G21 - Airmar Smart Depth Finder

[Corey Tolle]

Feels like lately I've been on here a lot! Definitely feeling the "when it rains it pours" analogy. I was just recently replacing the tracking fin on my 14 G21, and I noticed water dripping out of the depth finder housing. Seemed odd since this is sealed in the housing, so I decided to remove the depth finder to make sure everything was ok. The rubber O-ring on the shaft had slipped out of the groove and made its way to the top. Easy fix just slipped it back into place. Today while on the lake, the depth finder was acting all goofy. It worked the majority of the time, but every now and then, more so when sitting still, it would go to 100 ft and stick there, or move back and forth between 100 and 50 plus. Usually, once moving, it would readjust and sync back up. It wasn't a big deal since I know the lake, but next week we are planning a trip to Lake of the Ozarks, and I want to make sure it's working correctly. When reinstalling, even though this shouldn't matter, I made sure and lined the Keel arrow up with the bow of the boat, so all should be good. I can't for the life of me figure out what it may be, anyone have any ideas?

[jpwhit]

The orientation does matter. The sensor inside the unit is tilted to match the tilt of the hull. I think the arrow is supposed to point towards the keel, not towards the front of the boat.

I can look at the ones in my boats when I'm back at the lake house later this week, or maybe someone can look at theirs sooner. If it was working fine, and then started acting up right after you fixed the o-ring then it most likely is the orientation.

Otherwise, it's probably the sensor failing. they do start acting flaky and start cutting in and out as they fail.

[Corey Tolle]

That makes sense. Stupid question, I was considering the Keel down the center of the boat (bow to stern), what are you referring to as the Keel? Technically speaking if the Keel runs stern to stern, I would have it pointing in the wrong direction. The drain plug sits right next to it, it may need to be pointing right at it? Stupid me, I didn't realize it had to be positioned in a certain direction before I removed it! Maybe someone with a G could take a pic of there's for me?

[jpwhit]

Yes, the keel runs bow to stern. So to point towards the keel, the arrow would point 90 degrees either right or left from the front of the boat. Whether it's right or left depend on whether the sensor is mounted right or left side of the hull from the keel.

[jpwhit]

And the reason the arrow points towards the keel is because that's the only way this works properly with the tilt of the sensor independently of whether the sensor is mounted on the right or left side of the hull from the keel. Otherwise, they would have to make different sensor part #s with different marking depending on if the sensor were be installed in the right or left side of the hull from the keel.

[Corey Tolle]

That makes total sense. I definitely had it pointing in the wrong direction! Got it pointing towards the Keel now, hoping all is good. Will know soon enough. Thanks for all the info!