Side Imaging Sonar

Jon Brooks · 23 January 2009, 07:57

I am looking to jack up a number of "free" yes "free" on water demo's around the UK for interested parties. Divers, Fishermen, SAR and any others.

If you have an interest in this kit or know someone that is please let me know.

Will turn up with the company demo boat (sadly a hard boat......at the mo!) and can take you out and show you how it all works.

Am aslo planning to have this available for on woter demos at a number of shows this coming year.

Cheers

chewy · 23 January 2009, 08:30

Sounds good, I'd be interested.

JSP · 23 January 2009, 08:32

Would these be of any use to commercial trawler fishers? If you think they could be I can pass word to the fish dock.

paul holder · 23 January 2009, 10:43

we are very interested we have a 6.5 ribcraft .based outside of plymouth.there for could you give a land line number so we can talk theredoes not appear to be one on your web site .ph

Jon Brooks · 23 January 2009, 15:31

The Office number is 01493 745192 and ask for Mark or call me on 07825 547564

Cheers

GED · 23 January 2009, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

I am looking to jack up a number of "free" yes "free" on water demo's around the UK for interested parties. Divers, Fishermen, SAR and any others.

If you have an intrest in this kit or know someone that is please let me know.

Will turn up with the company demo boat (sadly a hard boat......at the mo!) and can take you out and show you how it all works.

Am aslo planning to have this available for on woter demos at a number of shows this coming year.

Cheers

Why not come along on the ribnet cruise on the Sunday and show off the sonar on the Menai Straits ...lots of wrecks,fishing holes and rock formations in the Swellies.
With over 30 boats now, your sure to get sales!....I might be one, if their that good

Jon Brooks · 23 January 2009, 19:38

Sounds like a good idea, let me have some detail etc.

GED · 23 January 2009, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

Sounds like a good idea, let me have some detail etc.

I think you will find all the details on 'upcoming rib cruises'

Simon B · 26 January 2009, 20:52

Cool idea Jon, wish we could help, priced correctly you'd think the SI units would sell themselves to divers ten times over. I dont know many clubs that use them, though will be happy to have my mind changed.

A good acid test would be a medium depth wreck at 25-30 metres and then a deepish one at 50 metres. If the image is good and a an order of magnitude better than a good sounder with zoom or bottom lock in use then bring it on dude!

Jon Brooks · 27 January 2009, 08:11

Hi Simon,

I know of few dive boats that have the SI in Ramsgate and love it. I was doing some research before I started here. Tasker 2, one of the licenced dive boats for the Steriling Castle has SI and loves it.

Also at the boat show I was amazed by the feedback from the demo's on the stand, most who saw purchased.

We will be at the Boat and Caravan Show at the NEC in Feb and the SI kit will be on display running the demo. I also know that a demo on land can only go so far hence the offer of on water demo's. Also looking to be at Ribex this year.

Cheers

adrianevo · 26 February 2009, 18:44

I,m up for a demo but would have to be in northwest

Simon B · 28 May 2009, 10:47

Sounds like Lowrance are bringing out a side image module for their new HDS system. I was expecting this sometime but havent heard or seen too much detail. Anyone know anything about it or have any screenshots

I've had to join a US fishing forum to get some details!

Simon B · 28 May 2009, 17:07

Found some, from a Catfish forum.

chewy · 29 May 2009, 13:54

So the black line down the middle isn't been scanned?

Simon B · 29 May 2009, 14:10

Chewy,

In the image that has no black lines the white line down the middle is the fore & aft axis of the boat, either side of this is the depth of water then the view of the bottom.

The images with the black lines dividing it into 4 are the borders of the display screens used in the multi media presentation presumably at some conference?

It does look very similar to Humminbirds stuff, forum chat in the US has conjectured this may be due to Lowrance simply paying patent royalty to Humminbird and using their principle or is just convergent evolution of a separate Lowrance system. Either way an add on black box module would be useful and easy way to get SI will await developments unless we have a fora member privvy to Navico secrets...

chewy · 29 May 2009, 15:12

Is this right?

Simon B · 01 June 2009, 07:51

This may make it a little clearer, also white = good return of signal, dark = shdow or no return. If an object straddled your course/path it would appear in both sides of the image say a wreck lying at 90 degrees to course/path, you would see it in two parts.

chewy · 01 June 2009, 08:35

Ah I see now.
Anyone fancy explaining in idiots terms how it gets such a good image?

Simon B · 01 June 2009, 12:50

Chewy,

Starfish web page

Advantage of the Lowrance-Humminbird system is that there is no towed array or towfish. It is done from what appears to a conventially shaped transducer. Not sure what's in it though.

HTH

Diver · 02 June 2009, 17:07

Hi,

I Really look forward to see what Lowrance comes up with. Roumers says that they should scan down to 60-70m with nice results.

I have the Humminbird 1197 and in the Baltic Sea, where its not so salt and therefore penetrates a bit better, I get nice results down to 47-50m.

I know a lot of people with towfish sonars, they get really good images of well know wrecks, but I find more new wrecks than all them together, as my sonar is always in the water!

Here is a few of my newest scans.

Firs one is S/S Ares, steamer sank in 1906, 68m long, second one is SMS Undine, German light cruiser, sank in 1915.

You can see on the log 1015 nautical miles with the sonar in the water in one year! How many has drawn a towfish that long