP19 there was a little access hole there under the vee berth cushion.  I removed some of the foam and epoxied the puck to shoot through the hull; didn't want to add a thru-hull if I could avoid.  Worked great for many years, then a mouse chewed the transducer's coax and I was unable to repair.  I replaced that unit with a little Garmin fish finder and epoxied the puck at the bottom of the bilge below the steps...works fine lasts long time.

Cheers,

Keith

[Greene]

On our 19 we installed a basic Hawkeye D10D depth sensor with a shoot through the hull transducer.  We're not big fans of drilling holes in our boat bottoms.  We placed the transducer in the starboard v-berth storage compartment in the lower aft corner closest to the middle of the boat.  It performed very well there for the two years we had it.  At under a hundred bucks it is the poor man's solution, but it works just fine.  

Set the transducer in slow set epoxy ( to give the bubbles a chance to surface before it hardens) and run the cable back.  Easy to install, no holes and cheap.  Buy yourself a handheld GPS for the speed readings and you'll have everything you wanted for a lot less money than those fancy gauge sets.

Mike and Brenda

[noonmark]

Last week I installed the same model Hawkeye ($80 - refurb direct from Hawkeye on ebay) depth finder that Mike and Brenda had, and the transducer in the same starboard v-berth storage compartment as well. Use some modeling clay to make a "dam" for the epoxy to form a pool, set the transducer in and tape it down for the night. I don't understand drilling holes thru the hull anymore, I have checked the depth with a tape measure from 2.5 to 10 feet of water and the finder has been within a couple inches each time - sounds good to me.

[skip1930]

" Skip,

Did you have foam to cut out as well up there? "

Yep lightly ground a little bit of foam away with a 3" grinder, just a few inches, as the picture shows, basically just made a straight cut down to the fiberglass bottom.

No need to grind the glass around the hole smooth. Leave it alone.

The two, 2" holes and gaskets and 3-M 5200 slow set are all that is needed.

One can pull out the ST-40 speedo when it stops recording speed/distance and a flapper valve closes off the water really well until the plug is inserted...very easy to do. Then one can clean out the zebra muscles from the paddle wheel and it's good to go.

skip.

[Lafayette Bruce]

Jason-
In installed the depth transducer in the bottom of the bilge just aft of the concrete ballast that shoots through the fiberglass.  Granted my location shows the depth under the boat rather than just in front of the boat but no holes in the hull is worth something.  The transducer leads up to an Eagle fish finder/GPS and then I have depth, speed and map all on one screen.  The older I get the less holes I want in the boat (especially the hull) and the less complex instruments I want.  The only thing missing is water temperature and an aquarium thermometer on a string meets that need for about $3.
I just chartered a boat up on Lake Superior and it had a whole bank of instruments that seemed to clutter things up, where I prefer to keep it simple.
I am looking forward to meeting you in August and seeing what all you have done to your 19,
Lafayette Bruce

[crazycarl]

i'll mounting my transducer this weekend.  i'm using clear silicone caulk to hold it in place.  i used this method on our last boat and it held through over 4,000 miles of trailering and 800 miles of coastal cruising.  when the boat was damaged beyond repair, i was able to pry the transducer out off the hull and am now reusing it.

[MacGyver]

Thank you all very much

Carl, do you mount yours in the same place as Bruce?

I am thinking about putting this Hawk Eye I bought from a guy (brand new) into the bilge area also.
Figure that is the best place, and frankly silicone sounds like a good idea.

I am assuming some between it and the spot, then some all around it?

Mac

[crazycarl]

my transducer is at an angle to allow for the shape of the hull, so i can't  mount it in the flat of the bilge.  i mounted it forward of the compression post.  it's setting up as i type.  i'll post a pic tomorrow.

carl

[Shawn]

"and frankly silicone sounds like a good idea"

I was just reading up on the install for an Airmar transducer (shooting through the hull) and they specifically say to stay away from silicone as it absorbs most of the sound energy. That is for a transducer mounted directly to the hull itself. They include a two part epoxy to mount the transducer.

Shawn

[crazycarl]

here is what i did to "install" the transducer in our 19.  i didn't have any issues with the last boat using silicone so i'm using it again.
i'll post how it works after i test it out.  

this transducer is for a depth sounder only.  it's not for a fish finder which transmits more info than just depth.

i leveled the boat using several areas such as the bottom of the keel, interior floor, and various areas around the boat.  
then i leveled the "puck" while pushing it into the silicone.





the batteries will be mounted just forward of the compression post, and the 10 gallon water tank sitting on the port side will mount in front of the batteries.  this i understand will place more weight forward then intended, but i have plans for the cockpit storage areas