Old Transducer, new Garmins

[Brbdwire]

Hello All,
I recently purchased two new Garman MFD displays and was wondering if there is a “fix” available that would allow me to use my old Furuno transducer. I’m told that theFuruno depth/fish finder was the best in its day but that was decades ago. The problem is that the monitor is a huge CRT(cathode ray tube). The new Garmins are NMEA 2000 but I’m not certain if that matters. One option is to install an in-hull Garmin transducer but I think it will be a considerable down grade from the Furuno.
Thank you!

 

[Mac2]

I am in the process of installing a new Garmin MFD as well. It was a no brainier to install two new transducers from Garmin. The one with Clearview and the forward looking sonar. I wanted the Clearview to see what I was anchoring on (avoid logs/cables from logging operations) and to see ahead of me for obvious reasons. Not sure what advantages you think the old Furuno transducers will give you?

 

[HeadedToTexas]

This decision is in my future. Where would you suggest seeing these sonar options in the real world so I can make an informed decision?

 

[Mac2]

This decision is in my future. Where would you suggest seeing these sonar options in the real world so I can make an informed decision?

Surprised they didn't have an active display at the store you bought the MFD. Youtube has a ton of videos that show the clarity for fishing purposes. Someone just posted a video of their Garmin display showing a whale swimming under their boat-amazing video. Garmin has a ton of transducers for various purposes. I would get their catalog to narrow down your choices. I plan on installing the transducers on my next haul out, so at some point I will be able to review them.

 

[Brbdwire]

Thanks for your suggestions. Are you referring to the Garmin transducers that are placed inside the hull? Since my hull is pretty thick, I assumed the readings would be just ok. Will be using it at anchor mostly with some occasional deep sea fishing.

 

[Mac2]

Thanks for your suggestions. Are you referring to the Garmin transducers that are placed inside the hull? Since my hull is pretty thick, I assumed the readings would be just ok. Will be using it at anchor mostly with some occasional deep sea fishing.

Thru hulls. The inside the hull transducers will definitely be affected by the type of hull you have. I see where your going now. My bad. You need a solution for what you have now. The boating store should have the adapter to use the old transducers cable to hook up to the new Garmin. If that works, I would wait to install a thru hull versus using the transducers that mounts inside the boat-very limited in function and variety.

When I get home, I'll look in my catalog to see what they have for inside the boat transducers

 

[Mac2]

Were you looking at the in hull transducer that is $1,300 or the $180 one? Airmar makes a in hull for Garmin that is under $400 as well.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I have seen lots of demonstrations, but I always assume they are optimized for selling hardware. I want to see real world sonar on 7" and 9" screens from western Lake Eric where there are no whales, but lots of walleye and mud.

 

[tpbrady]

Headed to Texas,

I picked the Garmin Livescope transducer mainly for fishing. Its range in saltwater is about 20% less than freshwater, but I can see baitfish 100 ft in front of the transducer and rockfish about 80 ft in front that are 60-80 ft deep. To optimize it, I have to manually work with the gain. Baitfish and rockfish show up as flashes as the sonar scans them probably because they are alway changing their aspect in relation to the sonar. Large schools of baitfish show up as a large target. The whale was simply a “target of opportunity”. In Juneau the other day I was looking at school of salmon smolt that swam into the beam, and saw a couple of larger targets that darted in and probably grabbed lunch.

Tom

 

[Brbdwire]

Were you looking at the in hull transducer that is $1,300 or the $180 one? Airmar makes a in hull for Garmin that is under $400 as well.

I’ll take a look at Airmar. Thanks. I was hoping to find an adaptor that connects my Furuno transducer cable to the Garmin display. My Furuno unit works well but the large boxy monitor takes up a lot of space. Also, I’m done punching holes in the hull. If I can get similar performance from a lower priced in hull transducer, I’ll move on it.

 

[O C Diver]

What I'm guessing you will find is that the newer generations of transducers all have chips (microprocessors) in the transducers, where the older versions have all the processing in the depth sounder.

I have on Slow Hand a black box processor that used a 9 pin transducer and then converted the information to send it through a data cable to the MFD. 10 years ago I moved the transducer and changed it to a flush mount design (no leveling block outside the hull). After 8 years of cruising, the transducer started fading till it finally failed. They're no longer made. After several days of hurting, I was able to loacate a new old obsolete stock one, and installed it last fall. Nice and vibrant as ever.

The take away is that this type of transducer is obsolete. Converting the output will most likely require a converter black box (that may not have ever existed) to adapt your transducer to the newer electronics of MFDs. Transducers, even the tried and true older style, will eventually fail. When it does, you will have to replace it, and it probably won't be available. Switch to new technology now.

Ted

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Amazing images, Tom. My electronics upgrade will certainly have something far more sophisticated than the Hawkeye depth sounders I have today. I will likely keep them (one at each helm) as a backup despite my limited dash space.

 

[Brbdwire]

What I'm guessing you will find is that the newer generations of transducers all have chips (microprocessors) in the transducers, where the older versions have all the processing in the depth sounder.

I have on Slow Hand a black box processor that used a 9 pin transducer and then converted the information to send it through a data cable to the MFD. 10 years ago I moved the transducer and changed it to a flush mount design (no leveling block outside the hull). After 8 years of cruising, the transducer started fading till it finally failed. They're no longer made. After several days of hurting, I was able to loacate a new old obsolete stock one, and installed it last fall. Nice and vibrant as ever.

The take away is that this type of transducer is obsolete. Converting the output will most likely require a converter black box (that may not have ever existed) to adapt your transducer to the newer electronics of MFDs. Transducers, even the tried and true older style, will eventually fail. When it does, you will have to replace it, and it probably won't be available. Switch to new technology now.

Ted

Ok Ted, thank you. I’m convinced (once again) to get with the program. Thank you for shedding some color on my dilemma. I do have a spare through hull dedicated to a paddle wheel transducer that is no longer used. Perhaps there’s a “drop in” transducer to take the place of the paddle. Better to spend a few boat dollars and get the latest technology. Otherwise, a modern in hull transducer will probably get the job done if my hull isn’t too thick.

 

[O C Diver]

Just to add a little more: most of the NEMA 2000 transducers will give you a good accurate reading of depth, but very little in the way or graphic display. You will probably find most of the video display transducers are coming in over a data cable as opposed to traveling over the NEMA 2000 network. If I were you, I would plan for your next haulout to replace both transducers. Check the manual of your MFDs to see what they recommend for a video transducer. Then replace the second transducer with one that connects on the NEMA 2000 network. Depth is one of those things you need to know when entering skinny water. Having a backup should you need it is priceless. Replacing transducers isn't usually too painful, whether you do it yourself or have to open the wallet.

Ted

 

[Brbdwire]

Good advice Ted. Thanks

 

[divert00]

Hello All,
I recently purchased two new Garman MFD displays and was wondering if there is a “fix” available that would allow me to use my old Furuno transducer. I’m told that theFuruno depth/fish finder was the best in its day but that was decades ago. The problem is that the monitor is a huge CRT(cathode ray tube). The new Garmins are NMEA 2000 but I’m not certain if that matters. One option is to install an in-hull Garmin transducer but I think it will be a considerable down grade from the Furuno.
Thank you!

Garmin sells an adapter. I used it to interface a Garmin 86xx XSV to a 30 year old, high end Airmar through hull tranducer. Google “garmin sounder wire block adapter”.

John McCarley - USCG 100T Master
Water Colors
Wrightsville Beach NC

 

[Brbdwire]

Garmin sells an adapter. I used it to interface a Garmin 86xx XSV to a 30 year old, high end Airmar through hull tranducer. Google “garmin sounder wire block adapter”.

John McCarley - USCG 100T Master
Water Colors
Wrightsville Beach NC

Thanks John. I’ll look into it.