Depth Finder Issues - 1998 Sportster 1800

[mattbraafhart]

Transducer on my humminbird finally broke off and is at the bottom of the lake, It was mounted on the transom. This thing has always been an issue when beaching the boat and has broke before but this time it's gone, broke the cable.

Question, where does the depth finder that came with the boat have it's transducer mounted?

Would a in Hull system work on this boat?

What are others doing for this?

Thanks!

 

[ialonso]

Transducer on my humminbird finally broke off and is at the bottom of the lake, It was mounted on the transom. This thing has always been an issue when beaching the boat and has broke before but this time it's gone, broke the cable.

Question, where does the depth finder that came with the boat have it's transducer mounted?

Would a in Hull system work on this boat?

What are others doing for this?

Thanks!

I don't think your boat came from the factory with a transducer. I have the 1999 and mine did not have one. I did install one by bolting an aluminum "bracket" piece on the lower left pump studs, right before the nut, in place of the flat washer. I routed the cable through the same hole used by the cable of the original wheel speed sender.

I tried in-hull and did not have the success I desired.

 

[2UCS]

I to have a 1998 Sportster 1800 and looking for a GPS fishfinder setup that would be a in hull setup

 

[Dr Honda]

Those boats didn't come with a depth gauge. BUT... you could get a Seadoo option gauge. The one's I've seen were glue in styles.


Anyway... you can put in any kind you like. The rear transom style is problematic, and has issues reading depth while moving. A "Through Hull" style is the best... but it bothers some people to cut a 2" hole in the bottom of the boat. BUT... when installed correctly... there's no issues. Glue in styles work well too, assuming you prep the hull... and use an epoxy that gets HARD. If you use a soft resin... it won't read properly.


I personally have a Lorance MK 4, with a glue in style, and I like it more than just a plane depth gauge, since it has a fish finder, and a GPS in it.

 

[Isaac-1]

I just bought a Lowrance Mk 4 HDI for my 99 Sportster 1800, but have not installed it yet, GPS plus fishfinder / depth sounder all for under $150, the only down side is it is a grayscale only display. I plan to cut a 3.5 inch plug out a c cheap plastic cutting board with a hole saw and mount it drivers cup holder hole.

 

[mattbraafhart]

My dash has a depth finder gauge in one of the circles like it was factory installed, maybe this was after market, I don't know, I bought it this way, but it never worked.

I've been using the transom mount humminbird PMAX 170 for 4 years and I can say, it does not read properly at speed, only when idling or moving slow, that never really bothered me too much, but the issue with the transom mount is that it get's bumped around and beat pretty hard if you are around the beach and before this final issue I've had the mount break off in the past.

This last time, the mount broke and it got wrapped up in my reverse cable system causing issues, now I have to fix that too.

 

[Dr Honda]

My dash has a depth finder gauge in one of the circles like it was factory installed, maybe this was after market, I don't know, I bought it this way, but it never worked.

I've been using the transom mount humminbird PMAX 170 for 4 years and I can say, it does not read properly at speed, only when idling or moving slow, that never really bothered me too much, but the issue with the transom mount is that it get's bumped around and beat pretty hard if you are around the beach and before this final issue I've had the mount break off in the past.

This last time, the mount broke and it got wrapped up in my reverse cable system causing issues, now I have to fix that too.

The "Bombardier" option depth finder was a Hummindird. So, you can use their basic transducers.

 

[mattbraafhart]

Here is a picture of the depth finder that is in dash, says bombardier on it.

 

[ialonso]

Do you know if that was installed at the factory? I doesn't look exactly like the other gauges, but it does say Bombardier on it exactly as you say... Very interesting.

 

[SMLseadoo]

I also have a 97 seadoo challenger with the depth gauge on it. I'll try to get some pics the next time the cover is off. But the gauge looks exactly like posted above same location on the dash. and everything.

 

[mattbraafhart]

last weekend when I was out on the lake I noticed the gauge started working intermittently, sometimes it showed depth, then the screen would go blank, it seems to just come on and off randomly.

 

[Isaac-1]

Sounds like a problem in the gauge or a wiring short

 

[SMLseadoo]

Random question on the depth gauge. Mine is wired so that it only comes on when I have the gauge lights on. Is this normal?

 

[Dr Honda]

Random question on the depth gauge. Mine is wired so that it only comes on when I have the gauge lights on. Is this normal?

Nope.

Tie it into the "12v Key" power. If you have a radio, tap it's "On" power.

OR...

Just piggyback it on the power to the other gauges.