Replacement instruments ...

[ParaHandy]

i ought to replace my log and depth instruments which have faded led displays with combined depth & log plus wind. got crap short vision ...

so, choices are:

ST60 but wind speed digital readout is too small for me to read and as i already can tell wind direction from windex, not being able to easily read off wind speed would not give me any advantage. total cost of package is v. high

ST40 out because panel cutouts require bigger displays ...

NASA looked at their wind instrument and noted what i thought was some hesitancy in the digital readout as it followed the vane movement - might be split into, say, 5 degree movements which would explain it. total cost is much much cheaper than st60. however doesn't appear to be any way to have a repeater which would be desirable although not essential.

Silva Star quite like these. moderate cost and big digits. however doesn't appear any way of getting repeaters unless one purchased the Silva Nexus which is almost an order of magnitude greater in price simply to have a "communication bus". seems also Star transducers are same as nexus which is useful as the nexus depth transducer can be a pot type transducer and not a through hull fitting and i have a pot type now.

Have I missed anybody? or is it off to LBS with fistfulls of fivers ...

Any info/experience anybody has with fitting repeaters with Silva Star would be most welcome ... and are they reasonably well lit for night use ..?

thanks



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[Talbot]

I have the Silva Star system and am very happy with them, except the log keeps getting fouled with weed this year! (sent you a pm)

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[Strathglass]

The NASA has both a closehauled/running repeater and a full display repeater. I got a close hauled repeater from John at <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>at a very low price. I think they are still in the sale

Iain

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[bigmart]

I went mad at SBS & bought the new Tack Tick jobs. Theres no wiring between transducers & Instrument heads & you can fit as many repeaters as you want, again no wiring, or not bother & unclip the Instrument head from the cockpit & take it to the Chart Table when you need to.

The whole setup costs a bit more than the others but the ease of fitting & lack of requirement for repeaters may swing the vote. A bit of bartering got me around 10% off the advertised price too.

Martin

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[Robin]

A key consideration IMO is to keep as far as possible to one make if everything is linked up, you might for example want to run the autopilot on 'wind' rather than compass, and if it is a Raytheon pilot it will run from ST60 Wind. Why do you need to read windspeed easily from a distance, it is not usually something you look at continuously? The wind direction is analogue and easily seen but the really nice bit is the amplified wind direction of a closehauled meter (more expense). However a Multi like the ST60 will repeat all the available data, including wind speed in big figs and also angle to the wind digitally. Another point if easy viewing is concerned is that the combined log/depth units will have smaller figures than the individual units.

We have a full set of the older ST50 Raytheons and have always found these OK.

I must say though the idea of the Tactik wireless range appeals from the installation point of view if nothing else! As long as the signals are not affected by say the VHF or engine interference etc ( or vice versa)

Finally have a look at the Navman range (Plastimo), we have a Navman plotter and it is excellent, their instruments look good value too.

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[steve28]

the nasa ones have two settings to show average and real time effects so what you were seeing was probably the damped setting.

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[ParaHandy]

many thanks .. have sent pm

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[ParaHandy]

the reason i didn't like the wind display was because i didn't think it had a true analogue to digital converter - might have been a step signal - to the wind direction. but, thinking about it, more likely cause is the resolution of the display head not being able to resolve small angular movements. it seemed a little "jerky" but at that price ....


steve28 .. have just seen your post and thankyou ..
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[mldpt]

It is possible t replace the display screen I think the last one I did was about £50 and its very easy on the ST50 anyway
Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>www.sailingforfun.co.uk

 

[milltech]

Yes we can do Wind Repeaters and Close Hauled Repeaters, but specifically the low cost ones are made up by usings Nasa's stock of PCB's for use with the earlier non NMEA Wind Instruments. Repeaters for the new model will be in the £80+ area.

<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[ParaHandy]

what i don't have at the moment is wind speed - i get direction roughly from the masthead windex. so buying a unit with wind speed display which i will have difficulty in reading is not wise. The ST60 kit is good but it is awfully expensive. I didn't know, however, that the multi st60 would also give wind info - nothing is said about that in the blurbs ... thanks

I agree with you about integration. the worry i would have with such integration is the danger of one instrument going down and bringing the rest with it ... i like to keep everything as far as possible simple.

thanks for navman suggestion. will investigate.

Douglas


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[claymore]

Don\'t listen to him

He turns them into jewelery or something

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
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[Robin]

The ST60 Multi (or anyone elses version) will only repeat data already in the system, so you still need the wind instrument as well. Other than that the ST60 Multi will repeat any data from instruments, GPS, pilot compass plus it will add a few computed extras from this data as well, (like course/distance made good through the water, ie after several tacks). The Multi will show you Wind spd apparent, wind spd true, wind angle apparent, wind angle true, wind angle Port & Stbd (for closehauled or running), Beaufort wind, VMG to windward, VMG over gound, VMG to WP, tack course, wind on next leg etc.

Don't worry about integration, if one instrument fails you will lose only information that is computed using that data, ie if the log fails you will not get true wind data. You will lose a whole lot more though if you don't integrate them and if you sell the boat the buyer would expect integrated instruments I think.

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[jimi]

Would'nt worry about the resale side, new instruments would just emphasise how old and manky the rest of the boat is ... much better to flog off the auld thing and get a nice new AWB complete with instruments and new sails,IMHO

<hr width=100% size=1>.. its life but not as we know it ..

 

[ParaHandy]

dinna fash yersel .... ma boat wull still be aboot whence yon thing wull be melted doon tae tupperware bog seats ... !!!

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[FullCircle]

Two Penn'orth - I fitted a Silva Log to my Limbo this year, and it fouled very easily, but the displays worked well in the day and at night. They were also cheap!

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Second Chance - First Love

 

[ParaHandy]

ok, I knew there had to be a wind instrument connected for the st60 multi to display the wind data ...

The two items you mention as being worth integrating are auto-pilot and gps? I have fitted an autopilot - st something or rather - and its (or was) the biggest you can get for my boat - 10 ton - before having to use a hydraulic system which struck me as being OTT. The autopilot works well under engine but doesn't really cope under sail therefore a mechanical windvane is planned ... as for gps ... well that goes into the laptop with chart software and also receives HF/Navtex weather stuff which might rule out taktik kit for reasons you gave ....

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[Robin]

The ST 6000 or 7000 would give compass data to an integrated system. If the GPS were connected to the pilot you can tell it to stay on track between WPs, it is incredibly good at doing this, ideal for following a channel (like Chenal du Four) with cross tides. With the instruments connected to the GPS you can add VMG into the wind over the ground info. With the Instruments connected to the pilot you can have the masthead wind transducer driving the pilot. If the radar is connected to the GPS it will (if a Raytheon and not too ancient) show a lollipop on the radar screen over the WP position. If the pilot is linked in you will also be able to display instrument/GPS data on the pilot display. Etc Etc Etc!

By the by an ST6000 or above (same drives, different heads) pilot should have no difficulty handling a 10 ton boat, have you played with the settings?



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[mldpt]

Why do they fit white lights...

While we are talking about instruments why to man manufacturers put white lights in them surely it would be quite simple to use red Led's then we would'nt have to resort to painting them red at night, after all its the only time when we need them lit up and then the last thing we need is a white light.
Mike.

<hr width=100% size=1>www.sailingforfun.co.uk

 

[tom52]

Sailing Today did a report/comparison on wind instruments about 18 months ago.
Navman was their best buy.

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