on my new boat, theres a Garmin 160 fish finder with a bronze transducer mounted as a through hull. This transducer measures depth, water temp and speed and has a cool plastic plug with a paddle wheel that goes through the transducer.

The previous owner told me that he turned it on by accident once when the boat was on the hard and the following spring it did not work and thinks that he fried the transducer.. I can't see why this would happen and wonder that it could be the fish finder that isn't working and with that logic, if I was to replace it with a nice chart plotter it should be able to pair with the transducer.

Has anyone heard of this problem?? I know it won't work out of the water because it needs water to cary the sonar, but how could this 'fry' it????

I’ve heard you can ruin a transducer running not in the water also but have no 1st hand experience.
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Yes. I googled it and garmin’s transducers are water cooled. They can over heat if left on too long on land.
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I,VE HAD MY fURNO,S in hull for years . never had a problem ……….. now I,m on the transom for better readings & broken transducers ><.

Transducers heat up if left on over an extended period of time out of the water and will fry.
Just replace it.
It’s most likely junk.
A sounder is only as good as the transducer.
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The plastic wheel is what measures speed. Is the whole thing not working or is it just the speed function that isn't working.

The plastic wheel is what measures speed. Is the whole thing not working or is it just the speed function that isn't working.

The unit powers on but I was told it does not read depth any more.

I think I will replace everything.
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The unit powers on but I was told it does not read depth any more.

I think I will replace everything.
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Probably your best bet. Look for something that has a transducer about the same size, if you're not going to get a high end unit. Chirp transducers are huge!

[QUOTE=MakoMike;1160747]Probably your best bet. Look for something that has a transducer about the same size, if you're not going to get a high end unit. Chirp transducers are huge![/QUOTE

Not true.
High end transducers are huge.
My chirp transducer is the exact size as the B260 I took out, as a matter of fact it’s mounted in the same Big high speed fairing block.
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Thanks guys. Truth be told this is for a ... um.. uh... sailboat. So I really just need to know depth but come to think of it, it would be a riot to drift eels over SW ledge from a sailboat.
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Thanks guys. Truth be told this is for a ... um.. uh... sailboat. So I really just need to know depth but come to think of it, it would be a riot to drift eels over SW ledge from a sailboat.
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Do it... :happy:

Get your hand on the transducer. You will feel it pinging.

Next check the menus. They all have finder on/off.

The next is crushed cable usually you can see marks on cable.

Thanks guys. Truth be told this is for a ... um.. uh... sailboat. So I really just need to know depth but come to think of it, it would be a riot to drift eels over SW ledge from a sailboat.
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I used to catch bluefish off a sailboat in Guanabara bay. (Rio)

I used to catch bluefish off a sailboat in Guanabara bay. (Rio)

Cool !!

As a life long sailor, I have heard of only 2 striped bass caught from sailboats and one of them was dropped at the side of the boat. Most sailors just drag a lead head or a floating plug around here and don’t target a specific species.
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