Data Marine Unit- keep or buy new??

[Lumpy]

I have a Data Marine unit in the dash of my 10 meter. It has a brain box inside the dash. Suppose to show depth, temp, speed & logs. It lights up and I can read the display. Depth shows just dashes, no temp reading and I haven't taken her out to see the speed. Got a hold of DMI Marine which will service them and they told me it could be the transducer. There's another transducer on the boat so I'm going to test with it. My question is does anyone have this unit? Is it worth trying to fix or should I just replace it?
Has anyone attempted to replace a thru-hall while still in the water??

thx
Lumpy

[sluggo]

I believe I have the same unit. there is a little 'speed' wheel for the speed and a transducer for the depth and temp. I have had the depth transducer replaced. the theory was you could do it in the water. the reality was, it was not the type you could replace while in the water. Now it suppositly is. I wouldn't attempt, imho, too much to go wrong, esp if you've never done it. If you have it up on the dry do it then.

this all being said, where did you find the parts? I found some in SC (I believe) but have lost their number. the place I found, the guy was very knowledgable and was a big help.
could you please update that contact info you have. the datamarine that made our 'stuff' is long gone.

[RWS]

Back in 1978 I had a great, state ofd the art Texas Instruments calculator - the much celebrated Ti 30

http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/ ... ti-30.html

If I still had it today it would be fine until it failed, at which point it would make better sense to get something more contemporary.

You can get a decent new, up to date unit with a through the hull transducer pretty reasonable today.

RWS

[captainmaniac]

In my opinion, some things are too important to trust 20-30 year old electronics to... Lose the antique and invest in modern electronics to make sure you are navigating with accurate info.

When I bought my '79 it also had the old Data Marine stuff on it. I replaced the old depth sounder with a Raymarine (now owned by Autohelm) ST60 Tridata model that gives both depth and speed (recorded through different transducers) + water temperature. Plus it is a 'bus' technology (maybe not useful to you) where you can add additional display heads on. In my case I have the transducers hooked up to the unit at my lower helm, and then a single 'bus' cable to a second display head on the flybridge. For you, you could put one at the helm and possibly a second down inside the cabin so people in there can see speed, or you can monitor depth if you are anchored over night. Today the ST60 is probably considered old technology, but whatever the current reasonable equivalent is, is probably a safe bet.

Similarly, I swapped out the old school VHF radios for newer (more reliable) technology.

Replacing a thru-hull while still in the water? Make sure your insurance is paid up first... A LOT of water can come through a 2" diameter hole really fast... and you might have challenges bedding the new unit properly with everything wet and water flow around / through the area. The cost to haul it for a day to swap the transducer is a lot less than the cost of water above the floorboards, emergency haul, and frazzled nerves.

[prowlersfish]

Do not do a thru hull in the water


Raymarine is owned By FLIR
http://www.raymarine.com/default.aspx?s ... &page=1953

[captainmaniac]

Do not do a thru hull in the water


Raymarine is owned By FLIR
http://www.raymarine.com/default.aspx?s ... &page=1953

Jeez... get behind in reading Boating and they go and change everything on you!

[Lumpy]

Wow, if I bought the Raymarine I'd be spending more then I did for the boat. Ok, so the consensus is NOT to attempt a change out while in the water. Any recommendation for a reasonable unit? Don't want to break the bank?

Thanks
Lumpy

[RWS]

Mine is 100% Raymarine.

radar
chartplotter
autopilot
vhf

NEVER AGAIN !

RWS