[TG] [TG11] Sonar Addition to Es7 Configuration

[Sailing4us]

I have a 44ft cruising catamaran we are sailing around the world. Boat is currently in Tonga. I want to add sonar capabilities to my current equipment profile (Es-127 & Es-97; DST-800; Itc-5)

Questions are:
Q1: Do I need any additional equipment to enable Sonar? If so, options and recommendations?
Q2: Does B744V work in the current DST-800 thru-hull / sleeve?
Q3: Can the current DST-800 wiring be used for the B744V? Or is a new wiring run required?
Q4: Pro’s and Con’s of using the B258. Understand a new thru-hull and wire run is required as the DST-800 can’t be replaced.
Q5: Would like to confirm the B260 is not compatible with my current equipment profile.
Q6: Do you have sample wiring diagrams for the recommend sonar equipment and my current setup?

Thanks
Jeff

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Jeff,

Quote:Q1: Do I need any additional equipment to enable Sonar? If so, options and recommendations?

Can you define what you mean when you say Sonar? A fishfinder style image of what's below you, or something more specific?

Quote:Q2: Does B744V work in the current DST-800 thru-hull / sleeve?

No, all of the sensing of the B744V transducer is inside the bronze body of the transducer, not the insert, and the B744V's stem is a similar outside diameter to the DST800's.

Quote:Q3: Can the current DST-800 wiring be used for the B744V? Or is a new wiring run required?

Transducer cables should never be cut and joined. This is for several reasons:

• There are high voltages on transducer cables (in a 600W B744V, this can be >600Vp-p)
• The reply signal levels are very low (millivolts to microvolts) and you're likely to get unacceptable signal losses across a join
• Any break in the cable shielding is a place for electrical interference/noise to get in, spoiling the sounder's performance, or out, interfering with other gear such as VHF
• To re-iterate: hundreds of volts may be present on the cable!
  

On top of this is the consideration that DST800 and B744V are very vague designations (Airmar's cross-reference lists 53 different B744Vs with different acoustic elements, internal wiring, connectors and compatibility for example) and there's no way to know whether cabling is cross-compatible without knowing exactly what variants of each are in question.

Quote:Q4: Pro’s and Con’s of using the B258. Understand a new thru-hull and wire run is required as the DST-800 can’t be replaced.

The B258's a good fishfinder transducer, but it would be uncommon on a yacht. This is partly because this level of fishfinder performance is usually unnecessary, and partly because it's quite a big transducer and presents more drag than most sailing vessels' crews want to have.

Quote:Q5: Would like to confirm the B260 is not compatible with my current equipment profile.

You can use either a B258 or B260 (parts E66082 or E66079, with adaptor cable E66066) with eS97 or eS127 if you wish. They won't ping at 1kW, they will only transmit at 600W because that's all the eSx7's internal sounder outputs. If you wanted to get the full 1kW for deepwater fishing then you'd need to add a CP370 1kW black-box sounder, which would connect to the displays via the Raynet network (port labelled Network on either display.)

Quote:Q6: Do you have sample wiring diagrams...?

These are very much modular systems and every non-production boat installation is different, so we probably don't have another boat's wiring diagram that would make clearer rather than confuse the situation with your system.

Quote:...recommend sonar equipment and my current setup?

The question I always ask is, what is it that you're trying to achieve? If you can tell me what the end result you want is, I can tell you how best to get there.

Regards,
Tom

[Sailing4us]

Hi Tom
Thanks for getting back to me.
Ref Q1 and your closing comment. Two primary uses for the sonar. 1) find and avoid obstructions on the bottom prior to anchoring. Typical anchoring depths are 30-90ft 2) see fish when on passage and I have lines out.

My intent on the B774V questions is to understand the following:
1) Can I replace the DST-800 with this unit. It appears to provide depth and speed, which I use the DST-800 for. I don't use the temp feature much.
2) If I replace the DST-800 with the B774V, what wiring variant do I want?
3) If I keep the DST-800 and install the B774V in the other hull, what wiring variant do I want?

Thanks again.

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Sailing4us,

You can connect any of the CP370-compatible transducers listed here to an eS97 or eS127 via an E66066. The relevant B744V part number is A66091, and this can provide depth-speed-temp in place of the DST if you wish. In a single network you can only have a single (active) source of a particular type of data, so if you wanted to retain the DST so as to get the depth below the opposite hull then it (and the ITC5, assuming your DST is the analogue variant connected to the ITC5 at present) would need to be connected on a separate, standalone STNG network with something like an i50 Tridata or i70S display.

Regards,
Tom