Other Interest > DIY - Side Scan Sonar and towfish

DIY Towfish (Lowbird type) Nose cone ?

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DiveExplorer:
Hello sonar and towfish people.

I´m about to make my second side scan sonar towfish. The first one is 10 year´s old and I´m still using it and it totally works. It was made from PVC and plastic and the cable only 65 feet long with HB extensions.

But this one that I´m about to make will be made from aluminum pipe and AL fins. I will be using Lowrance (LSS-2) and HB transducers. I want to have the cable to be 100m (300 feet) of CAT6e or CAT7 cable.

But i´m running into little problem about nose cone or I need putting something on the front end of the pipe to close it. The cone I used on my first towfish was made from plastic bottle that I filled with glue. And yes it still works :)

Can some one give me advise what can I do about nose cone ?  I want it to look somewhat professional.

The pipe is 80 mm (3") in diameter, 2,5 mm (0,1 inches) thick and 1,20 m (47 inches) long.

THX

DiveExplorer

Rickard:
Hi,

I use a 50 m cable and my towfish weights 13 kg (28 lb). To get the fish down to 30 m I must move very slowly, less than 1 knot. Therefore, I think you need a very heavy towfish to benefit from 100 m cable. My advice is; make the nose cone of lead.

Rickard

Rüdiger:
Hi

Purely in terms of flow, the Towfish does not need a nose, the smooth, continuous tube can even have a stabilizing effect. But you will need a lot of ballast to be able to tow so deep.

mvh
Rüdiger

FishinLite:
You might want to look at model rocket nose cones, like this one

https://www.rocketarium.com/Build/Nose-Cones/3?cPath=19_209&

DiveExplorer:
Yes maybe I'm pushing it way to much to have the cable 100 meters long ( 300 feet ). The towfish would be heavy and making great strain on the line and cable.

Maybe It will be enough to have like 60 to 80 meters long cable (  200 to 260 feet ) , and make depressorwing ?
But I'm not sure if I can make one and I think its difficult make a good depressorwing ?

But there is a great knowledge here and good solid info.  :)

The model rocket nose cone is a clever idea  :D

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