Wireless Instruments - What Do Folks Think of them ?

[capcook]

Hi ya all...

Was reading a bit about wireless instruments....thought I would ask you experts what you thought of them... I was thinking this may be a viable option for reducing Lightning damage and also theft during extended absences, you could pop them out and put them away, no ? Do they really work well...

Thanks...

[rebel heart]

I have a TackTick (spelling?) that's been working just great. Battery lasts a surprising amount of time and recharges very quickly even with crummy sunlight and shade from the dodger. I'm kind of lazy and haven't mounted it yet.

Sometimes it blanks out for a few seconds but I think that's because a kid was playing with it the other day and pressed some buttons.

[daddle]

I had TackTicks on a race boat and on my previous cruising boat. Loved them. Sometimes I'd lose reception with the masthead - I suppose the mast was in the way.

The user interface is simple ... unlike the mess the jokers at Raymarine (and others) implement. You don't need the manual on your knee to do anything.

[delmarrey]

I got the Tack Tick wind speed/direction last year and had a lot of trouble getting it to acquire at 57'. TackTick had great customer service trying and resolving my problem.

First they sent me a new masthead unit then made a custom made reader and sent it. It all came down to being inland too far. The units don't like cell phone towers. I could tell the mfgr's were getting frustrated but they came through.

I lose the connection when I get in high population areas still, like Friday Harbor or Port of Everett. But out on the water they work great.

[rebel heart]

Huh.. that's kind of what I noticed too. The closer I get to the dock, the worse the problem is. Out in open water it works like a charm.

[Ex-Calif]

Overall not worth the price premium IMO unless you absolutely need removable instruments.

We had TackTick on the base of the mast on the race boat. We lost a race because the bracket fouled a line somehow and it popped off into the water. For some reason the skipper wanted to go back and get it. The good news was that it floats.

[bstreep]

We have several friends with TacTick systems that don't work well on high height masts. We are looking seriously at the Nexus system, that uses a different communication protocol. ONLY the mast top unit is "wireless" - which make sense.

BTW, the TacTick systems that had comm problems are the Entry units - and it's my understanding that they have a max recommended range around 40 feet or so.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by bstreep

We have several friends with TacTick systems that don't work well on high height masts. We are looking seriously at the Nexus system, that uses a different communication protocol. ONLY the mast top unit is "wireless" - which make sense.

BTW, the TacTick systems that had comm problems are the Entry units - and it's my understanding that they have a max recommended range around 40 feet or so.

When I bought my unit the T101 it stated in the brochure that the range was 65' but the distance between the sender and receiver was only 55'. Out on the Sea was fine but on inland waters it would blank out.

The entry level units are for power boats only good at 40'. Tacktick for Cruising Yachts

[capcook]

Thanks all.... appreciate the comments !