Nantucket Sounder

Sounder with Line  A bronze sounding lead with an inset hollowed star that can be filled with vaseline, grease, even peanut butter, so you'll know what the bottom's surface is like before you set your hook, as well as knowing how much scope you need for anchoring. Also include: instructions/background info.  Complete Sounder: (line, lead, bag) Sixty feet of braided line is included. The sounding lead of many years ago was most often attached to a very long line, as there were no electronic sounders to probe great depths. Instead of a knot every fathom, more elaborate markings were used to indicate unambiguously a variety of depths:  2 fathoms - a 2-ended scrap of leather 3 fathoms - a 3-ended scrap of leather 5 fathoms - a scrap of white calico 7 fathoms - 1 strip of red wool bunting 10 fathoms - leather bound with hole in it 13 fathoms - a piece of thick blue serge 15 fathoms - a piece of white calico 17 fathoms - a piece of red wool bunting 20 fathoms - a cord with 2 knots 30 fathoms - a cord with 3 knots   What the heck is a fathom? An "international" fathom is: 1.8288 meters 2 yards 6 feet 18 hands 72 inches And a British fathom is 1.85 meters, or 6.08 feet. Weight of the sounder is 3 lbs.  & is 7 1/2" long & 1 1/2" at the base. Made in the US.