Sounding Weight

[riverhawk]

I have a Wilcox-Crittenden lead sounding weight. About 30 years ago I found it when I was working a dredge. After having it all this time I would like find out something about and maybe a value of it.

Thanks for any help

[Chass]

I'd love to see a picture of that!

Does it have a hollow spot in the bottom to squish some fat into so you can pickup some of the substrate? I believe thats how we originally got those designations on our charts.

Chass
ct

[riverhawk]

Yes it has opening on the bottom think wax was put in it. I'll see if I can get a picture here.

[Grizzly II]

It is the lead from a lead line. They were at the bottom of a length of line similar to the old clothes line that was marked every fathom (six feet) with a distinctive feature and used to measure water depth. Red cloth, knot etc. Some were not marked and they were expressed as "by the deep". The hole in end held wax, tallow or soap to capture samples of the bottom. It was thrown from the side of a vessel, in the direction that the vessel was heading and when the line was straight up and down with the leadsman he called out the depth to the captain. I have spent many hours swinging one of those suckers. I like my fishfinder better. (Yup, I'm old)

[riverhawk]

It is just the weight no line.

[USCGBoating]

Originally Posted by Chass

I'd love to see a picture of that!

Does it have a hollow spot in the bottom to squish some fat into so you can pickup some of the substrate? I believe thats how we originally got those designations on our charts.

Chass
ct

They used white lead or tallow! They used it to find out what the bottom was made of to see how the anchor would hold.

Dan

[USCGBoating]

From Wikipedia

At sea, in order to avoid repeatedly hauling in and measuring the wet line by stretching it out with one's arms, it became traditional to tie marks at intervals along the line. These marks were made of leather, calico, serge and other materials, and so shaped and attached that it was possible to "read" them on sight by day or at night by the feel of each one. The marks were at every second or third fathom, in a traditional order: at 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, and 20 fathoms. The "leadsman" called out the depth as he read it off the line. If the depth was at a mark he would call "by the mark" followed by the number, if the depth was between two marks, he would call "by the deep" followed by the estimated number.

I have actually used one of these when I was a young Coastie. We carried them on the boats. The mark at the first fathom was a wood toggle, used to throw the lead. When you threw the lead forward you pulled the line tight and when it was stright up and down you would not the measurement. If there was a marker on the line you would say "by the mark" what ever depth it was and if there was no mark you would say "by the deep" and what ever depth it was. Pretty cool stuff and the method goes back hundreds and hundred years. Cool old salty stuff!

Dan

[namu mac]

The first transducer. Way cool

[riverhawk]

There is now a picture of it.

[crabbait]

"Mark twain"

[deepsix]

River hawk,
Where did you find the wieght. Was it here in the NW?

[cptdarel]

I am done collect old nautical stuff, my room (kids left home) is decorated with all kinds of port holes, ships wheels, glass floats, 20 years ago I would beg for an item like that, put on e-bay, and set a reserve, value??? i wouldn't go more than $50, maybe it worth more????

[Grizzly II]

That is actually one of the smaller ones usually used in shallower waters.

[riverhawk]

Down stream from St Paul and up stream from the Yamhill river.

[riverhawk]

After checking a few things out. I am thinking about investment casting a few of these sounding weights that way they will show all the dings and scrapes. But is there to a market to sell them.