Helo all,
I am new to boating but a long time Engineer/Mechanic. I bought a 1997 215 Explorer and have taken it out on the Great South Bay of Long Island and we had a blast. The boat came with a Fishfinder 160c and some minor issues with two guages, my speedometer did not work as well as my trim gauge.
The trim guage just needed a little white greese to loosen it up but after tracing the speedometer I found that the hose was cut at the transome.
I did some research and found that I can (A) add a paddle wheel type to my fishfinder 160c and (B) add the Pitot device to the back of my boat.
For the paddle wheel I drilled a 1/4 inch hole at 6pm position of the existing 3/4 inch hole that was already in place for the transducer of the fish finder. This allowed me to tuck the original tranducer wire in a chamber so I can push the new paddle wheel wire with it's 3/4 head through without having to drill another hole in the transome. Ran the wire along the stern to the starboard side then to the bow were I was able to piggy back the two connectors. If I spin the paddle I see numbers.
For the Pitot guage I had to trace the hose find the cut and replace the back half section as well as add the pitot guages off the back of the boat. I know this works because when I hit it with light compress air I see it move.
All holes were sealed with perminent marine grade sealent (3M).
I know theses devices are not 100% accurate but I hate stuff that doesn't work.
So this is the finished results:
What do you think?
-Melo
