Swapping Smartcaft Transducer for Garmin ?!

[tphinney]

Has any one swapped their factory SmartCraft thru hull transducer for a Garmin one? I'm looking for any input tips or tricks....

how hard would this project be knowing that my boat is on a lift and I can get up under it pretty easily in my inflatable?!

thanks in advance.

 

[estebanj]

Have you ruled out keeping the SmartCraft so you can take advantage on that, and adding the Garmin next to it?

Esteban

 

[Morpheus]

Tom I'd like to come watch you do this either if you switch it out or add a second one as I'd like to add one for my garmin as well.

 

[gerryb]

I thought about this as well with my Garmin MFD/radar system I installed last year. Decided I would keep it as is so that the dash depth readout would not be lost as a feature -- something to consider should you sell the boat without the mfd unit. Other thoughts were: 1) It doesn't bother me to have to look at the smartcraft guage for the depth vs the mfd display. 2) messing with a big hole at the bottom of the boat doesn't sound like fun. and 3) Decided I may just add a second ducer for the garming unit.. that's on the 'maybe one day..' list.

 

[chuck1]

IMHO : Add the second unit, nice to have a backup and/or be able to verify the reading from time to time. Plus the other points "gerryb" said. I just added the transom mount on mine. Just could not bring myself to drilling another big hole in the bottom of the boat. (Grin)

 

[tphinney]

OK. I have the answer from a MM mechanic that was out to fix my fuel pump.

now I have not confirmed this all yet but will very soon.

in my bilge I have the transducer thru hull and next to it is something that looks like a transducer with a compression ring (a Plug). as it turns out there is a sleave which goes thru the hull and is bedded with 5200, then the transducer slides into the sleave and is held in place by the compression ring and a security wire to keep the compression ring from moving. if I can get a gramin tranducer compatble with the one in the sleave I could remove the smart one and disconnect the inputs on the engine (mechanic should me where I would need to do the disconnect) then leave it in the bilge and slide the garmin on in it's place and run the wires up to the helm.

all in all this should be an easy job. the hardest part will be getting the right match for the existing hole/sleave.

always knew there had to be a better way!!