2003 265 Express Raymarine Radar and Fishfinder

[cmware]

My original 2003 fish finder is acting funky and I have an Airmar P79 transducer. I was hoping to find a compatible display unit to verify if the problem is the display or the transducer and am having trouble finding compatible options (a direct replacement display unit is $700). The Airmar website says it is only compatible with Raymarine Sounder Modules which I assume means there is a central box somewhere connecting the radar, sonar/chart plotter? Does anyone know the original set-up for this boat? This is my first boat with Radar only had fishfinder/sonar display in the past. Trying to understand how it is currently set-up to know how I can make modifications to it. I am hoping to just be able to change out the transducer and/or display while leaving the radar untouched but I am usually shamefully mistaken with these assumptions haha!

Thank you for your help.

 

[wspitler]

I am surprised that transducer is not compatible with a variety of sonar boxes.. We need to know what your MFD model and type is. Most of the newer sonars are integral in the MFD. And they can drive a variety of transducers. You can drive a non-chirp old transducer although it will not be as good. there are many threads on this forum regarding sonar fishfinders MFD’s. Bottom line they are all pretty good these days. If you’d like side scan that is another story. It’s all about your budget but most people say the bigger the screen the better. Doubt that your display drives the sonar transducer. You most likely have a DSM 300 sonar box that provides the picture via the net work to your display. The radar is likely the same way it provides a picture to your display via the net work.

 

[cmware]

Original Raymarine L760 plus, photo attached.

Wondering if I put in a new sonar and transducer if the radar would still work or if they are interconnected and I need redo both systems.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Generally, the Airmars just need to be rewired to a different plug for different manufacturer's. If you dig on their site you can usually find the wire color/pinouts. You can get the ohms measurements if you want to go that far.. https://www.airmar.com/xref.html



Find the connection of the transducer to the sonar box or the FF or MFD. You didn't say which you have. Check /clean the connector. look at the pins of the plug.

So yuo suspect the sonar or the transducer and want to try connected to known good sonar or transducer or both?

 

[SkunkBoat]

You are rocking some old stuff there. I think the radar is usable as a stand-alone. I sold that exact unit and got a new Garmin Fantom

IMO a 20 year old 600W 50/200khz CW transducer isn't worth replacing. . Get a new 12" touchscreen MFD with chirp sidescan sonar and transom mount transducer...any brand you like. Some of the better MFDs can run 2 transducers. You can try to re-pin the P79 to whatever brand and see if it gets you something useful.

 

[Bg56126]

I have these couple units sitting in my garage if you want to try them. I actually took these pictures last weekend intending to post them on this site for anyone interested. Everything worked when it was removed from the boat.

 

[Fishtales]

You might be able to use the E-series era technology with that ducer. I'd check the Raymarine website. That being said, you are still using 15 year old technology. I think I'd bit the bullet and have a new ducer installed and go with a more modern set up. Just my 2 pennies.

 

[cmware]

I have these couple units sitting in my garage if you want to try them. I actually took these pictures last weekend intending to post them on this site for anyone interested. Everything worked when it was removed from the boat.

Thank you for the offer and response, I am in Canada so probably not the easiest to send around. The images are helpful though to understand the system better.