I jumped in the water again today to check on the depth sensor. I had thought (hoped is more like it) that I was inept about locating the depth sensor last time I was in the water and had mistakenly cleaned the speed sensor plug. That wasn’t the case.
Today the water was quite a bit clearer and I could actually see, though not terribly clearly, the depth sensor. I could hear it clicking and thought that maybe, just maybe, it would start working. I set about “cleaning” it and checking the depth indication on the ST60. No change. It still gave erratic indications.
I accepted that most likely the depth sensor was, and is, malfunctioning. I climbed out of the water, got cleaned up, and proceeded to go under the V-berth to get the actual part number off the tag to start finding a replacement.
While looking at the tag, I noticed this at the top of the transducer.
Here’s a close up.
Water. I had originally felt a lip on the face of the transducer. I still felt that today, but I was pretty aggressive about scraping around it. I suppose that lip, and the water at the top, is indication of failure of the transducer housing itself.
The Raymarine manual for the ST60 Tridata calls for a M78713 (thru-hull depth transducer) or M78718 (retractable thru-hull depth transducer). Those part numbers are not to be found on the tag. Looking up M78713 yields a number of P19. Apparently, the P319 WILL work with the ST60, but the P19 is the recommended transducer. And that’s a relief, because the P19 is roughly $100 less expensive. We’ll get one on order and I’ll rig some temporary solution until we do a haul out and replace it properly.