I have had a Garmin 178 plotter / depth sounder fitted on my new boat and the transducer is in a Garmin fairing under the hull which measures about 10" x 3" at it's widest point. The instructions say to anti-foul the whole thing, including the paddlewheel and even the acoustic window. Can this be right? I mean, the instructions DO say so, but seems odd to larrap anti-foul over the shiny expensive bit!![?]

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Stephen

Shouldn´t be a problem. I have always antifouled mine. They won´t stay shiny for long once in the water.

Regards
Don Harvey
Web Master
Parker 325 'Calypso'

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Thanks Don. It says to use a WATER Based a/foul, and to apply it 1" up into the brass fitting too - presumably a copper based one will cause problems with the brass? Parkers used Interspeed Ultra on my boat, which I think is copper based, so I need about a thimble of water based a/foul, which is a tad annoying! I'll try and scrounge a sample pot!!

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I don't know about paddlewheels but my echo sounder seems to be perfectly capable of seeing through half an inch of blutack, the hull, several coats of AF and a few barnacles.

Fair enough Geoff - I'll larap [?] the paint on!!!

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Hello Stephen
I too have just bought a garmin 178 and i have had advise from the chandlery where purchased that the transducer can be bonded to the hull internally in mastic

it will still work as a fishfinder but will not give water temp etc

I dont really need the fishfinder bit but am fitting anyway
and did not want it fastened to the transom in the water

i will be fitting next week and will let you know if it works

Peter Lowry
"CLEO" ss26 # 21

Thanks Peter - I'll be interested to hear how it goes...

I don't really need a fishfinder either but found on my previous 178 that the bottom detail was brilliant and showed what was beneath you, which I found better than just a depth readout.

You can split the screen too so half is chart and half depth, or very quickly toggle to full screen for either, so it is very versatile.

I'll look forward to hearing from you - even a photo of your installation?

By the way, you aren't the Peter Lowry from Rydal School by any chance are you?!

Kind regards, Stephen

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Hi Stephen
Bonded the 178 fish-finder head to the hull on Cleo yesterday
I made a wooden "bath" and set it in silicone to make a reservoir last week
i then placed to transducer head in it and poured 2pack Sp epoxy with heavy on hardener to speed up setting process, press down to remove any air bubbles andplaces a brick to hold down

When i turned GPS on i got a clear reading of the bottom through the hull although it is flat (cant leave the mooring as engine in bits for another week or so) also compared the depth with the echo sounder with about 6 inches differences
water temp was 45 Degrees F but no way to see if accurate thru the hull!

so all in all it seems to work

will let you know when impeller and oil back in engine and can go for a sail to see if works 100per cent

Cheers
Peter

Thanks Peter - most interesting!

Mine is already fitted through hull by Parkers at manufacture so my question was really whether anti-fouling would 'block' it, but it already sounds as if it won't, given that yours appears to be working whilst fully encapsulated!

Hope your trip in a week or so works ok!

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