To measure the depth of shallow waters, boatmen used a sounding line containing fathom points, some marked and others in between, called deeps, unmarked but estimated by the user.Sounding lead. By James Mathews. Navy & Marine Living History Association. Water near the coast and not too deep to be fathomed by a hand sounding line was referred to as in soundings or on soundings. The area offshore beyond the 100 fathom line, too deep to be fathomed by a hand sounding line, was referred to as out of soundings or off soundings.MarineWaypoints.com - Nautical Glossary. SandyBay.net - Marine Directory (MarineWaypoints.com) and Reference Directory (StarDots.com). A deep-sea lead, the heaviest of sounding leads, was used in water exceeding 100 fathoms in depth.The new way and the old; how the sounding machine has superseded the deep sea lead. The New York Times, June 6, 1892, page 5.
tO MEaSUre the Depth of ShaLLOw WaterS boaTMEn usEd a sOundiNg Line CoNtaIning fathom pointS SOme MarkeD and OtHeRs in BetwEEn callED DeEPS unMaRKEd But eStImAtED by tHe UseRsoundIng lEad by JAmes maThEws NaVy & mARiNE livIng hIStOry aSsoCIatiON water nEaR the Coast AnD NOt Too deep to be fathoMeD BY a HanD soundiNg line Was refErred TO AS IN soUndiNgs or on soundINgs thE area oFFshore BeyOnD the 100 fathom lIne tOo Deep To bE fathomed by a HanD SouNdINg lInE waS reFErReD to as oUt oF sOuNDiNGs or Off sOuNDingSMaRIneWayPointscoM - nAUtIcAl gloSsARy sandYBaYneT - Marine diRecToRy (maRineWAYPoinTScom) and rEfeRenCe DIrECtoRY (staRdoTsCOm) a DEeP-SEa LeaD the HEaVIeSt of sOundInG Leads WaS uSed iN water ExceeDing 100 fathomS In dePTHtHe NEw way and The old; hoW The SOundIng mAchine has sUPeRseDed the dEEP sEa LEaD tHe New YOrK TimeS June 6 1892 Page 5