Low cost backup depth finder

[kowal_53]

I have been have some difficulties with my primary depth finder. A friend recommended that a carry spare anyway. So I was curious if anyone out there uses a spare unit, perhaps one of those newer ones that one might deploy manually should they need it.

[Jeremyvmd]

what has your primary been doing? how old is it? is it a multi function, fish finder, or just depth?
The reason I ask is if the unit is older and having issues your better off just replacing it with something new and have a reliable primary. If its newer I would get it fixed so it works well. Honestly a good chart (digital or paper) and knowing how to read bouys should get you home if your depth finder really dies. I don't carry a spare as far as a stand alone tranducer/depth finder, never saw a need to.

[jleonard]

I have two on the boat so I don't "need" a backup.
However I bought a portable Humminbird a couple of years ago for use in the dinghy as we do a lot of "exploring".
Works great and could easily be a backup for the main boat.

[Jay Knoll]

My A27 FC came with two depth sounders, one integrated with the Raymarine system and a older stand along Datamarine unit. The datamarine unit packed it in about 6 months after I bought the boat, but the Raymarine seemed to be just fine. Until this year when it sporadically would not find the bottom upon startup, or needed to be rebooted during a day's run.

Then that one died on a recent cruise and I had to traverse some tricky spots on the ICW until I could get to a port that had a West Marine Store. There were a bunch of sweaty moments when reading the Active Captain data on the chart plotter I was informed of shoaling etc. Even tho the buoys are there the bottom is sometimes on the move. Having installed the new sounder I'm looking forward to adding another spare so I don't have to go thru this again.

[Serenity]

I am a little late on this issue. I purchased the Sonar Phone for $150.00, I mounted the transducer to my transom and ran the cables to the black box at the helm. The beauty of this depthfinder is, it is wireless. The receiver is your I phone or tablet. You can also mount the transducer in the hull with their epoxy. It works great at trolling speeds, drifting or under 15 knots. Great back up and you have the use of your tablet for other things as well.

[amber jj]

I'm doing the same thing this weekend. Our navnet depth display went very erratic and does not give me depth readings anymore. I don't know if it's the triducer or the network sounder. I can look deeper after haul out..In the meantime I purchased a low cost Lowrance fish finder. I was told that I can epoxy the transducer to the inside of the hull and it will shoot through and give a reading.Hopefully it will get me by until we get the other problem straighten out.

[kowal_53]

I finally got to the bottom of my primary depth finder problem. I actually had multiple issues. My DSM 30 had intermittent issues. I would loose communications with my E-120. There was several ways it did this, but it eventually got pretty bad. I also have a placement issue with my transponder. See

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9382

Once Raymarine replaced my DSM-30 with a new model, I was was able to identify that I also has the transponder placement issue. I am currently operating the boat as is until I know that it needs to move. (At this point it is pretty clear that it has to move) See link for move insight to placement if you are currious . When the boat is on the hard I will attempt to move it. In the mean time I have been getting good result up to 15 Knots. (Once there the depth will drop out and the unit will start cycling between 50 and 200 Khz, so it take a bit for it to find itself when I return to slower speeds)

I am considering adding a side scanning unit on my transom, so I can get some new technology for fishing, and a backup. Replacing the whole E-120 will be quite expensive, so I am not inclined to take that route quite yet. You have to replace the radar, sonar if you want chirp, two transducers if you want side scanning. They say that the auto pilot can stay, but you might lose a few features that a new one would have.