Chapter 9. You may have to reroute the trans-
ducer cable to correct the problem.
Remember that potential interference cuts
both ways. Some manufacturers recommend
that the display unit be mounted at least 3 feet
(1 m) away from any steering compass. This is
hard to achieve on smaller boats with tight con-
soles, such as center console fishing boats. If
your boat layout requires a smaller zone of sepa-
ration, then before you install the unit, confirm
that operation of the depth sounder/fishfinder
will not cause compass deviation.
Failure
Transducers are subject to failure, but since
they are a sound-producing device, you can
easily determine if they are functioning by sim-
ply listening to them. I typically touch one end
of a long wooden dowel or a long screwdriver
to the transducer either inside the boat, or if
the boat is outof the water, on the face of the
transducer itself. For an externally mounted
unit on a boat in the water, you can touch one
end of a long dowel or boathook to the unit.
With the system turned on, put the dowel or
screwdriver handle to your ear. If it’s working,
you should hear a distinct clicking sound.
More empirical results are possible if the
manufacturer has provided specific electrical
tests to perform at the display end of the cable
harness assembly. However, product-specific
literature is necessary to identify the right gang
plug pin ends and appropriate procedures and
results for these tests.
In a nutshell, troubleshooting depth-sounding
equipment involves many of the same proce-
dures and limitations as other gear types already
discussed, namely:
- Check the voltage quality under all condi-
tions, including during engine cranking. - Confirm the transducer is properly
mounted and oriented.- Ensure cables and connections are sound
and separated by sufficient distances from
other electrical devices to rule out EMI.
- Ensure cables and connections are sound
For problems beyond the scope of these
tests, consult an electronics specialist. In most
cases, problems with a depth sounder’s inter-
nals are generally resolved by simply replacing
the transducer, display, and/or cable.Wind- and Weather-Monitoring Instruments
In terms of frustration, instruments for monitor-
ing wind direction and speed were near the top
of my list for years. This probably reflects my
experiences as a navigator on high-performance
racing sailboats. Both crew and owners wanted
absolutely precise tack-to-tack readings—a goal
that was often hard to achieve back then. In the
end, if I got it within a few degrees, I felt I had a
good day.
The calibration of wind and weather
instruments has always been a real chore, and
certainly beyond the normal realm of the
marine electrician or boatowner. There was
nothing simple about this process. Unless you
followed the manufacturer’s specific calibration
instructions, which were often about as clear as
reading a manuscript written in hieroglyphics,
you didn’t get very far.
Most of the problems centered on
updrafts—air that flows up a sailboat mast,
spilling off both the headsail and the mainsail
at the top. An updraft creates turbulent air,
which disrupts both the traditional wind vane
pointer that provides directional data and the
wind cups that provide velocity data. Addition-
ally, these sensors are electromechanical and
subject to the usual problems of such devices
on a boat. An errant seagull colliding with the
vane or wind cup and the failure of a bearing
are not uncommon problems.installing depth sounders, weather systems, and autopilots 161