Depth sounder

[bucluv]

Hey everyone. My depth sounder has been acting strange all summer when I'm just doing 5 miles or less an hour anywhere my depth sounder Works beautifully but once I get to cruising speed it starts going crazy giving me wrong readings flashing and sometimes getting stuck on one particular reading. Any advice would be appreciated thank you

[Pcpete]

Several questions have to be answered first is the transducer transom mounted? If so, there will too much turbulence around it to get a reading. If it is inside the hull, transducer inside shooting through the hull, if it is too far forward or off to the side, it’s probaby turbulance again. Some sensitivity is lost shooting through the hull and the bond to the hull needs to be bubble free, but, in my experience mounting the transducer in bondo right in front of the engine(s) and at the bottom of the bilge works quite well. The best, most consistent and sensitive solution is a thruhull type transducer. There are types that mount in the thickness of the hull then can clock around to compensate for the shape of the hull. Normal thruhull types will require a wedge to make the transducer perpendicular to the water.

[RobMick]

What kind of depth sounder? Make? Definitely fill out your profile with your boat info will help us to help you

[bucluv]

It is a thru Hull transducer straight from the factory it's a 2005 305 Bayliner. I bought the boat the end of 2016 and been having this issue with the transducer ever since but like I said when I go slow it works perfectly fine it's when I'm at cruising speed it starts acting up I've also noticed the transducer is basically on the starboard side of the boat and when I'm cruising and it's acting up when I make a hard right turn it goes back to normal operation for about 5 seconds and then starts acting up again so maybe it is Bubbles under the boat that is causing this 2 act up. I'm surprised it's doing this if it was straight from the factory where I've had the same boat before the 355 and the transducer was in the same exact spot

[bucluv]

I tried to edit I did not mean I had a 355 I have had 3055 and the transducers was always in the same spot. So I'm surprised this is doing that if it is cavitation or whatever

[RobMick]

Is it a Faria digital? Pic? Reason I ask, is that I had Faria sounder on my boat that I bought in 2015. The boat is a 2012, the depth sounder was not standard equipment, but it was added by the dealer at time of original sale. I had a problem with the gauge, called Faria directly and they sent me a brand new one for free.....

[Nauti_Mike]

Sounds like there is a fracture in the bond between the transducer and hull. This can cause an intermittent loss of bottom return causing the display to read incorrectly or flash.

[bucluv]

Yes it's a car Is. Nauti mike, when you say a fracture what exactly do you mean and is there any solution to this or I just have to buy a new system. Thanks guys for all your input

[bucluv]

Faria. *

[builderdude]

Is this a shoot through transducer that's glued to the bottom of the inner hull or a through hull transducer that's drilled through the hull bottom and mounted up like a through hull fitting??
if it's a shoot through type Mike is suggesting the glue bond (whatever it is) has let go to some degree and it's now causing your issues.

[bucluv]

It's the thru-hull drilled one

[Nauti_Mike]

It's the thru-hull drilled one

Oh I thought it was one epoxied to the inner hull bottom.

The flashing is either the transducer not seeing bottom or Tom or a loss of communication between it and the head unit. A new transducer should fix the problem.

did you verify there is no growth on the transducer?

[builderdude]

It's the thru-hull drilled one

Then your issue could be caused by some turbulence washing over the ducer at higher speeds. Maybe it's been installed to close to the waterline while up on plane. You say it seems to work when turning to starboard.

[bucluv]

Definitely no growth on it and yes when I turn to starboard it goes back to normal operation but once heading straight it acts up or when going slow it works perfectly fine so I think it's cavitation but like I said my last boats the transducer was in the same exact spot on the 3055s and they work fine

[Nauti_Mike]

Being a thru hull unit is it mounted so the transducer is shooting straight down or is the face of it at an angle? If it is pointing to starboard that would explain why turning to that side improves its performance.