Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

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cloumar

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Aug 12, 2002
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I have a problem with my Humminbird 100-SX - it is loosing the depth range or signal at high or cruising speed, my boat is made of aluminium with 5 keels or strakes, previously - last year the transducer was mounted almost in line with the outter starboard keel and I was loosing depth signal. This year I made the installation as per the manufacturer I installed the transducer: 17 inches from the prop, in between the middle and the second keel and at the specified height on the transom. Guess what still loosing signal any trick you know to prevent that will help !! I know Humminbird it is not the top quality, but a friend of mine has an Eagle Fish Easy II and it is doing the same as mine, so is it because none of the low end can keep depth signal ?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Smoky ;)
 

seadiva

Seaman Apprentice
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Apr 21, 2003
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

i have the 400 humminbird, and at high speeds it does the same. i understand that there is a high speed transducer, that will read at high speeds. not all will read that way?
 

Dbailey

Seaman
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May 3, 2003
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65
Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

I mounted a Humminbird on a Skeeter bass boat and have the same problem. According to the manufacturer, it is supposed to register at speeds up to 60mph, but anything above a troll and my screen goes blank. I believe my problem is that my transom is stepped, leaving me nowhere to mount the transducer except for above the step. I think this is my problem... hope it helps.
 

cloumar

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Thanks for your reply,<br /><br />Looks like they are saying it should read while you are moving above trolling speed but from what I can see none of em are able to do so. On mine I am losing it at around 23mph and above. This is bad when you count on this feature and you are not able to make it work.<br /><br />See you, Smoky
 

Fly Rod

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

I have a Furuno 562 a $2000.00 machine and it does the same thing at or above crusing speed. Also have had Humminbird and Apelco and they would do the same thing. I think that they all do the same .
 

zzzzz

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

All transom mount transducers have the same flaw- they don't read at speed..the only t-ducer I've seen that reads at speed is a thru hull transducer...no matter how much you spend on the head-the t-ducer is the 'eyes' :cool:
 

cloumar

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Well thanks guys,<br /><br />I am happy to hear that I am not the only one and to know that even a 2000$ piece is not any better for depth reading at speed.<br /><br />zzzzz : The problem with the through hull ducer - is you can't install it on an aluminium boat.<br /><br />Smoky
 

chris in va

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May 4, 2003
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Well, the Garmin's work at speed. Before I sold it, the Garmin 160 that was on my bass boat would work great at 40mph (top speed) and seldom lag. <br /><br />I think you need to adjust the angle of the transducer to slightly forward facing. Sound is very fast, but pinging a signal off the bottom and back will only go so far, which may be behind the boat somewhere.<br /><br />If it's any consolation, my new Garmin 100 is doing the same thing, and I just need to adjust the unit.
 

fishfearme

Seaman Apprentice
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Jan 11, 2003
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

JUst a piece of advice that has to do with Depth Finders:<br /><br />DO NOT GO WHERE BIRDS WALK.
 

Boatist

Rear Admiral
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Apr 22, 2002
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

My unit works fine up to 30mph but that is about as fast as go. In ocean works ok also but rare to go over 20-25mph. Aluminum boats need to mount the transducer deeper as get a lot more bubbles off the hull. Thay make a special transducer bracket for aluminum boats that lowers the transducer about 4 inches below the hull for boats with rivots. Problem with these is very high risk of being damaged from floating sticks and stuff.<br /><br />My unit is older Lowrance before they went to the menu driven stuff. My unit works best at speed if I set surface clutter filter to a high number and turn the sensitivety down a little.
 

Bondo

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

I've got a Hummingbird 3-D Wide,+ an Eagle, fishfinder/GPS......<br />They Both work Perfectly up to Max Speeds.....<br />You Need Clean water.... No Bubbles...<br />And this is on a Starcraft Islander... A Tin Boat....
 

jocko_nc

Seaman
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Mar 18, 2002
Messages
65
Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

The water is being disrupted by the hull. If you have transducer mounted near a chine it is a given that the water will be disrupted at speed. Be advised, you cannot reset the sounder at speed 'cuz it will calibrate all wrong.<br /><br />I usually lose data over 25 mph or so. However, at that speed what is the use of a transom depth sounder? Whatever you find is long gone anyway. In the case of a shoal, at least you will know what you hit!<br /><br />jocko
 

cloumar

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Hey Jocko_nc,<br /><br />The reason why I would like to keep the depth reading at speed - it is not for debris or lug floating, because with this no matter what, you have no chance, you hit. It is more to know if you riding over a sand bar or a gradual shallow water or bottom which sometime leads to almost 1 or 2 feet of water. <br /><br />Smoky
 

Jack Shellac

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Can you increase the ping speed on this unit? This allows the FF to get return echoes at high boat speeds. Default ping speed is usually about 50% and, if the program allows it, you can raise it on some units.
 

jocko_nc

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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

I hear you Smokey. It is just that the depth of water racing behind your transom is not very valuable information and can lead to a false sense of security, IMHO.<br /><br />There is not much about the bottom that can be discerned from what is visible, at least not with any certainty, and not at high speed. Thus, the fact that the bottom is coming up may or may not mean anything, there is no way to know. An alarm at five feet could be too late. That is what charts are for. If I am unsure of my position on the charts, I am not driving so fast. If the channel is so narrow that navigability is in question, I am not driving so fast. If the markers are in question or do not exist, again I am not driving so fast.<br /><br />There was one time when I wished I had depth sounding at full throttle. Crossing Pamlico Sound, I wanted the verify average depth to that listed by the charts, to make SURE the 10 foot depth reading was not a warning sign. Of course, this was in addition to the GPS which said we were right where we wanted to be.<br /><br />I guess I don't see it as that important. I do not see the value of a depth sounder at WOT. Again, IMHO.<br /><br />jocko
 

cloumar

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Thanks Jocko,<br /><br />I understand your point and it is very good, of course I am not doing WOT if I am not sure of the bottom, but it is a bit frustrating when those guys sell you a piece of equipment that should read or give a spec and it isn't. Because even if you are not at WOT let say only 15 or 20 mph - it is enough for big time damages, so when this dum FF stop reading the depth just above trolling it sucks.<br /><br />Anyway this is life in the world of technology.<br /><br />Thanks again<br /><br />Smoky :)
 

bassin51

Cadet
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

I have a Hummingbird 400, mounted on the transom, of Procraft. It works perfect at any speed, up to 50mph which is the max for my boat. I installed it exactly as the manual instructed.
 

jocko_nc

Seaman
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Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Perhaps it is time to move the transducer? I would think deeper and away from the chines would help, trying to keep the transducer in a solid stream of water.<br /><br />Mine (Lowrance) gets spotty above 25 mph or so. It depends upon cross wind and/or passenger load, I assume because of the flow along the hull.<br /><br />Good luck.<br /><br />jocko
 

petryshyn

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Oct 3, 2001
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2,851
Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

It is very important to have the transducer tilted slightly so no air bubbles form at high speeds. Try tilting it as shown. <br /><br />
trans.gif
 

cloumar

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Aug 12, 2002
Messages
305
Re: Fish Finder loosing depth signal at cruising speed

Thanks again,<br /><br />Mine is also installed as per Humminbird instructions, still I will try to may be give a bit more angle again, I will try this before lowering it, I am not to hot to see the ducer guy to deep in case of an impact !<br /><br />Smoky
 
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