It this nuts? Or is it just me?

[Capt.Bill11]

OK, so we put all this high tech Garmin stuff on the boat including 4 different types of transducers for side scan, Chirp, Down Vu, temp, etc. for a total of 5 actual transducer bodies. (The boss likes toys.) Everything works well.

BUT and this is a big but for me, I found out that the keel offset I put in to the system ONLY shows up on the digital depth numbers displayed. The graphic display only will show depth under the transducer!? You can not compensate or add an offside to it. Nor is this quirk mentioned in any manual for the system I can find.

To me that is flat out crazy! And total BS.

Hopefully Garmin will correct it in a future software update. But till then, beware!

Here is a picture to show you what I mean.

 

[N4712]

Yes your crazy. :lol:

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. 11. Nope, you're NOT crazy. There should be a provision for adding offset so the depth shown is from the keel. Really, how tough can that be? A couple of extra lines of code...
Mr. O. 'Rithmatic is tough what with adjimications and substructions and all...

 

[READY2GO]

I just wish I could get my Garmin depth sounder to work when I need it. It will work fine if the depth is 12' or more. Drop to 11' or less and it just blinks. I tried adjusting every setting I could find with no luck. I called Garmin and talked to a tech he told me a couple of adjustments to try, which I allready had. I tried again to no avail. He told me that they were not accurate when you get in shallow water. I could not beleive it. I told him that is kinda where I need it most.

I think Garmin is great for GPS, but that is the only product I will buy from them. They obviously don't have the depth sounding thing down yet.

 

[Gabe n Em]

Theres something wrong here....

Your FF is showing 52ish feet by the soundings. The display number is 48.5. If you had an offset for the keel, the display number should be more like 56 feet....or am I off...?



wait, I got it. you have subtracted the distance from your 'ducer to your keel to display "water under the keel". I have mine set to add the distace from the 'ducer to the surface in order to show true(ish) water depth

nevermind

 

[BlueYonder]

I just wish I could get my Garmin depth sounder to work when I need it. It will work fine if the depth is 12' or more. Drop to 11' or less and it just blinks. I tried adjusting every setting I could find with no luck. I called Garmin and talked to a tech he told me a couple of adjustments to try, which I allready had. I tried again to no avail. He told me that they were not accurate when you get in shallow water. I could not beleive it. I told him that is kinda where I need it most.

I think Garmin is great for GPS, but that is the only product I will buy from them. They obviously don't have the depth sounding thing down yet.

Mine did this when first installed. I played with the sonar gain setting and fixed it.

 

[Gabe n Em]

and what are you driving that burns 4 gal/mile?

 

[Brooksie]

Garmin: great GPS's the rest will take some time & experience

 

[Bill Ranson]

Offset mine to show keel to bottom and then minus one additional foot. That way there is no guessing when the water suddenly gets skinny. Never have been good at subtractification anyway.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Mine did this when first installed. I played with the sonar gain setting and fixed it.

Gain has nothing to do with the offset you put in. And I've spoken with Garmin and they said what I'm seeing is the way it works.

They also seem to see my point and are going to bump it up the line. So I guess I can hope for a update to fix it.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Yes your crazy. :lol:

Well, I guess that part was a given.

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

I turned away when I saw the fuel burn.

It's a protective reflex.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

and what are you driving that burns 4 gal/mile?

This:

 

[hmason]

I just wish I could get my Garmin depth sounder to work when I need it. It will work fine if the depth is 12' or more. Drop to 11' or less and it just blinks. I tried adjusting every setting I could find with no luck. I called Garmin and talked to a tech he told me a couple of adjustments to try, which I allready had. I tried again to no avail. He told me that they were not accurate when you get in shallow water. I could not beleive it. I told him that is kinda where I need it most.

I think Garmin is great for GPS, but that is the only product I will buy from them. They obviously don't have the depth sounding thing down yet.

Had the same issue. The Garmin tech fixed easily. Change the frequency from what it's set at to auto.

 

[BlueYonder]

Gain has nothing to do with the offset you put in. And I've spoken with Garmin and they said what I'm seeing is the way it works.

They also seem to see my point and are going to bump it up the line. So I guess I can hope for a update to fix it.

I was responding to the guy with the flashing depth sounder. Sorry for the thread hijack.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I was responding to the guy with the flashing depth sounder. Sorry for the thread hijack.

No problem.

 

[BruceK]

My Garmin sounder very occasionally "flashes" when it briefly "loses the bottom". Never takes long to re-establish contact.

 

[Marin]

We have a Signet depth recorder. It has offset capability. We have ours set to show the distance from the surface to the bottom. So the offset is the distance from the external transducer to the waterline. We would rather work with the actual depth of the water than the distance from the transducer to the bottom or the keel to the bottom. The boat draws four feet, so if we know the actual depth it's easy enough to see where we're at.

I'm surprised a depth sounder manufacturer would not provide the ability to set an offset

 

[Gabe n Em]

This:

She's reel purdy!

 

[Donsan]

This:

Your boss has too much free cash in his bank account.

 

[N4712]

Bill now show us what he uses to tow that!

 

[Codger2]

Garmin: great GPS's the rest will take some time & experience

I've had a few pros tell me "exactly that!."

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Your boss has too much free cash in his bank account.

He's owned a couple of banks, so....

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Bill now show us what he uses to tow that!

That was another boss. He had a 140'. We towed a 35' custom built express style sport fish behind that.

After I left they sank it while towing it in very rough seas south of the DR on their way to St. Martin from Panama.

 

[bayview]

IMO sounders that show numbers only rarely work reliably in muddy or disturbed shallow water. Fish finder OTOH have a rolling scan display that will continue to show some limited data even when the depth cant be calculated.
I last had a Garman FF split freq that worked well in the shallow, sandy often stirred up water of west FL ICW. The Damn thing did not have an offset either.

 

[psneeld]

Just got back from a tow and played with the older 1650 Furuno while running...it only changed the digital depth number ...not the scrolling picture display.


Will have to see what my newer Raymarine will do...or not