Sounder & Radar Install

[mawyatt]

I've made a deposit on a 2008 Sundancer 38 pending a sea trial and the admirals plus capitans and 1st mate approval. I'm just the bildge boy in this family; work to make the money to pay for the boat and everything else, load the boat, drive the boat then clean the boat and fix anything that breaks!!. At least I'm on the boat which is what it's all about, and it beats yard work!!

Anyway, I'm considering adding a Raymarine 4' radar and DSC300 sounder. The boat has a Raymarine E120 display. I've asked MM for an est and may consider purchasing from BOE and installing myself. Anyone done this, what's involved? I'm an EE so the electrical doesn't bother me. If I decide to have someone else do the install, any ideas of a good price?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

 

[Presentation]

Hey Mike,

Sorry I don’t know the answer to the questions you posed.

Just wanted to welcome you to the owner’s side. Yes, I read its still pending.

380 dancer? Sweet ride.
Ray E120? Nice unit.

Your post made me laugh.

At times I’m convinced I’m just the bilge boy’s towel boy.

Have you used radar before?

 

[Four Suns]

The wiring is pretty straight forward but that's not the hard part. Make sure you find the model number and brand of your transducer (probably a removable Airmar unit and the model number will be on the wire up where it plugs into the helm display) and check the compatibility with the DS300. You'll probably need to add a different transducer as the units that come with Sea Rays typically do not have enough wattage associated with them. You would think that you could just buy a new unit to insert in the existing housing but BZZZT! Need a bigger hole.... You may want someone with experience install the new transducer and you just do all the wiring. My boat has coring in the bottom of the hull so willy-nilly hole drilling is not allowed. You may want to call Sea Ray Customer Service and see if they have recommended spots to add other thru-hulls. If you have to add it to the angled bottom and not the centerline, you'll have to make sure it is pointed straight down and there are several ways of doing that.

Good luck... You'll need to haul your boat. Only a moron who burns off their wedding ring finger on a battery would drill a transducer hole in the boat while it's in the water.

 

[osd9]

A good friend has an '06 38DA. He had MM install all the electronics. Without going into the details, I think Willy-Nilly was employed at the local MM store. He had ALL KINDS OF TROUBLES with his electronics....his AP, Radar, Tridata and VHF ALL had problems. He has the E-120 but does NOT have the DSM module. Honestly, unless your fishing or looking for wrecks to dive, there really isn't much need for the DSM....I would go for the AP before the DSM....but again...that's just IMHO. He eventually got the electronics all worked out and they now work fine.

Quick story, during one of the many runs we had with his local store, the depth would not read while we were on plane. For the heck of it, I asked by buddy to lower his tabs....Wallah!...the depth guage worked. Off the tabs, the guage lost bottom. The professional didn't Fair the ducer ....duhhhh!!!

Anyway, good luck...I hope you love the boat and the new electronics....


Oh...Wesley....you might want to move this thread to the Electronics forum for future reference...

 

[mawyatt]

A good friend has an '06 38DA. He had MM install all the electronics. Without going into the details, I think Willy-Nilly was employed at the local MM store. He had ALL KINDS OF TROUBLES with his electronics....his AP, Radar, Tridata and VHF ALL had problems. He has the E-120 but does NOT have the DSM module. Honestly, unless your fishing or looking for wrecks to dive, there really isn't much need for the DSM....I would go for the AP before the DSM....but again...that's just IMHO. He eventually got the electronics all worked out and they now work fine.

Quick story, during one of the many runs we had with his local store, the depth would not read while we were on plane. For the heck of it, I asked by buddy to lower his tabs....Wallah!...the depth guage worked. Off the tabs, the guage lost bottom. The professional didn't Fair the ducer ....duhhhh!!!

Anyway, good luck...I hope you love the boat and the new electronics....


Oh...Wesley....you might want to move this thread to the Electronics forum for future reference...

Dominic,

Thanks. The kids like to fish. BTW what is AP?

Mike

 

[mawyatt]

The wiring is pretty straight forward but that's not the hard part. Make sure you find the model number and brand of your transducer (probably a removable Airmar unit and the model number will be on the wire up where it plugs into the helm display) and check the compatibility with the DS300. You'll probably need to add a different transducer as the units that come with Sea Rays typically do not have enough wattage associated with them. You would think that you could just buy a new unit to insert in the existing housing but BZZZT! Need a bigger hole.... You may want someone with experience install the new transducer and you just do all the wiring. My boat has coring in the bottom of the hull so willy-nilly hole drilling is not allowed. You may want to call Sea Ray Customer Service and see if they have recommended spots to add other thru-hulls. If you have to add it to the angled bottom and not the centerline, you'll have to make sure it is pointed straight down and there are several ways of doing that.

Good luck... You'll need to haul your boat. Only a moron who burns off their wedding ring finger on a battery would drill a transducer hole in the boat while it's in the water.

Gary,

Thanks. I remember the ring burns...OUCH!!! Hope that heals without any loss of the finger use.

Mike

 

[Four Suns]

I'm not the one who burned my finger... it was another member...

AP = Auto Pilot.

 

[gerryb]

I installed radar, GPS and a Garmin 52xx on our 280. I opted against the 'ducer install as we don't fish, the depth guage on the boat already works fine, and it was more work. I have a few pics of my install on the board. Not difficult but plan on using as much time thinking through the installation as doing the installation itself. I remember spending lots of time trying to find ways not to drill holes... in the end, I drilled the holes and just got it done..

If you can, take a look at another similar boat and electronics set-up to give you an idea how it is done. Esp. take a look at how it is connected to the power grid.

 

[tomkat58]

just finished installing raymarine e80, 424 radome, dms300, 218 radio, gps125, smart heading sensor. The equipment works great, the installation manuals are ok but start up manuals stink, the smart heading sensor manual gives no info. about hooking to the e80, had a hard time getting 4kw antenna cable around radar arch

 

[Pirate]

Good luck... You'll need to haul your boat. Only a moron who burns off their wedding ring finger on a battery would drill a transducer hole in the boat while it's in the water.

Geez Gary! You're nowhere to be found for a week and then, Bam, a chin shot. :grin:

While I've done several in water transducer installs, they were on non-cored hulls. The geyser that ensues after drilling a 2" hole a couple of feet below the waterline is impressive. :smt001

 

[mawyatt]

just finished installing raymarine e80, 424 radome, dms300, 218 radio, gps125, smart heading sensor. The equipment works great, the installation manuals are ok but start up manuals stink, the smart heading sensor manual gives no info. about hooking to the e80, had a hard time getting 4kw antenna cable around radar arch

Thanks, what size boat??

Mike

 

[mawyatt]

I installed radar, GPS and a Garmin 52xx on our 280. I opted against the 'ducer install as we don't fish, the depth guage on the boat already works fine, and it was more work. I have a few pics of my install on the board. Not difficult but plan on using as much time thinking through the installation as doing the installation itself. I remember spending lots of time trying to find ways not to drill holes... in the end, I drilled the holes and just got it done..

If you can, take a look at another similar boat and electronics set-up to give you an idea how it is done. Esp. take a look at how it is connected to the power grid.

Thanks, did you use a Radome or Open Array?

Mike