Depth Finder Installation
The following pictures show the depth finder installation on my 1979 S2 6.8 sailboat. It might look a little unconventional, but that's okay.
Here are the requirements I had:
1. Simple, easy to read depth display
2. Backlight
3. In-hull transducer - No leak potential
4. Shallow water alarm
5. Inexpensive
6. Able to be installed with minimal modification to the boat
The Uniden QT-206 met those requirements, and it also has a sensitivity adjustment knob on the back, for those times when you're in a weedy area.
My boat already had a hole where an old, non-functional gauge used to be, so I figured I could just re-use that hole. I wanted my depth finder to be out of the weather, so I made a clear plexiglass "window" to cover the old hole. Since the alarm buttons are on the face of the Uniden gauge, I needed a hinged mount so I could access them. S2 used spring loaded cabinet hinges for the three doors inside the boat, (under cockpit storage, vee-berth storage, and galley storage) so I bought one to match the original ones.
I then made a mount for the Uniden gauge from a piece of mahogany. It does a couple of things: a) it gives me access to the alarm buttons, and b) it covers up the ugly hole left by the old gauge. On the inside of the plexiglass window, prior to installation, I masked off a round area in the middle so I could read the gauge, and painted around that area with Krylon Fusion spray paint, which is made specifically for plastics. I used an off-white color so it would match the boat's gelcoat.
Once the paint was dry, I secured the plexiglass to the boat using stainless steel sheet metal screws and white silicone sealant. Some people don't like to use silicone on a boat, but I've heard (from S2 Yachts, Inc.) that other marine sealants can attack plexiglass.
Now I need to remove the old thru-hull transducer and re-fiberglass the hole shut.
Questions? Comments? Email me
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