Depth Reading On Plane

[AJ]

I have a Z21 that I have purchased in April and it’s been in the shop more then it’s been on water, problems like steering helm rubber around inside of boat and some motor issues like oil cap on reserve tank broke and linkage out of adjustment and loading up while at idle while waiting to launch for tournament start. 3 of the 4 grease caps broke on trailer throwing grease on rims of trailers. The biggest problem is with the locator (Humminbird helix 10 gen 3) when Cabela’s installed the unit with a high speed shoot thru the hull transducer and a Y cable for the slimmer mounted to jack plate, first time out on water it wouldn’t read over 1.9’ so Cabela’s contracted Humminbird and they said the transducer in the hull wasn’t compatible with the new Gen 3 series locator so they glasses in another one next to burned out one and said ready to go, again took it out on water and no readings back to shop this time they said it must of been a bad transducer so again they glasses in another one next to the 2nd burned out one now I have 3 glasses in the hull, took it out again and no depth readings over 35 mph on plane so back to shop and now they are telling me that it’s something I’m going to have to live with that they have installed transducers for 43 years and they know they aren’t doing anything wrong. Service manager is trying to say that most not all boat read over 35 mph on plane which I said was bs so it’s been setting in shop parking lot since 10/15/19 with no action being done. Can anyone tell me if what they are saying to anywhere true? My last boat read well over mph. Thanks for any info

 

[Kerz]

AJ
I'm having Humminbird problems as well. A Helix 7 unit but different symptoms than yours. My unit also has sonar related problems with intermittent depth readings and screen display lockup. Temperature, speed and time works fine.
Customer service (second call) said it was very likely the transducer. I purchased a new transducer. Problem is still there. Third call to Customer Service. They advised to return unit and transducer along with $204 check. Note: problems began while still under 1 yr warranty.
I'd be hard pressed to purchase another Humminbird product.
Vic

 

[AJ]

Hello Vic,
Humminbird said it was the transducer as well for my issue and there has been a total of 4 transducers glasses in and still having the same problem, I’ve also had a head unit replaced, I dropped my boat off at tracker there late last week and there response is it could be a Y cable or the hull causing bubbles as it’s going down the lake on plane, Humminbird told them to disconnect the Y cable and hook it up directly to glassed in transducer and see if the problem goes away so time will tell I guess. The dealership said that if the boat is causing bubbles there is nothing that I could do and would just have to live with it, in my opinion was for the amount of money theses boats cost and the electronics it’s something that I don’t fill I should just have to live with. I will keep you posted on there findings, If it turns out it’s something I’m going to have to live with it will be no more nitro or Humminbird in my future.

 

[Kerz]

Thanks for the update.
Vic

 

[jerry shack]

Hello Vic,
Humminbird said it was the transducer as well for my issue and there has been a total of 4 transducers glasses in and still having the same problem, I’ve also had a head unit replaced, I dropped my boat off at tracker there late last week and there response is it could be a Y cable or the hull causing bubbles as it’s going down the lake on plane, Humminbird told them to disconnect the Y cable and hook it up directly to glassed in transducer and see if the problem goes away so time will tell I guess. The dealership said that if the boat is causing bubbles there is nothing that I could do and would just have to live with it, in my opinion was for the amount of money theses boats cost and the electronics it’s something that I don’t fill I should just have to live with. I will keep you posted on there findings, If it turns out it’s something I’m going to have to live with it will be no more nitro or Humminbird in my future.

I had the same problem but i use Lowrance stuff. After 2 transducers to shoot thru the hull I said no way I have had to many bass boats and that's not to live with. So I installed a thru hull transducer problem solved. Reads above 55 MPH . Here's the problem, when i cut the hole for the transducer the piece of fiberglass had voids in it like air which they call a delamite of the fiberglass. It has to be a solid piece for the transducer to work correctly.

 

[AJ]

Hello Jerry, My boat has been at the shop for 3 weeks now and when I called the other day to check on it they have decided that the hull is creating turbulence or there’s a air pocket in hull so waiting to hear if they are sending it to factory for repairs or what the plan is. I went to a Humminbird seminar there Saturday and the rep said it’s a problem with the boat and not the locator equipment so waiting to see what happens. Tracker takes its sweet time and doesn’t keep you doing informed at all, really sucks