Sounders

Sounder is a device or person used to measure depth by sound or to locate underwater features. In nautical and hydrographic contexts, a sounder may refer to any instrument that determines how deep water is at a given location, or to a person who performs the act of sounding. The term derives from the verb sound, in the sense of measuring depth.

Historically, depth was measured using a sounding line: a calibrated line with a lead weight (the sounding lead) lowered until it touched the bottom, the depth read from the marks on the line. The device or person carrying out this task is called a sounder, and the results are called soundings. This method was fundamental before modern electronics.

Modern sounders include echo sounders and fathometers that emit a sound pulse and measure the return time to calculate depth. These instruments can be integrated into navigation systems, bathymetric surveys, and fishing sonars. Digital displays present depth, bottom texture, and sometimes fish targets. In fisheries, the term “fish finder” or “fish sonar” is common, though often the same device is referred to as a depth sounder.

Sounders as a proper noun: Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, competing in Major League Soccer. Founded in 2009, the team is commonly referred to as the Sounders and has won MLS Cup titles (2016, 2019) and multiple Western Conference championships.