Marker Buoy Deployment System
August 22, 2022
Marker Buoy Deployment System
This is “The Depth Charger” it is a deployment system for dropping fishing marker buoys. It should make for quicker and more accurately placement of buoys when used in conjunction with a fish finder/chart plotter. My fish finder is on the front of my boat while the transducer is at the rear so this allows me to drop the buoys right over what the transducer is showing. Is this overkill? Absolutely…. but I can, therefore I ̶d̶o̶ Make Things.
Full Build Video
For those to lazy to watch the video this project started out by designing new Marker Buoys which are seen above.
The new Buoys were printed in to halves out of ABS and then glued together.
Then to make sure they never would sink the where filled with expanding foam.
After that everything was cleaned up and Caps were glued on to finish off the buoys. I could then move on with the rest of the project.
This is the main design of the Buoy deployment system.
All of the parts were printed in PETG to hold up to the Sun and everything took about 38-40 hours to print.
Heatset inserts were used where strength for threads would be needed.
The first part to install was the Buoy Retainer… this piece holds the buoys in place if the boat hits any waves.
Next was the Base piece of the buoy pusher.
After that the original fingers were attached to the base piece.
The geared motor, limit switch, and deployment switch were then wired.
The motor and limit switch were then mounted to the main base.
Next the Cam Lobe was mounted to the Cam Disc. (The Lobe is adjustable.)
The next step in the mechanism was to mount the Cam Disc to the motor and the connect the Push Rod.
The mounts were then attached to the base.
The Buoy Magazine was the last piece to be attached.
After initial testing the Fingers needed to be upgraded.
Here is the Depth Charger mounted to the back of my boat.
The system in action.
Updates 8/23/22
I made a few updates after shooting the video. I adjusted the back side of the cam lobe so it contacts the button a little longer. Occasionally if there weren’t any buoys in the system (less resistance) and I hit the button the motor would keep spinning just long enough after hitting the limit switch that it would by past it and the motor would continue on another rotation. (This had to do with upgrading to a 15 RPM motor) This new Cam Lobe should fix that problem.
I originally designed the Cam Disc to have a separate machined coupler but just decided to combine them and print it as one piece. Unfortunately I designed it to accept a 6/32″ heatset insert for the setscrew that holds it to the shaft but I screwed up and installed a 4/40 insert so it pulled out after awhile of use. I was able to superglue it back in place on the water to make it work but decided to fix it right so did end up machining a aluminum coupler to insure it lasts this time.
While I was fixing things I redesigned the Buoy Pusher base so the screw for the push rod mounts from the top so I would not have to remove the fingers again if any other changes or fixes needed to be done.
I also cut down a 1 inch 4-40″ screw so it would basically be a shoulder screw so I could fully tighten the connection to from the push rod to the cam disc… this way I never have to worry about it backing out from the rotation.
There’s nothing ground breaking with these fixes but they should make for a more reliable system.
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