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1981 E38 Speed and Depth Sensor

gregdettmer

Member I
I am installing new speed and depth transducers in my 1981 E38. When I got the boat they were originally mounted on the port side of the boat about 1 foot from the keel (underneath the rear port dining seat).

I would like to install the new ones forward in the hull ahead of the keel. The obvious location would be in the compartment that is just forward of the forward water storage tank.

But there is not a great deal of space or flat hull due to the very forward edge of the “grid”

Does anyone have experience mounting them here?
 
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footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Are you installing a single sensor for both?. My depth sensor is located at the very tip of the bow - a production installation I assume. Works fine.

If you have a paddle wheel for speed, there may be a need to have a little space in front that is nearly flat, but I'm not sure what the manufacturers care about with speed sensors.

My paddle wheel is at about the trailing edge of the keel on the starboard side. It's under a galley cabinet. It's just far enough forward that the slings won't get it when we haulout. Keep that in mind also.
 

gregdettmer

Member I
Thanks for the information!

The system I chose was 2 seperate sensors. I do like the idea of mounting the depth forward and the speed further back. I will do the same thing.


Regards,
Greg
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
The speed/depth transducers on my E38 are about two feet forward of the keel. The hull section there is rounded and the depth doesn't point straight down, maybe 5-7 degrees off. Both work fine. When I get caught on the shifting sandbar at the harbor entrance I get to see its depth. Exactly.

RT
 

Dan Morehouse

Member III
My depth & speed transducers are mounted in the compartment just forward of the main water tank under the V-berth. But there is no visible part of the TAFG in that compartment. I like where it is because the access is good. I'm not sure why yours has more restricted space there, since mine is also a 1981 model. There is nothing but hull in my compartment, 1-1/8" thick. The section is rounded, so there's not much flat...but not much is needed, either.

The depth works fine. The speed has always been off a knot or two, from the first time it fouled with marine growth after installation three years ago. In spite of thorough cleaning on multiple occasions, it has never read accurately since. But I think the location has nothing to do with that.

I have the identical instruments installed on a smaller boat, only next to the keel. The speed reads a knot different on different tacks, which I take to mean there is a pressure differential on leeward and windward sides of the keel underway. For this reason, I would only install it in that location if I couldn't get it on centerline in front of the keel due to hull shape.

Dan Morehouse
1981 E-38 "Next Exit"
 
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