TackTick-Micronet

tgalea

tgalea

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Hi All,

Well i'm interested in replacing most of the instruments on a boat i just bought, namely at least speed, depth and wind.

To be quite honest i always had Raymarine in mind but passing through Tack Tick's website i'm quite impressed.

What do you think ? Is it worth to go the Tack Tick way with this latest high tech wireless business or the old and faithful ?

Thanks & Regards
Tyrone
 
I bought the full kit Compass, Windex, NMEA Box & everything. I have to say I am extremely impressed. Their backup service is very friendly & helpful too. As to whether the price is worth it you will have to make your own decision there.

I would thoroughly recommend them!

Martin
 
Look behind the spin...

I'm sure TackTick instruments are great for certain applications, but if you're just replacing existing instruments I'd wonder about their advantages.

TackTick's website stresses that the wireless connection to the instrument heads removes the wiring which they say causes most of the problems with instruments. What they don't say is that the speed and depth transducers, the compass, and the 12v power supply, all have to be hard-wired to the hull transmitter.

Also, the rechargeable batteries in the instrument heads (and the masthead transmitter) will have a finite life, and will need replacing. I wonder what that costs (especially if it requires removing the masthead transmitter)?

Add to that the very high cost of a TackTick installation, and maybe even Raymarine's prices start to look acceptable. (PS Take a look at Navman instruments too)
 
The way I see it, the big advantage is that the cockpit/ companion way displays are all removable so that they can be kept in the dry [or at home during the winter] and just slotted into place when needed. Should obviate electrical connection and condensation problems. Agreed that this all comes at a high price.
 
On many boats the low power consumption offers an advantage too. The two, hard wired, boxes can be run for a year off a pp3 Battery each & the instrument heads take no power from the boat at all. Earlier, a poster. who obviously has no experience of the system, suggested that the hard wiring to the Transducers & Nmea box was detremental to the wire free advertising of Tacktick. I can assure you that the short runs of wiring are simplicity itself.

I get many envious glances from friends who have seem my setup.

Martin
 
Just to clarify...

[ QUOTE ]
Earlier, a poster. who obviously has no experience of the system, suggested that the hard wiring to the Transducers & Nmea box was detremental to the wire free advertising of Tacktick. I can assure you that the short runs of wiring are simplicity itself.


[/ QUOTE ]
I don't think I expressed myself very well on the matter of wiring, and I'm sure it's simple to do. The TackTick website states that "According to Marine Electrical Engineer, 80% of marine electrical failures are due to faulty electrical connections". The point I was trying to make was that having a wireless connection between some parts of the system doesn't entirely do away with the need for ordinary connections. The TackTick hull transmitter, for example, needs 15 wires connecting for power, compass and speed/depth transducers - and these connections are made by an ordinary terminal block. Manufacturers such as Raymarine are moving away from terminal blocks to custom plugs/sockets to enhance connection reliability.

However, I'm certainly not anti-TackTick, and in my earlier post I did say "I'm sure TackTick instruments are great for certain applications, but if you're just replacing existing instruments I'd wonder about their advantages." To expand on this, if I wanted to put instruments on a new super-lightweight engineless racing boat, I'd certainly consider that TackTick offered distinct advantages. But if I was, like Tyrone, replacing old wired instruments - where the existing wires can easily be used to run the new wires - I'd buy good quality wired instruments and be careful to ensure the integrity of connections. OK, maybe I'd miss out on the envious glances, but I'd save a load of money.
 
Re: Just to clarify...

You are right that the wiring connections are a vulnerable part of the system but this is no worse than any other brand of instrument. The fifteen wires you mention are connected to a reduced number of plugs that are easily distinguished & simple to fit. Even if you are replacing old instruments the Tacktick setup is simpler because you do not need the thread Metres of wire between Transducers & Displays.

I didn't mention that one of the things that attracted me to Tacktick was the fact that I take the Displays home with me. I am sure that the average Tea Leaf is not attracted to pinch an Instrument system that is only half there & not in view. Whilst on this aspect of the Tacktick system I would also mention that it is easier to fit the Tacktick displays because they are surface fixed. No more holes or mods to the boat are required. If you have holes from your old Instruments just cover them with a suitably sized piece of Ply finished to your desire & fix the new Tacktick jobs to the surface. The last advantage is that you can always add extra displays, if you feel the need for more, at a later date.

The envious glances are not because of the Brand of Instrument but because the functionality is so good.

As you can see there are more advantages than the obvious & you may well determine that the extra cost is worth it.

Martin
 
Re: Just to clarify...

Thank you all for your feeback. To be quite honest the reason i am interested in tack tick is mostly due to the mast head wind indicator since it's a bit of a nightmare to pass the wire through the deck and then through the mast itself.

On the other hand as you said the rechargeable batteries do have a finite life and a tack tick package of speed, depth and wind comes at a hefty 1,300 pounds so I'm looking at hard wired ones again!

I had Nasa clipper range on my previous boat and was quite disappointed at the trasducers. Both depth and speed transducers only lasted one season.

Someone mentioned navman, they are quite nice looking and reasonably priced. I might have a look at them too.

Regards
Tyrone
 
Navman Nav Pack...

Navman do a bundled Nav Pack of their 3100 instruments. Depth display, Speed/Log display, analogue Wind display, plus all transducers - target price around £650 in the UK. Might be worth a look.
 
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