Seems like I read somewhere that the 365 hull is about 3" thick just in front of the keel. We have purchased new instruments for the helm. The owners manual (checked before we bought) says the depth transducer is 3 1/2" long, nearly all of which is threaded. The transducer in the box is 2 3/4" long, 2" of which is threaded. It is labeled "shorty". My plan is to remove the original transducer and install the new one. I'm thinking this transducer is going to be too short. Can anybody confirm what the hull thickness is in front of the keel?
The hull is not 3" thick where the transducer is. You will only have a problem getting the old transducer out.
Ray,
The hull on Sea Dragon is 3.5 inches thick on the center line just forward of the keel.
http://www.sailingseadragon.com/Instruments.htm
Go to the above link and scroll down a bit and you will see what your are facing... The longest Raymarine was about 1/4 inch too short so I had to grind out a depression so the nut would grip.
Garner
Because I'm basically lazy I went with a shoot-thru-the-hull transducer when I replaced the one on Matchmaker. It is located just aft of the original transducer and a bit off to port. I have had it there for about a year and it seems to work just fine.
Good luck
Ron
S/V Matchmaker
1980 365 ketch hull #311
lying Saint Marks Florida
I had thought about a shoot through, but I didn't think it would work with a thick hull. The problem is that the original transducer has a pile of epoxy packed up around it. It looks like a little pyramid down there about 4" tall and 4" in diameter with a cable sticking out the top. It's a safe bet it was leaking- It needs to go. I'm going to have to come up with a transducer that will work.
I replaced both the speed and depth transducers a year ago with the standard transducers sold with the Tack-Tick system. The transducers were mounted just to the port of the seacock for the head, probably a couple of feet off the center-line just forward of the mast. I believe the hull was about an inch to an inch and a half thick at that point. You should plan on replacing the pads as well.
I had to break out the old depth transducer, since I couldn't get it to budge.
I am doing everything you have on that page, Garner. Plugging the old instrument holes, same mic in the same place. I am mounting wind, speed, and depth at the helm. We have an RL-70 radar/chartplotter I want there too, but have yet to conquer the visibility issue of mounting it on top of the pod. If I mount it on top of the pod you can't see over it unless you are standing. I'll figure something out...
I too was concerned about visibility from the helm but over the last several years it has not been an issue.
A couple of things I have found... One, I am notorious for setting the autopilot on "Wind Vane" mode when sailing and then spend my time dinking with the sails or something else on board. If I am in conditions where I can not use the Autopilot or do not want to use it, I am standing or I am sitting off to one side or the other to see around the head sail.
Good Luck with your upgrades.
Garner
We have three different depth transducers and all of them are shooting through the hull and working great. I positioned them (attached to the inside of the hull with silicone) forward of the head intake water through hull. One is a stand along Hawk unit, and the other two for for my Garmin chart plotter.
It was the easy way to go which is the Cruiser Motto!
Raymarine is going to swap transducers with us. I ordered the instruments through Defender, so I have to return the transducer to them and they will ship the longer one to us.