new boat questions...long post

[SharkByte]

I have a couple of questions for the guru's out there, so I'll try to keep this brief. I'll give a little background first to set the stage...2002 Hurricane FunDeck 201 GS purchased new in March of this year. Boat has 24-25 hours on it and just took it in for the 20 hr service. One of the problems I had was the depth finder. This is one of the small digital gauges that was added as an option to round out the full compliment of gauges. I'm not sure if it was installed by the dealer or came from Godfrey this way. The transducer is glassed into the bilge area. When I first took the boat out, the gauge was operating normally as far as I could tell, I checked frequently when in shallow water. While on a trip to the Panama City Beach area, I noticed that occassionally I would hit bottom and leave a trail of churned up sand behind me. I would immediately trim up but no sooner had I done this, I would be past the little sand bar or shallow water area and was able to trim it back down again. I am constantly watching my depth gauge and also have the shallow water alarm set to about 4 feet. The alarm never went off. The display would also flash when it lost bottom, which happened frequently in the 2-3 foot seas. The directions state to simply turn it off and turn it back on, and this would reset it, or so I thought. When we reached the Shell Island area, the waters were very shallow and I noticed that even though my gauge was reading 8-8.5 feet, the water was actually only 2-3 feet !! Still no alarm, since the gauge thought it was 8-8.5 feet. I reset the gauge again, but it read the same. I connected my fish finder and found that it was reading correctly. I also found that once I docked the boat into the slip, which varied from about 3-5 feet depending on the tide, the gauge was still wrong. No real damage done anywhere aside from a few scratches on the keel, a scratched and scarred skeg, and the edges of the prop being roughed up a bit. My first question then is...Who is responsible for any damage caused by a faulty transducer and/or depth gauge during the warranty period ? I'm not trying to get out of paying for anything that needs to be fixed, but if I'm not responsible, I ain't paying !! My second question is...While dredging a few lines on the bottom, what is the possibility of sucking up some contaminants and possibly causing future failure of the impeller ? The engine never overheated while running during the week, nor did it overheat while doing a 15-minute flush when I returned home. While discussing these issues with the service area this weekend, they proceeded to give me the line about electrical devices and failure and all the other blah, blah, blah, but never answered my questions. Whew, that's enough for now. Thanks for hangin' in there.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: new boat questions...long post

Sounds like either the Gauge is Bad or when the Tranducer was mounted, it had some air bubbles trapped in it between the Tranducer and Mounting surface. Could also be the Tranducer itself or the location it's mounted! Take it back and have them make it right! I seriously doubt that they will pay for any damage due to the errant readings, as it is just an "Aid" in determining depth. As for the contaminents causing problems, it would be highly unlikely that it hurt anything internally in your Motor.

 

[SharkByte]

Re: new boat questions...long post

First of all...Thank you to those who provided me with all the good info.<br /><br />Now, here's my next dilemma. The service manager called today about my depth gauge problem. He says that it is probably the transducer causing the problem. The transducer/depth gauge was installed by the manufacturer and the transducer is glassed into the bilge area. He says that the location of the transducer in the bilge, under and toward the rear of the engine, makes it nearly impossible to get it out and replace it. He also says that he doesn't feel that he would be able to get in there and install a new one, nor did he feel comfortable about doing so. He says that the thru-hull transducers don't usually perform as well as externally mounted ones, anyway. Personally, I think that depends on the quality of the transducer and the quality of installation. Anyway, I have had the pleasure of running power wires and the cable for the transducer through this area and I agree with him, somewhat reluctantly. So now, I have to make a decision...add an external transducer to the existing gauge, which means another item hanging off the transom and another set of holes drilled and sealed (not real sure I like this option), or replace the gauge with something else. Since I already have a speedo, tach, oil pressure, fuel, temp, tilt, hour meter, compass, and a fish finder with surface temp and depth gauge, I'm not left with many choices. He also said that the external transducer on the fish finder was probably more accurate than the thru-hull, anyway. He suggested putting in a clock. I already have an AM/FM/CD with clock. I asked if it was possible to add a fuel-flow gauge. He said that they were used mainly on outboards and wasn't sure if they were available for I/O EFI engines. He also said that he could just plug the hole...like I would choose a cheap plastic plug over a $100+ gauge !!! <br /><br />I guess this one way of saying welcome to the pleasures of boat ownership. Any ideas or suggestions ?

 

[calwldlif]

Re: new boat questions...long post

Hi,<br />It is my understanding that thru hull transducers are the best.<br />If it is a transducer "potted" to shoot thru the hull then you mech is right.<br />Can you "pot" a new one taking care to test the location first?<br />Do a search for this meathod of mounting.<br />I prefer the "potting" meathod.<br />I loose temp and speed but no holes in the hull or transum.<br />Good luck on your boat, many choices many meathods<br />Wild "shoot thru" Life

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: new boat questions...long post

I read in one site that shoot thru was best.<br />Then I read in several sites that said shoot thru was not the best.<br /><br /> http://www.lowrance.com/Tutorials/transducerguide.asp <br /><br />My own tranducer instructions say that I'm able to epoxy it to the hull or mount it on the transom.<br />Since the signal has to penetrate the hull as compared to not having to penetrate the hull. The transom mount is more acurate, powerful and sensitive.<br /><br />In most cases shoot thru isn't even possible. Or at the very least, marginal. <br />Way to many variables in hull design, hull material, and location. <br />One thing thats for sure, if your not absolutely flat or level in your mounting of the transducer to the bottom, your sounding you will definately read deeper then in actuality.<br />For instance, if the transducer is mounted on a rise, the sonar beam will read at an angle. The deeper the water, the greater the error.<br /><br />If your hull has air bubbles in the glass under the mount, it's a problem.<br />If your hull collects or traps air and channels it thru under the mount it's a problem.<br />If your hull material is wood sandwiched between glass it's a problem.<br /><br />SharkByte, I understand your situation. Since you already have an acurate sonar/speed/temp mounted on your transom. No need for the semi-redundant system.<br /><br />How about a volt meter? It's a handy tool that would tell you the state of charge of your batterys, any time, any where.

 

[SharkByte]

Re: new boat questions...long post

skinnywater, I just re-checked and I already have a voltmeter. I was trying to remember all the gauges last night from memory, but I guess I forgot that one.

 

[93evinrude]

Re: new boat questions...long post

Is your gauge wired directly to the battery or thru the fuse panel?<br />Sonar devices can be susceptible to interference in many ways including between different units as well as that caused by wiring issues.<br />If you are wired thru the fuse panel,I would suggest trying to wire the unit directly to the battery with an in-line fuse just in case there is a wiring issue.Inexpensive and quick to try and who knows,it might work??

 

[SharkByte]

Re: new boat questions...long post

Update…After my last conversation with the service manager, I made him a counter-offer on his idea. I figured since he was going to offer me an option that cost less than the current option, I would offer something that was a little over (paying the difference in cost), with no installation or labor involved on their part. He said he would put that on the table for the boss to look at. Well, after a couple of days he called me back and told me that they couldn’t do it, and decided that they would knock out the transducer that was currently installed and TRY to squeeze in there and install a new one. Then they would take it out and test it. Looks like it is going to be next week before I get the boat back, but, they are calling for rain all weekend anyway, so that’s not a problem. We need the rain down here.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks to everybody for their suggestions and ideas. You gave me some good bargaining tools and some new projects that I plan to pursue on my own.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: new boat questions...long post

I use a portable depthfinder in my canoe and set the transducer in a puddle of water on the floor for through-hull sensing. It works great until I get into shallow water at which time I get really irregular depths (usually reads 8' to 10' when I'm in about 18"). I believe my signal is getting bounced back and forth between the lakebed and hull and the trans. is picking up these reflections. Also, your deck boat's hull my be entraining air into the water underneath the trans. in rough water which might cause it to misread the depth.<br /><br />I hope your new transducer fixes the problems but it's abilities may be limited like mine. You will just need to be more carefull and use your depth finder as a 'suggestion' and always keep your eyes peeled.

 

[rd2313]

Re: new boat questions...long post

Oh MY. Too many guages and "stuff". I long for the days when all I had to do was tap the gas can to check the level, give the rope a pull, and putter off along the shoreline.