From my transducer to the bottom of my prop is 2 feet. So if my sonar shows 3 ft depth, I really only have 1 ft of usable water. On a work rack, my transponder was 3 ft off the pavement. I had to put in -2 ft of draft to get the sonar to show the 1 foot of depth that I was actually clearing the bottom. Don’t know if I did that right. I also have to make up my mind whether (a.) I want to see real depth and just be mentally be aware of how much water is below the prop, or (b.)I want to see how much water is actually below my prop.
Advice appreciated; how do the bigger boats set up their sonars? I can also set an alarm; aware of that.
I suspect that there are a lot of boats out there getting inaccurate depth readouts. Hope I’m not.
Never gave a thought to how much difference is between the transponder and the bottom of the prop! I’ve always just set the shallow water alarm @ 3ft! I don’t want to be any less than that. If the alarm goes off I just back out!
Are you guys talking about while running at cruising speed? By setting your alarm that close that you have to consider the difference in distance from xducer to bottom of the skeg wouldn’t it be to late to do anything about it by the time the alarm goes off?.. assuming it is getting shallower once the alarm goes off.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
FS90 Suzuki
Good ideas; I’ll set the alarm.
“Don’t tell fish stories where people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.” Mark Twain
You guys have to much time to think about things, fish must not be biteing!