ST 60 Wind Instrument

[tommyt]

Ok, looking the something easy I am missing.

Splashed the boat today and stepped the mast. We were very careful with all electrical connections but did not check everything before we stepped the deck stepped mast. Everything works just fine ( VHF, All lights) EXCEPT the ST 60 Wind. All I get is a 0.0 and then a dotted line.

Have never had the problem before. First, pulled the Navpod and checked connections at the back of the instrument because I had it off to send my Auto Pilot back to Raymarine and wanted to make sure I did not disconnect something. That would have been the easy fix.....all looks fine. Tomorrow, weather permitting, someone will go up the mast and make sure the connection is fine there. It can only go in one way, I have done it for 4 years and it was fine, but it is the next easiest fix and hopefully may be the answer.

The last place I can see, and that is why I hope someone here has an answer, is the connections made INSIDE the deck stepped mast. Yep, would have to pull it again. I watched it being connected and would swear he did a good job....but?

Any quick fix ideas out there?

Thanks,

Tom

[sailingdog]

You don't have an access plate in the mast? The wind instrument should connect directly to the wind instrument display. If you're getting that display, it isn't connected to the mast wind transducer. You really should have an access plate in the side of the mast.

[tommyt]

An access plate would make it easier, but there is not one. Have thought of cutting one in, but have not.
Hopefully, the connection is where the transducer actually plugs in at the mast top.

[max-on]

This is not meant to be insulting, but is the transducer spinning?

[tommyt]

Points and spins just fine. Just no readings.

[sailingdog]

If you had an access plate, you would be able to tell if the problem was at the mast top or at the mast step. I would recommend installing one.

[Hawkeye25]

While this is unfortunate, it's not so unfortunate that you need to, IMHO, compromise a perfectly sound spar by hacking a hole into it's base. Get the crane back on the mast and check it properly. Don't take the short-cut. Fix it right. Remember, that hole will always be there and I don't care what anyone says, it weakens the spar. It's not horrific, but it's surely not good either.

One more thing. Before you start, tell me how you intend to cut this hole, how big it needs to be, in your mind's eye, and how you will be sure not to trash your other internal wires while cutting it and covering it. Just a thought.

It's a bummer, but avoid this shortcut. It's a bad one.

[Sabre66]

I'm not sure I'm remembering this correctly but a few years ago I was crewing on a friends new boat. He was having the same problem as you, ie no reading just a blinking dotted line. He simply hit the reset button and it worked fine.

[mikeedmo]

Call Raymarine tech support and have a well charged cell phone battery. They'll walk you through a check list which hopefully will isolate the problem... if the reset button doesn't work!! (is the analog part working)

[tommyt]

FIXED.

Unfortunately, when it rains it pours a little.

Pulled the mast up a foot and found that they had connected one of the wires to a blank and not to its partner. STILL did not work. Up they went to the top. Found one of the pins had a slight bit of corrosion that stopped voltage. Cleaned it, everything good. Half their problem, half mine.

OK, I am not going to cut a hole in my mast for access. If it were cut in there from the manufacturer, like some of the old Islanders, fine. In this case, with a deck stepped mast, no hole. However, the little black box with tiny wires fixed together is not my favorite either. Anyone found any qreat connectors that will handle five wires securely?

Thanks,

Tom