My boat is a 1989 Sea Ray 160 BROB....

[Bear1]

My boat is a 1989 Sea Ray 160 BROB. Looking for advice on better installation of the existing inboard depth transponder. 

It is currently just siliconed to the bottom of the hull near the bilge pump at the transom. Depth gauge is not giving me any true readings.

Not certain if the bottom of the hull is pure fiberglass or if a wood core exists below (causing the poor readings). 

Anyone have any experience with this type of transponder installation on a similar Sea Ray?

Please advise.

Bear

[Jordan_G_]

Hello, If the transducer is actually working, one of the reasons for false readings could be that there is an air bubble between the transducer and the hull. Try removing the tranducer and re-silconing it to the hull. If it still doesn’t read correctly afterwards, you can replace the transducer with another in-hull transducer or you can go to a tranducer
that reads off the transom. The transom-attached transducers work well, but people don’t typically like drilling holes through their transom.

[Bear1]

That was my concern, going through a 1989 vintage hull would not have been my first choice.
I think I'll sand the hull inside near the transom and thoroughly clean is before re-siliconing the transducer. Been reading a bit on 'best practices' for install the in-hull type transducers.
Need to wait until open water season to test the equipment.
thanks