[Rhodes22-list] Bluetooth depth finder for Navionics

[Reuben Mezrich]

Mike
I followed your approach to positioning a depth sounder as closely as
possible and I'm happy to report it worked perfectly.
Thank you for the detail in your post that enabled my success
--Reuben
Reuben Mezrich
Pelican Cove in Sarasota
Cell: 410-499-8922


On Mon, Oct 26, 2020 at 10:46 PM Michael D. Weisner <mweisner at ebsmed.com>
wrote:

> I don’t like making holes either. I have had good results snugging the
> transducer up against the hull as follows:
>
>   1. Clean area where you will place the transducer thoroughly.
>            My favorite location is just ahead of the cockpit drain, out of
> the way in the lazarette.
>   2. While floating, place a bit of water where you would like to locate
> the transducer.
>   3. Insert the transducer into the water, business side to the hull and
> hold tightly to the hull.
>   4. Have assistant power up depth meter and verify proper operation and
> reading.
>            Measure your depth accurately with a boat pole, stick or tape
> measure.
>   5. Turn off meter, snake cable appropriately between meter and selected
> location.
>   6. Remove water added to make good sonar "seal" in step #2.
>           Thoroughly dry the transducer location.
>   7. Apply a good sized blob of DAP Kwik Seal Kitchen and Bath caulk to
> the location.
>   8. Insert the transducer into the sealant, business side to the hull,
>           and press tightly against the hull until caulk sets up.
>   9. Test depth meter operation. Reposition transducer if necessary.
>   10. Let sealant dry at least 24 hours.
>
> I have found that the DAP Kwik Seal product is easy to work with and sets
> up in less than 10 minutes. Once it has cured, the sound passes through the
> hull with little loss. I chose the location just ahead of the cockpit drain
> because it was easy to access, relatively protected, saw little turbulence
> and was almost perfectly located, "height wise" at the bottom of the boat.
> If you need to move the transducer, the sealant can be easily removed from
> the transducer and the hull without damage.
>
> Mike
> s/v Wind Lass ('91)
> Nissequogue River, NY
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of
> Allyn Baskerville
> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 10:13 PM
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Bluetooth depth finder for Navionics
>
> Thanks for the input! I had no idea that a depth transfer spoke NMEA 0183
> - I thought that was only AIS. I did purchase an NMEA 0183 multiplexer, but
> I’m having a really hard time purchasing a thru-hull depth transducer. I
> just can’t punch a hole through a perfectly good hull. I did find a in-hull
> transducer, so I’ll probably go that route.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Oct 17, 2020, at 8:29 PM, Peter Nyberg <peter at sunnybeeches.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > FWIW, my approach on this was to use a NMEA 0183 multiplexer.
> >
> > My VHF radio also has GPS and AIS.  I have a thru-hull transducer that
> has depth, speed, and temperature.  Both of these speak NMEA 0183. They are
> connected by wire to a multiplexer that my iPad will connect to via WIFI.
> My chart plotter app (SEAiq) supports integrating all of this data into its
> display over the WIFI connection.  (I know INavX also supports this.).
> >
> > Peter Nyberg
> > Coventry, CT
> > s/v Silverheels (1988/2016)
> >
>
>