Depth Gauge Question

[10-8]

Hey Guys.. Went out 2 days this weekend, and factory depth gauge was acting up. It seemed to read fine at slow and no wake speeds doing the regular 1 sec updates. But at speed, it was not updating regularly. Sometimes once every 15-20 seconds. Anyone seen this before or know what to look for?

Thanx!

 

[10-8]

I guess I'm the first to experience this. I'll see what I can find out and post if I resolve it.

 

[Bruce]

The factory depth gauges in the 230s are terrible I am unfamiliar with the 240s.

 

[Wayloncle]

The gauge on my '09 230 never works, a couple weeks ago I noticed it beeping a lot while going back to the ramp, I checked the transducer and it was not clicked all the way down. I guess it does read some but the gauge never shows it.

 

[10-8]

I'm not even sure where the transducer is on my model so I can check it. Anyone know and is it accessible?

 

[Bruce]

From recent posts I understand that the 240 transducer is inside the hull.

I would take it to the dealer as a warranty issue.

 

[Captbob]

The transducer on mine is on the bottom of the boat in the rear. AR240 2010

 

[maboat]

I guess I'm the first to experience this. I'll see what I can find out and post if I resolve it.

Sadly you are far from being the first to experience it. I would venture to say its the most common issue of all. Its hard to find somebody who has had a flawless "original" depth gauge on these Yamaha's.

When my boat was new I took it back and they replaced it under warranty. But the replacement only worked well for a few months. You can probably get then to replace it, but it will be the same junk. Plan on eventually buying a better one.

 

[Glassman]

Sadly you are far from being the first to experience it. I would venture to say its the most common issue of all. Its hard to find somebody who has had a flawless "original" depth gauge on these Yamaha's.

When my boat was new I took it back and they replaced it under warranty. But the replacement only worked well for a few months. You can probably get then to replace it, but it will be the same junk. Plan on eventually buying a better one.

I do, I do....well maybe not flawless, but it woiks just fine!

I have the occasional issue of the transducer getting dislodged from the bracket - That's on me for being too close to the beach when anchoring stern in.
I just snap it back down....'cept I hate having to do that while we are underway and the water is ice cold, brrrr.
I have it down to where I can do it with my big toe by hanging off the swim platform.

The problem, as I see it, is that any transducer hanging off the stern isn't going to "look forward" far enough to keep me from running aground (at least the way I drive)

I need one of the fancy ones some of you guys have installed, but I hear that they don't react as quick as most would like when going fast. I've skimmed over water only a few inches deep once or twice. It happened so fast that I didn't know it. No contact, no sand or pebbles ingested as far as I know. Very lucky if you ask me.

 

[Magic]

I do, I do....well maybe not flawless, but it woiks just fine!

I have the occasional issue of the transducer getting dislodged from the bracket - That's on me for being too close to the beach when anchoring stern in.
I just snap it back down....'cept I hate having to do that while we are underway and the water is ice cold, brrrr.
I have it down to where I can do it with my big toe by hanging off the swim platform.

The problem, as I see it, is that any transducer hanging off the stern isn't going to "look forward" far enough to keep me from running aground (at least the way I drive)

I need one of the fancy ones some of you guys have installed, but I hear that they don't react as quick as most would like when going fast. I've skimmed over water only a few inches deep once or twice. It happened so fast that I didn't know it. No contact, no sand or pebbles ingested as far as I know. Very lucky if you ask me.

I have thought the same thing..... Just tells you the depth 23' behind the rock you just hit...

Was thinking about the Humminbird PiranhaMAX 176i for a Gray Scale replacement....And that would still leave a 2" hole for another accessory down the road....

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/PiranhaMax-176i/

or the 196ci for color....

 

[Glassman]

hmmm, I might be able to get a deal on one of those....

 

[maboat]

I do, I do....well maybe not flawless, but it woiks just fine!

Are you saying that your Original Factory depth gauge always gives you a decent reading at all speeds and not the dreaded "---" display?

Mine always "woiked" when I was anchored or going slow through no wake zones. But after getting up on plane, the display was very erratic and inconsistent. Some people may accept that as normal. But "real" depth gauges give stable readings at all speeds.

 

[10-8]

Are you saying that your Original Factory depth gauge always gives you a decent reading at all speeds and not the dreaded "---" display?

Mine always "woiked" when I was anchored or going slow through no wake zones. But after getting up on plane, the display was very erratic and inconsistent. Some people may accept that as normal. But "real" depth gauges give stable readings at all speeds.

Mine had always worked well at all speeds until this weekend. That's why I thought maybe something came lose. It was holding the last reading, then not updating for several seconds.

 

[Magic]

hmmm, I might be able to get a deal on one of those....

Really? Maybe we can go "two-fers!"

 

[Glassman]

Are you saying that your Original Factory depth gauge always gives you a decent reading at all speeds and not the dreaded "---" display?

Mine always "woiked" when I was anchored or going slow through no wake zones. But after getting up on plane, the display was very erratic and inconsistent. Some people may accept that as normal. But "real" depth gauges give stable readings at all speeds.

Read My Lips



wait, no don't.

Yes, I only see "---" on my display when the transducer clicks out of the bracket. And I'm getting much better at preventing that from happening so I rarely see that anymore.

 

[maboat]

I guess I'm glad to know that some of them work fine. I lost count a long time ago how many times I read other people having similar problems with these original Norcross/Hawkeye depth-finders.

 

[Magic]

Of course if price was no object.....
Forward looking plotting sonar.... =)

Real-time 3D forward looking sonar is now possible for the recreational boater. This is a black box device and does not include a video display, but it will work with any display capable of accepting VGA video input such as a flat screen TV or monitor. The 3D will operate on either 12 or 24 VDC; Transducers must be mounted equal distances from the transom and perpendicular to the water's surface. Please visit www.echopilot.com/echopilot-3d-forward-sonar.htm for more information.

 

[Glassman]

I don't need anything quite that elaborate, just something to tell me the depth of the water in front of me....let's see speed divided by attention span = squirrel, so that device needs to alert me about 18 seconds before contact at 45 mph. My response time while boating is "tomorrow" so I need to know well in advance.

 

[Glassman]

I guess I'm glad to know that some of them work fine. I lost count a long time ago how many times I read other people having similar problems with these original Norcross/Hawkeye depth-finders.

If you have jinxed me I will hunt you down!

 

[maboat]

They do have less elaborate ones and I've had my eye on them for a while. Being new-tech electronics, I expected the prices to come down faster, but so far they are still higher than I want to get into it.