reading bottom type

[snapperback]

hi guys,
after never having a sounder on my boat, i decided to go all out and buy a new furuno fcv 620 after hearing and reading so many good things about these units. to be honest i dont know that much about sounders or how to use them properly. my cousin has a humminbird on his boat but to me everything looks the same whether we are over sand, reef or rocks etc.
anyway i took my boat out for a run on the weekend after just having my new furuno installed and the detail compared to my cousins humminbird is unbelievable, but i still cant distinguish different bottom types. i know the darker the colour the harder the bottom but does the thickness of the line also determine the bottom type?? i would assume that the harder the bottom the thinner the line due to the sonar bouncing back quicker?? after spending 1200 odd dollars on a sounder id like to get the most out of it. any help would be much appreciated cheers :)

[mirage]

There is a huge thread on here somwhere with heaps of great photos showing different sounder pictures and explaining what they are. Not sure if it's in Boating, Electronics or Offshore Reports but it's worth searching for.

[Gill]

Your manual should explain it.

[fez]

Have a look in the electronics section, it will be a sticky at the top. Heaps of info including photos.

The best thing to do is spend heaps of time out on the water playing with it.

Cheers,
Fez

[dogsbody]

SB Thinner line would be sand as it absorbs sonar and a thicker line would indicate harder reef as it reflects sonar.

I believe fez is talking about playing with your sounder.;)

Dave.

[Wahoo]

spend heaps of time out on the water playing with it.

Cheers,
Fez

Fez
i play with mine alot at home ;D must try it out on the water;D;D:P

Daz

[disorderly]

Fez
i play with mine alot at home ;D
Daz

Hmmm.......Thats more info than I care to know,daz.http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/grin.gif

Snapperback,did you have any dramas getting your transducer to read at speed.?
I have just fitted one also and cant get a reading over about 10 knts?

Scott

[snelly1971]

www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=58431&highlight=sounder+readings

There you go....

Mick

[snapperback]

disorderly, i got clear pic on the sounder untill i got to about 25 kph on choppy water and up to about 30kph on smoothish water. i think the back edge of the transducer is supposed to be angled down just slighty and after looking at mine its parrallel with the bottom of my sponson so gonna play around with angles a bit more till i get a clear reading at all speeds. FINGERS CROSSED!!