Discount Inboard Marine (DIM) Featured Product(s)

Humminbird HDR 600 In-Dash Digital Depthsounder

Modern Technology For Your Classic Correct Craft
By Keith Bagley, CorrectCraftFan.com
November 2004

Previous DIM Featured Products: ACME #540 13" x 12 pitch 3-blade NiBrAl Sherwood Water Strainer with Engine Alarm

I always get a little queasy skiing a new lake, especially when it has a slalom course which is typically located quite close to shore. With an outboard or I/O you can always raise the venerable lower unit as you explore shallow water. Inboards, on the other hand, have a fixed drive shaft and rudder that do not pivot nor give when they come in contact with the lake bottom.

A depthfinder would nice but who wants a large, bracket-mounted fish finder on their Correct Craft? Well, I offer the Humminbird HDR 600. This small in-dash unit is very affordable (under $100), blends in well with my existing gauges, and is extremely easy to install.

In-dash mount

One of the best things about the HDR 600 is that it uses a convenient through-hull pickup that requires no holes in the hull nor an ugly stern mounting bracket (although it does come with one). The transducer can be bonded directly to the inside of a the hull, where the sonar actually passes through the fiberglass. Other features include programmable audible shallow alarm, quick connect installation, programmable keel off set, and accurate depth readings at up to 70 mph.

The backlit LCD display comes in both white and black and fits a standard 2 1/8 inch hole which means, for those concerned about keeping your boat original, you could mount your hour meter under the dash and use that hole for the HDR 600. Otherwise, simply drill a new hole, as I did, with a 2 1/8 inch hole saw.

After mounting the HDR 600 in the dash, I followed the directions connecting it to a 12-volt, key-on power supply through an available fuse. Next I ran the 19' transducer wire up through the wiring tube that runs from the engine compartment to the back of the dashboard, and connected it to the dash mounted unit.

To work properly, the transducer must be mounted in such a way that it's always below the water line (regardless of how fast you're going) and the water rushing underneath must be free from turbulence. The perfect point of reference is the through-hull, raw water pickup. By design, the pickup must be in the water at all times and draw constant turbulent-free raw lake water. I therefore positioned the transducer in the same relevant position, on the opposite side of the pickup. And that was it, very simple and straightforward.

Transponder installed

I adequately tested the unit for accurate readings at all speeds and when I felt confident the location was correct, I epoxied it to the hull and I was done. Note: It is recommended that the transducer is bonded to the hull using marine grade epoxy (available at any hardware store) so it's a good idea to either use duct tape or weigh down the transducer in this location and test it for an accurate reading before installing. Once cured, it will be nearly impossible to reposition the transducer without damaging it.

It's great to have such a functional device that blends so well with my classic Correct Craft. I look forward to next spring as I'll be exploring new lakes with confidence knowing I'll have the convenience of an accurate depth reading right at my fingertips.

Views expressed in this analysis are solely those of CorrectCraftFan.com and not those of Correct Craft, Inc.