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Old 14-09-2012, 09:56   #16
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by defjef View Post
I have the original B&G Hornet and Hecta instruments including the AWI which has been working atop the mast for 27 consecutive years.

Beat that!

Replacements:

display in one cockpit repeater
anemometer cups
button panel on cockpit display
I have a Chevy truck that was built 52 years ago and it still on the original motor. BUT equipment isn't built like it use to be. And it has an 8-track player with a cassette adaptor.

Lately I've been under the impression that some electronic equipment has a timer built into it, making something fail within a set time period. So far, I've had 3 pieces have some kind of failure that were only 2-3 years old. It cost more to get this stuff fixed then what it costs. Throw-aways! The land fills are full of this stuff.
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Old 14-09-2012, 10:25   #17
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

We have two, one is a B&G sold at the 1978 Earl's Court Boat show. Installed shortly thereafter, its still going (knock knock) I cannot imagine how many billions of revolutions it must have made. The only problem was in Roatan, when a friggen Pelican sat on the direction vane. That dumbfounded look down your nose stare at me while I jumped up and down hurling obsceneties at it, dumbass bird! So he took off and promptly broke the vane in two. Repaired that and still going strong...
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Old 14-09-2012, 19:10   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cwyckham

My favourite feature is that I can move the data heads around the cockpit or down inside. I set it next to my bed at anchor in windy conditions so that I can see changes in wind speed or direction (and depth) without getting out of bed when I wake with a start in the middle of the night. You could also give distance to a waypoint so that you can see if you're dragging (via name).

We also have a Tack Tick. The first lasted 8 years until a cormorant sat on it and broke it off. The one we have now has been there 4 years and is still ticking.

Love using it as an anchor alarm but our data heads are not removable. That's a cool feature. Is it a new feature?
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Old 14-09-2012, 19:50   #19
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Were you pricing it with the Maretron DSM250 display? Those are very expensive, not the best choice for outside, a bit long in the tooth and way more than you need. It would not be my choice for a wind display.

The Maretron wind sensor sells in the US for ~$539 USD. It can be used with any N2K compatible wind instrument or MFD. For example, you could pair it with a sweet (and relatively expensive) B&G Triton T41 for another $470 USD for a total package around $1,000 USD.

For around $900 total, you could pair it with a Garmin GMI10.

But keep in mind that in addition to wind direction and speed, for that money you are getting, air temp, pressure and humidity along with a fully functional multifunction display that can show depth, boat speed, GPS data and many other functions when used with N2K transducers and sensors or when used with NMEA0183 transducers/sensors and a 0183-2000 converter.

A replacement wind sensor only from B&G is over $1,000 alone.

Ours is mounted at the top of our mast and we have not had any problems with it.

Attached are some pictures showing a few of the different display functions you get with MFD's in addition to just wind speed and direction (although their are 3 T41's in the pics, any single one can display all the information - you just toggle through display pages with a single key). Note that the T41 graphic gives you both true (red arrow) and apparent (blue wedge) wind direction.

Mark
Is it possible to configure the WSO100 using any of these non-Maretron displays?

N2k sensor configuration seems to be the bane of mixing different manufacturer products.
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Old 15-09-2012, 06:15   #20
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by DotDun View Post
Is it possible to configure the WSO100 using any of these non-Maretron displays?

N2k sensor configuration seems to be the bane of mixing different manufacturer products.
If it is installed true, there is not much to configure. I calibrated the temperature and pressure, but wind speed and direction was dead on.

It is easily done with a PC and can be done with our Simrad autopilot (I'm pretty sure it calibrated the instrument and not just the display output, but I would have to double check that). I haven't tried with our B&G or Furuno.

I mostly setup and calibrate all our Airmar and Maretron sensors with the PC because it is easier to work with vs. pushing up/down buttons and moving back/forth in menus, and you can see all components at once.

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Old 15-09-2012, 06:55   #21
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

Had masthead gear once on a C&C 34 that I raced.
Other than that, been sailing for 50+ years and never had it on a boat. shrug.
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Old 15-09-2012, 07:07   #22
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

Had a raymarine unit that lasted 10 years before I sold the boat. New boat came with a datamarine system that had at least 15 years on it before it packed it in. Now have a tacktic that gave all of 6 months before the masthead unit failed. In between the datmarine and the tacktic units I took a sailing mentors words to heart..." I know the bloody wind is blowin!"
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Old 15-09-2012, 07:15   #23
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by colemj View Post
If it is installed true, there is not much to configure. I calibrated the temperature and pressure, but wind speed and direction was dead on.

It is easily done with a PC and can be done with our Simrad autopilot (I'm pretty sure it calibrated the instrument and not just the display output, but I would have to double check that). I haven't tried with our B&G or Furuno.

I mostly setup and calibrate all our Airmar and Maretron sensors with the PC because it is easier to work with vs. pushing up/down buttons and moving back/forth in menus, and you can see all components at once.

Mark
Ah, yes, brain fart, forgot about using a PC. I would assume that Maretron's software requires their USB100 whereas Airmar's Weathercaster will work with their gateway or Actisense's NGT. It's going to take another revolution change to get standardized configuration of sensors.

To check if you configured the sensor or display, compare the temp/bpres on your Simrad vs. Furuno.

The only N2k sensors I have are a GPS, AIS, and AP (rudder & heading). I run analog depth, speed, water temp, wind thru a RM ITC-5 to get 'em to N2k (used to have the !%@% xducer pods). I'm just a curmudgeon about paying the high cost of N2k sensors vs. analog. Although, the WSO100 is very attractively priced compared to analog and much better feature set. It'll probably be the next request to Santa Claus. I looked at it ~4 years ago when refitting and the shop I was working with talked it down...."If a bird shits on it, it won't work!" I suspect it was a smaller profit product for 'em.
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Old 15-09-2012, 07:20   #24
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by Blue Stocking View Post
Had masthead gear once on a C&C 34 that I raced.
Other than that, been sailing for 50+ years and never had it on a boat. shrug.
I have lots of things on my boat but only use a depth gauge..same thing with hangliding,never use a vario or anything else,hell I know where the wind is coming from and when I am going up or down..DVC
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Old 15-09-2012, 07:27   #25
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

Used to have Autohelm ST-50 wind and speed. Had them for 12 years and they were not new when I got them. The only part that failed (twice) was the small ball bearing supporting the wind speed indicator axle. I fixed these myself with bearings salvaged from broken down units that I got (for free) from a repair shop. I liked my autohelm stuff in a way because you could fix it when it failed.

If course these units are hard wired.
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Old 15-09-2012, 09:45   #26
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by DotDun View Post
I would assume that Maretron's software requires their USB100 whereas Airmar's Weathercaster will work with their gateway or Actisense's NGT. It's going to take another revolution change to get standardized configuration of sensors.

To check if you configured the sensor or display, compare the temp/bpres on your Simrad vs. Furuno.

I'm just a curmudgeon about paying the high cost of N2k sensors vs. analog.


I looked at it ~4 years ago when refitting and the shop I was working with talked it down...."If a bird shits on it, it won't work!" I suspect it was a smaller profit product for 'em.
I always use the USB100, although we also have the Weathercaster software and an Actisense NGW. I never tried either of those, so don't know if they will work. I do know that the USB100 allows me to set calibrations on the Airmar N2K speed and depth transducers in addition to the Maretron stuff.

I'll look on the Furuno next time it is on. I never use that for displaying temps, etc.

Are the N2K that much more? I didn't even look at Airmar 0183 depth and speed transducers, so don't know what they cost. The Maretron wind and GPS seems about the same price or less than 0183 whirlybirds and GPS's. Even if more expensive, the N2K ease of setup and use is worth it. I hated 0183.

Our Maretron wind has worked flawlessly for a year now. It would take a full pelican dump to cause problems. Besides, the shape of it isn't bird friendly - we have never seen a bird sitting on it.

Mark
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Old 15-09-2012, 10:31   #27
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by Sailor g View Post
We also have a Tack Tick. The first lasted 8 years until a cormorant sat on it and broke it off. The one we have now has been there 4 years and is still ticking.

Love using it as an anchor alarm but our data heads are not removable. That's a cool feature. Is it a new feature?
I don't think it's new. The removable ones have a little solar panel at the top so they don't need boat power. They last overnight on a charge. If you have the solar panel, then you should be able to unmount yours. They sell little clips that you can put in strategic points around the boat to mount the data heads securely but temporarily.
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Old 15-09-2012, 10:59   #28
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by cwyckham View Post
They sell little clips that you can put in strategic points around the boat to mount the data heads securely but temporarily.
Mine came w/two clips. One I put on the pedestal, the other just over the companionway, which I prefer since I spend more time in the fwd cockpit. The only time I really spend behind the wheel is while motoring. Time for an auto pilot.
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Old 15-09-2012, 15:15   #29
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

We have a simplest mechanical-electrical unit:
- no power consumption,
- no wind direction, only wind strength.

Very good stuff.

From among the more advanced toys, I think I like Nexus best.

b.
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Old 16-09-2012, 05:23   #30
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Re: Wind Speed/Direction Indicators

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Originally Posted by colemj View Post
Are the N2K that much more? I didn't even look at Airmar 0183 depth and speed transducers, so don't know what they cost. The Maretron wind and GPS seems about the same price or less than 0183 whirlybirds and GPS's. Even if more expensive, the N2K ease of setup and use is worth it. I hated 0183.
N2k adds ~$150 to the cost of a depth or speed/temp xducer. Since the thermistors (temp sensor) only last ~2 years, and if you want water temp, it's cheaper to use the analog version and a N2k gateway, my speed/temp xducer is ~$60.

Wind is a different story, the Maretron is attractively priced. Airmar PB200 not so much.
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