Scotty HP: Inconsistent depth against digital readout

[Sharphooks]

Yo Gents

I'd read about some disparities between "actual depth" to the depth one sees displayed on the digital gauge specific to the Scotty HP so when I purchased mine, I left the stainless cable it came with on it, thinking Scotty had calibrated the spool turn/digital read-out against the diameter of the stainless/size of the spool etc and if I switched to braid, I might disrupt that calibration and get inaccurate depth readings

Well, I'm left scratching my head. I have 4 Kw of transducer power in my boat so I've got a pretty good idea where my gear is in relation to the bottom. So, at approx. 55 feet of depth, what I read on the HP digital depth read-out is consistent with where I see my gear in the water column on the sonar units.

But as I drop, say, down to 120 feet, there is a steadily developing disparity between the depth I see my gear at on the sonar units and what the Scotty HP digital read-out is telling me.

I take care to "zero out" the gauge when necessary so I'm puzzled why I get accurate read-outs from zero to 50 feet but from there on down, I end up at least ten (10) feet off between what my sonar units tell me and what the digital read out is displaying

Will I do better with braid, or worse? Is that depth issue common to the Scotty HP units? I'm beginning to miss my mechanical counter: it seemed WAY more accurate

Thanks for any comments out there

 

[Rayvon]

Have you considered the blow back associated with the more line you put out the less straight up and down your gear runs?We commonly run 150 ft. of line in 120 ft.depths to hit bottom.I know your a veteran on here and would probably have already considered this -No?

 

[Hookin'up]

the smaller the diameter of the spool becomes as your paying out line the more off the counter becomes.
I did a whole manual measurement on mine when I first got them and reported on here what it took to make them semi accurate.
ill see if I can find the old thread


here read this and see if it may pertain to your issues
http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...p-downriggers&highlight=scotty+counter+issues

 

[Sharphooks]

Thanks for that link, Hookin'; thought it was just my unit having those big discrepancies. I was using a 15 lb ball during a slack tide: zero bow back so definitely a digital counter vs. spool size/cable diameter issue

I'll get some use out of the cable first, then try your 200# Power Pro trick

thanks again