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**Patrick** · 10-26-1999, 06:53 PM

Re: Dan's design

Mark,

If you go way back at the beginning of the forum messages, you will note that I built a sonar based on Dan's designs.

We did get to try it out a couple of times before pulling the boat out of the water, but not to the degree that I would have liked to.

Our bottom terrain in Alaska is quite unique in the fact the the bottom is a result of glacial carving. We have very sharp drop offs which begin at shore and in most cases continue until extreme depths. These drop-offs made it difficult to interpret the data received.

I think that this system would work much better where the bottom conditions are flat and the wreck actually has some relief from the bottom or if the wreck could be approached from a number of different angles. In our case, on the wreck that was a known, you had only one way to approach the wreck. I should note that the way that this wreck (that we used) is sitting, it would have had much better relief if we were able to approach it from a side shot. Our view was from the bow. On our attempts, we did get one very good target that looked like the bow of a ship ... it was certainly man-made.

I think you would be able to get images similar to Dan's, but I think the conditions have to be right for it to happen. Personally, I would be happy enough getting information that told me that the structure was man made. When I get back to California (in a couple of months) I will have some more time to play with it.

There are also a number of other factors that must be considered ... tow speed, swell, constant speed and course, limited power of the paper graph, etc.

Also, if you decide to make one and need a paper graph, let me know. I have two Lowrance X-16s and one Mach-1 ... only need one of them.

If you have amy other questions, ask away.

Patrick

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