Equipment Outfitters

The depth sounder is the second most useful piece of electronic equipment for most small powerboats since it warns of shallow water. Also valuable as a navigation tool, a depth sounder can be used by the skipper to help pinpoint a boat’s location by comparing the indicated water depth against soundings on a chart. Some depth sounders have features that allow fishermen to spot schools of fish below the boat.

Selecting a Depth Sounder

The most common type of depth sounder in small boats is the digital sounder, which displays the depth as a number.

The flasher sounder, which has an illuminated bulb showing the depth on a clock face, can be used by an experienced skipper to locate fish as well as to determine the suitability of the bottom beneath the boat for anchoring. Most sounders have a feet/fathoms selector, thus offering a way of pairing the selection with the depth indications shown on charts of the area.

Using the Sounder

With a digital sounder, you simply turn the unit on and keep an occasional eye on the depths.

With a flasher, you tune the sensitivity knob so that the bottom shows as a solid band.

If you plan to fish, you may want to increase the sensitivity so that fish appear as faint flashes between the surface and the bottom.

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