billdz

Hi folks, Just to let you know, I still have not found the rocket. As you recommended, I tried calling local tackle shops and dive shops but they could not suggest anyone who might be able to help. Maybe they thought I was joking or something. A large boat with graphs would not fit in this canal, it is only about 40' wide and 4' deep. Would have to be a flatboat or kayak or raft. Any other ideas? Thanks, Bill

Yes, not much metal, unfortunately, just a few screws, washers, and nots . The rocket is made of fiberglass. Thanks for the replies. So it's a no on the fish finder?

In light of the pre-impact GPS readings we have, the rocket should be quite near a specific area of the canal, at most 50 yards in each direction. How could a diver find it in the low-vis water? I went into the canal in an inflatable and a waterproof flashlight, could not see even close to the bottom, even sticking the flashlight as deep in the water as my hand would reach. How would I find a diver or a fisherman with sonar who might be able to search for a fee?

Thanks for the replies. The rocket is only worth a few hundred dollars but it has great sentimental value, as I built it with my 10 year old son and flew it to get my L3 rocketry permit. A finder may be worth more than the rocket but that's OK. There's no current in the water so the rocket probably hit the soft mud on the bottom and stuck there, hopefully at least the fins are above the mud. There was 30' line attached to the parachute, which apparently failed to open. Usually the parachute floats on water so some doubt the rocket is even in the canal, but that's what the GPS tracker was indicating and the signal was lost on impact, probably because the tracker was in water. Tha canal is in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, definitely a reward for anyone who finds it.

Hello, Would appreciate some advice about shallow water fish finders. I'm not a fisherman, my hobby is model rocketry. I launched a rocket that is 7' high and 5" in diameter and it landed in a canal, about a mile from the launch site. The canal is about 30' wide. It's only about 4' deep but the bottom is soft mud. The water is so cloudy I can't see the bottom. There's also a pretty big drop from the bank to the water, so I was not able to cover much ground trying a to drag the bottom with a long rake. Someone suggested going in the canal with a kayak and using a fish finder. Some say it will find the rocket in the water, others say no, it won't work, the water is too shallow, the beam is too narrow, etc. I went to Bass Pro Shop and they said it would work, although of course they wanted to sell me something. They recommended the Lowrance Hook with 5" screen, which they said would be on sale on Black Friday for around $250. I've seen second hand devices, like the Lowrance 5X, on eBay for under $100. Anyhow, what do you folks think, would a fish finder find the rocket at the bottom of the canal? Are there any particular features I should look for? Bass Pro Shop said to get one with "side view". Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Bill