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Step 1
Install a depth sounder on your boat. The depth sounder sends a signal from the bottom of your boat to the bottom of the water and then that signal comes back. That's how the depth sounder calculates the depth of the water. To do that, the depth sounder must be properly installed and mounted in the correct location.
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Step 2
Read your manual. Each depth sounder is different. Some depth sounders only calculate the depth of the water. Other depth sounders can be used to detect items under the boat, like a school of fish. These are also called fish finders. Check your instruction manual to see what features your depth sounder has.
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Step 3
Study the instrument face. Depending on the features of your depth sounder, the instrument face can have a lot of information or very little. Read the information on the screen to figure out what information you'll have at hand when you're on the water.
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Step 4
Adjust the settings. Different people choose to read the depth of the water in different units. Set your depth sounder to feet, meters or fathoms, whichever you prefer.
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Step 5
Hit the water. Now that you understand how your depth sounder operates, you'll be able to understand the information it provides you when you're out on the water.
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Step 6
Monitor your depth sounder. Sometimes the water depth can suddenly change because of a foreign object in the water or because there's simply a change in the shape of the land. Because the depth sounder is mounted in a location where it's easy to see while driving, you should frequently monitor it to make sure conditions are safe for you to continue boating.
