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John C in PA
11-22-2010, 02:16 PM
Anyone install a Hawkeye brand shoot thru hull xducer in a Sweet 16? Did you find a spot that gives an accurate and consistent reading? Is the gauge holding up?

John C

mike o
11-22-2010, 03:06 PM
Anyone install a Hawkeye brand shoot thru hull xducer in a Sweet 16? Did you find a spot that gives an accurate and consistent reading? Is the gauge holding up?

John CI un- installed one from My 18, cause it worked when it wanted 2. Which was rare, at rest or moving slowly. I bought a Hummingbird, which have always worked great for me. Thru hull hawkeye's dont have alot of power, look at the spect's. Ie. reads to what depth....:alligator

John C in PA
11-22-2010, 03:36 PM
Mike, I read a number of posts on the Registry where guys had better experiences with the Hawkeye over the Humminbird. Same thing on other webpages. It seemed like there were more positive strokes about the Hawkeye brand. I still prefer to hear from real folks, hence my post.

About the power, when the water's over 200' (Thousand Is.) I generally don't worry about dragging bottom :wink:.

John C

mike o
11-22-2010, 04:48 PM
I changed mine 3 days before going to 1000k, cause it goes from 200' to 10' in 30'..............:kingme:

margo
11-22-2010, 05:52 PM
I had a hawkeye in my 16..The only way it would work was with the transducer mounted on the transom...Would not read thruhull..Might be better to try a different brand..I use fiara now in my minx, same as the rest of my guages..Works great thruhull...Joe

zelatore
11-22-2010, 05:58 PM
I have a Hawkeye in my 22 with the in-hull transducer. Performance is spotty with no real trends to follow - One day it works at idle and not at plane, the next it's the opposite.

I think it's down to the solar flares...

John C in PA
11-22-2010, 07:11 PM
I had a hawkeye in my 16..The only way it would work was with the transducer mounted on the transom...Would not read thruhull..Might be better to try a different brand..I use fiara now in my minx, same as the rest of my guages..Works great thruhull...Joe

Yep, I went over the faria specs this afternoon. Could be a keeper. I appreciate the input folks.

John C

MOP
11-22-2010, 09:43 PM
The problem with depth finders on fast boats is two fold, one they don't work well at speed and the biggy you will hit bottom before you see it coming!

Just Say N20
11-23-2010, 06:15 AM
Maybe too basic, but I have been told I have a gift for stating the obvious. :yes:


For thru hull transducers to be accurate and offer consistent performance requires a solid, airless path for the signal to travel through.

If there are any voids in the adhesive between the transducer and the hull, voids in the actual hull itself, or air turbulence (as caused by a lifting strake, etc.), the readings will be erratic at best.

And then there are also solar flares. :wink:

John C in PA
11-23-2010, 09:44 AM
The problem with depth finders on fast boats is two fold, one they don't work well at speed and the biggy you will hit bottom before you see it coming!

MOP, your reputation precedes you (from other sounder strings). It was only a matter of time before you checked in about "see it coming" :wink: . I agree, to a point. But on unknown water and no chart, its better than nothing. I've had a few instances in Thousand Islands where I strayed from the chart and the bottom came up. The sounder alarm alerted me. Operation at speed is a different story.

John C

zelatore
11-23-2010, 10:58 AM
Yes, a sounder is a good thing. It won't keep you from going aground if you're cruising along at 50 mph and leave the channel suddenly, but it certainly helps! Heck, even if you're just picking your way into a shallow anchorage/beach/dock it's good to keep an eye on things. Also very reassuring to glance over when you're cruising and see the right number on the sounder compared to what you're chart says.

And yes, I've tried a couple different locations on my transducer. Still got the same results. It might be the hull, but there are only so many places I can put it.

John C in PA
11-23-2010, 11:54 AM
I just learned that not everyone uses the same terminology. Most of us say "thru hull" to describe an xducer that is adhered to the inside of the hull and shoots thru the fiberglass. Faria call these "in hull" while their "thru hull" is installed in a hole completely thru the hull.

John C

joseph m. hahnl
11-23-2010, 02:14 PM
Anyone install a Hawkeye brand shoot thru hull xducer in a Sweet 16? Did you find a spot that gives an accurate and consistent reading? Is the gauge holding up?

John C


I tried this one. Never worked, tried three different ones. worked for thirty seconds then never again. This particular model uses a stainless plate behind the LCD .With out it, it doesn't work. I found with or with out , it didn't work:wink:

HawkEye® Micro Digital Depth Sounder
Model Number: D11S
http://www.shopnorcrossmarine.com/catalog/DF1120S%20Black.gif


Now I have a Humminbird. works at all speeds including fully aired out.
I have the transducer shooting Through the hull at the furthest most point towards the transom under the bell housing. some people mount them under the front of the engine. I think that area of the boat at speed has a tendency to air-rate rendering a sounder useless.
It also excepts the square VDO bezel with minimal rework on the bezel and a spacer ring

http://mediacdn.shopatron.com/media/mfg/520/product_image/thm/t400_17354307e874b166929b4648eb49b8e3.jpg

joseph m. hahnl
11-23-2010, 02:41 PM
The problem with depth finders on fast boats is two fold, one they don't work well at speed and the biggy you will hit bottom before you see it coming!


The shallow alarm is adjustable. If your running in 60 ft of water and you set it for 10 ft. If you set it to a depth deeper than impact, It will alert you and give you a chance to react before it is to shallow to float.
What it wont do is alert you in time, if there is a rock. Never saw that coming, but man I felt and heard it.:kingme:

OUCH!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_B4sydYv82pg/THTDncu9T-I/AAAAAAAAGq0/LjstyAl_n_w/s1600/msIda.jpg

John C in PA
11-23-2010, 02:44 PM
I bought my first Humminbird "fish finder" over 35 years ago, when a flasher ws a big deal and grey/black screens were just being marketed. I would be hard pressed to think that they couldn't use all their experience to sell a quality sounder. I doesn't seem like too many folks use the Humminbird dash mounted units.

John C

mike o
11-23-2010, 04:23 PM
Lirvorsi - Gafrig puts their name on the hummingbird in dash unit......:yes:

LKSD
11-24-2010, 04:14 PM
Lirvorsi - Gafrig puts their name on the hummingbird in dash unit......:yes:

Yes they do, at least currently..


A depth gauge is not a bad idea, but dont bank on them working well or being of much use at high speeds.. The shoot thru hull are my preference. It is one less thing to route out & down the transom. Also they seem to work more consistently.. :) Jamie

dsparis
11-24-2010, 04:56 PM
I have my wife swim ahead of me with a stick. She bitched at first but shes gettin used to it.

mike o
11-24-2010, 07:32 PM
Be a nice Fella and get her some Flippers for Xmas...... :kingme:

Planetwarmer
11-25-2010, 01:00 AM
I need to get a dash mounted sounder. I may go with the hummingbird. It looks decent, and sounds like it works well too.

John C in PA
11-25-2010, 09:16 PM
I need to get a dash mounted sounder. I may go with the hummingbird. It looks decent, and sounds like it works well too.

You might want to wait until February. Humminbird is coming out with a new model HDR 650 and FWIW they're claiming its good for 600' and 70 mph.

John C