Hello Group
As the ice melts off Misty Cat I am pondering my next project - installation of new Raymarine speed and depth instrument and transducers just purchased at our local boat show. I currently have the original 1984 equipment package on board, which enables me to remove the transducers while the boat is afloat.
I am wondering if anyone else in the group has switched up this equipment, and what is involved in removing the old transducers and housings to install the new ones.
The new Raymarine gear is:
ST800-P-120 Speed Temp Xducer, part # E26031. This one is removable while afloat.
P319 LP TH Depth TXDR, part # M78713-PZ. This one does not appear to be removable when afloat.
I also bought the i-60 wind instrument package - will start thinking about how best to run cable to masthead next month and probably will be in touch with y'all again.
Thanks for any info from those of you with this experience!
Greg Silver
Misty Cat, N26C #121
St. Peter's, Nova Scotia
My recolection is that the holes for the old Datamarine transducers were the same size as for the Raymarine ST-40/ST-60 ones I installed. I remember having to stand on the old ones to force them out of the (probably) 5200 sealer, but they did come out.
Joe Valinoti
S/V IL Gatto NS30U #221 (1984)
Sea Harbour Yacht Club
Oriental, NC
A long bladed xacto helps to cut through whatever is holding the transducers that you can get too. Also a heat gun aimed at the transducer will also allow you push it out pretty easy.
I installed these three transducers in 2012. They were the same diameter as the originals. I removed the old ones by drilling them out from the bottom with a wood bit slightly smaller than the hole in the fiberglass.
You’ll may find the inside and outside surfaces of the hull are not parallel so tightening up the plastic nut on the transducer to make a good seal is initially not possible. I made up a jig for epoxying, to give a smooth parallel surface for the nut to tighten up against.
The three instruments on Nature are mounted beside the companion way. Access to the back of the instruments is terrible. I glued the attachment nuts to sticks of wood and wiggled them up to the backs of the instruments. You should stuff some cloth in the opening below the backs of the instruments. Otherwise if you drop a nut it’s gone forever.
Some wiring also was tricky. You can wire up the individual instruments before they are installed. However the wiring between the instruments, needed for apparent wind speed, must be done in situ. Long nosed pliers helped here
I have a few photos of the work if you’d like copies.
Slight deviation from the topic. Are there any commercially available tools for pulling bedded thru hulls? ( I am not talking about a sledge hammer or die grinder, but a tool designed specifically for this purpose) If not, does the group feel that there is a market for such a tool?
I did the job last spring using a hack saw blade with a one ended handle. Insert the blade into the empty core of the hull fitting (note: remove the transducer core from the hull fitting) and cutting through the side of the hull fitting vertically on opposite sides (ie. 2 cuts). The hull fitting (now cut in two halves) at this point was very easy to remove using a screwdriver to pry each of the two pieces remaining away from the hull core.
If it’s not too late, you may want to consider Garmin’s wireless wind transducer (new this year) which might simplify your wind installation.
Cheers
Danny Jenkins
NS36 #15
Prince Edward Island, Canada