Need a water temp gauge

[ilmostro99]

Well, not need, but want. I have a '99 Sea Ray 190 BR and would like to add a water temperature gauge to it. Not an engine water temp gauge but something to measure how cold the water is. No real need for it, but want it anyway.
Ideally:
Something I could mount in dash to look clean and somewhat stock.
Would like it to display/toggle between water temp and air temp.
Multifunction water temp, air temp, depth finder a plus.
Ease of installation always a plus.
I'm willing to compromise on these if need be.

I already have a fish finder on it, but my model can't display surface water temp (Eagle Strata 128). I would prefer to not buy another fish finder yet. Really, the main reason I use the fish finder is for depth sounding and it gives my kids something to do when they are tired of fishing and I am not. They are my "Official Fish Spotters"
I have looked a bit, but can't seem to find what I am looking for.
Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Erik

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need a water temp gauge

For what you will spend when you actually do find what you are looking for, you can buy a new locator that has water temp, boat speed, voltage and a host of other features. Any other temp sensing device will need to have a probe in the water so that's something else hanging off the back of the boat.

 

[ilmostro99]

Re: Need a water temp gauge

I was kind of afraid of that. Seems to me that it would be an easy thing to build (for someone smarter than me) Maybe even make the sensor wireless. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested. With all of the technology out there, you'd think someone would try to market this.
Erik

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need a water temp gauge

The sensor can be wireless but the probe still needs to be in the water to measure the temperature. That means it needs batteries. That means you have one more thing to go wrong. Just buy a new locator. The whole water temp thing is questionable anyway since the probe would measure only surface temperature. As depth increases, water temp changes quickly.

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: Need a water temp gauge

I know you said you dont want to buy a new fish finder, but it seems everything you're looking for is in the fish finder. I think it may even be cheaper and easier to install a new one. There are some models around the $200 range that can satisfy all those needs. Don't know how much money/time it would be to build one, but it seems like a good route.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Need a water temp gauge

Some of the digital gauges from eg. Lowrance do temp and depth, with a sensor on the transom. Cost is less than $200.