[Bug Stomper]

Third time out. Probably about 2.5 hours on the machines. Out in the middle of the Chesapeake bay was pretty rough. The depth finder in one of the Sparks just quit and stopped showing depth. "---". Tried the usual restart hoping it would come back but never did.

At best it's a loose connection of some sort and if so I'll have them back will quick from the dealer. At worst totally bad unit and then we're talking parts yada yada yada next week.

Better if this was beginning of winter.

 

[Bug Stomper]

So Sparks are in for warranty work. The one with the "---", the transponder had come loose. Seems the factory adhesive doesn't work well with the new hull....same unit used in fiberglass hulls apparently. So service dept remedy was to use Silicone adhesive and reattach. Hopefully won't pop back off as most times there is chop in the Bay.

Other Spark the transponder failed. So part ordered will take about a week till I can pick them up.

Probably about 4-5 hours on the clock for both.

 

[serpent710]

That's cool you have the depth finder. How do you like it and why did you get it?

 

[Bug Stomper]

The Chesapeake Bay is notorious for having 2 foot shallows where there shouldn't be and danger shoals. Tooling along where it's supposed to be 10ft and then in a split second its 2-3 ft. The Bay has so many rivers that drain into it.

There are pictures of people middle of Chesapeake Bay standing in water only up to their knees.

Out on a friends boat, . Charts showed was deep enough for his 20ft inboard. His sounder didn't work. Next thing you know stuck aground. Luckily where we were it was rotting mulch bottom (the kind your leg will disappear up to your crotch and your head underwater, scary when it happens) but still took a bit of powering to pull off.

It's insurance, I like having them installed. Especially since in the Spark you'll be double the speed of a 20ft speed boat. Went Sea Doo as it worked with display panel and not external screen like a fish finder.

 

[Orca]

It's insurance, I like having them installed. Especially since in the Spark you'll be double the speed of a 20ft speed boat. Went Sea Doo as it worked with display panel and not external screen like a fish finder.

Did you end up getting these sorted out, Bug?

I like the idea of the depth finder and would want to install it at some point.

Shame you had an issue with them!

 

[Bug Stomper]

Yup. Got fixed under warranty. Dealer said they used silicone to seal the transponders to the hull and they got a new sounder for the other. Took them out pretty rough bouncing around. Same wind/sea state that knocked the transponders out before and no problems.

I did notice though that if you are on a different display function, and should you enter shallow water, a dual wavy icon shows up on the display.

They work good. If you hop out of the water then yes you will see a "---" or something crazy like "180 ft." Even at speed it still reads correctly as long as you're in the water.

No beeper however like on a power boat.

 

[Orca]

Good to hear, and thanks for the info! I might have to order one of these for my Spark.

 

[Wrench4fun]

Hmmm....that sounds a little suspicious! the depth finders are not glued down in the hull, they have a bracket screwed to the hull and the transponder clips into it, sounds more like a installation error!

 

[Rthonb]

That sounds interesting. You'd think they'd be attached more securely than just silicone

 

[Bug Stomper]

Yeah you would think. But both sounders have been working great since they were replaced on warranty.

 

[Wrench4fun]

That sounds interesting. You'd think they'd be attached more securely than just silicone

they are, the bracket is screwed down and the transponder clips into the bracket, if they fixed it with silicone then it will likely come off again! see my previous post for the install diagram. my guess is when they installed the bracket they over tightened the screws and they just pulled out over time.

 

[Orca]

Hmmm....that sounds a little suspicious! the depth finders are not glued down in the hull, they have a bracket screwed to the hull and the transponder clips into it, sounds more like a installation error!

Whereabouts in the hull does the bracket attach, Wrench4fun?

Just trying to orient the picture you posted in my head

 

[Wrench4fun]

Whereabouts in the hull does the bracket attach, Wrench4fun?

Just trying to orient the picture you posted in my head

it mounts to the back left corner of the hull, there are two posts moulded into the hull that screws go into to hold the bracket in place, the picture I attached is turned on its side.

 

[Cory MacSween]

Here is a really good pic, since I just finished installing it. I can confirm the bracket is screwed down. The only kind of silicon it has if you can call it that is that it has a gel pad that you have to tape to the sounder not the hull and then clip the sounder into the bracket.

 

[Wrench4fun]

Here is a really good pic, since I just finished installing it. I can confirm the bracket is screwed down. The only kind of silicon it has if you can call it that is that it has a gel pad that you have to tape to the sounder not the hull and then clip the sounder into the bracket.

yes, the gel pad is there to take up air space between the transponder and hull to prevent radar signal from reflecting off the hull and give inaccurate readings

 

[Bug Stomper]

Couldn't tell ya. I have yet to take the top lid off either of my Sparks. But both did experience sounder problems. Only going off what the service girl told me in that one sounder failed and the other came loose and wasn't reading properly. She said silicone was used. Maybe to insure the sounded doesn't come off the bracket? I'll have to see when I do get around to pulling the lid.