Chrysler Sailors Forum

I want to install a depth sounder, the kind that has the transducer inside the hull. The manuel says that this will only work IF the hull is solid fiberglass, not cored. Okay, does anyone know for sure if the 26 has a solid fiberglass hull or is there a core of balsa wood inbetween ?

Having removed, broken and replaced my head water intake thru hull - solid, and surprisingly thin.

Hmmm at the location where I removed an old transducer on mine it was 1/2 " thick, probably because it was at the keel I know it gets considerably thinner towards the deck joint.

EE, I know it seems thin, but you can imagine how many layers of glass that is. Back when I was a pup, Catalina had the retarded idea, becaus aluminum was cheap, to thin their cores and ad more ribbing. This was mostly made out of aluminun. Making them topheavy and flexible. I saw one cut-up for scrap, and right by the keel-box area they cut around the ballast, and took a caliper to the thickest part. .375!, yup 3/8'', it was an ey opener. I will say that there are parts of the 22 that I would have "beefed" if I was molding it, but They built em' pretty well in the 70's.

The C26 has a solid hull. Some S2 boats, the grand slam series, has balsa cored hulls.

It looks like 4 layers of matting at the water line. on the C-22 I'm still cutting up.

But all solid, very solid.

Oh yeah it's thick by the keel, sealed an old speed log transducer hole last year laid in 8 layers of roving mat to bring it even (have too admit I squished it in a bit) but the hole for the old transducer was very thick.

BTW - I shoot my depth sounder (Humminbird) through the solid bottom of the hull. Works very well.

Thanks, guys. Once again, great replies. I will mount the transducer somewhere forward.