Scott, I've emailed and phoned Annapolis rigging and yet to have a confirmed shipping date yet. I hoped to hear from him by now. So maybe that goes in after the rig goes back up? Not sure. Still a lot of work to do. Most of the deck hardware is now off but I still have to overdrill and fill all the holes before the kiwi grip can go down and I can start putting the boat back together.

The new Tacktick instruments got all wired up tonight. Quite straight forward wiring job. I'm a little worried that the depth transducer is not functioning but speed, wind and GPS data are all showing up. Very happy about that. Will have to further investigate the depth issue the next time I get down to the boat.

Dominique,

If the speed reads 0.00 then the hull transmitter is working and you probably do not have a problem with the depth transducer. The depth displays -.-- when out of the water, so unless you can force something against the depth transducer to simulate a water mass for a return, the display will not register anything. Here is a photo taken on Rhapsody a couple years back with the boat on the hard. Note the depth display at the top.

Thanks for that Bill. I'll check the sea temp data then. If I get a reading then it should all be OK then.

Yup. It all works! Now if I could only put my boat back together and get sailing that would be great.

I'm getting frustrated with instruments. All I really want or need is depth, speed and heading.

Have depth and speed from Nexus, but speed not working. Transducer at $240 has been on '2-week back order' for 6 weeks and nobody has one in stock.

This weekend during the NOOD the second of two mast mounted KVH maxi compass displays started intermittently losing one segment of the digital 8 in the ones column. The other is missing several segments and leaks. Doubtful KVH will repair either, since both are at least ten years old, and one has already been replaced. These used to be $600 each but I don't see any offered online.

I still have one original KVH display in the cockpit and could get another for $200, mounting them on the mast angled like the TackTick for less than buying the real thing.

The NS360 Tactical Compass GPS by NOVASAIL at $500 is only slightly more than the combined price of the transducer and small KVH display. It gives heading and speed, plus distance to line, although the speed is GPS based.

Anyone seen this item or have another suggestion?

BTW for Rhapsody, how do you rig the Cunningham with the displays so close to the mast?

Bob,

I redid the cunningham so it runs between the mast bracket and the mast. The hook isn't attached to the sail in the picture below, but it demonstrates how the line is routed. The blocks with the purchase are located below the bracket with the other end anchored to the plate at the mast base where the boom kicker attaches.



By the way - That's an actual display on the delivery back to Newport from Cedar Point after the 2009 NAs. Winds blowing 20-25 out of the North for a solid port tack reach the entire trip back. The TackTick displays are visible at the helm, and I can read the digits without my glasses. I have the GPS Bearing to Waypoint being transmitted over the TackTick wireless network in that photo.

Many thanks to you Bill. I now have my PC talking to my Tackticks.
I found the RMB sentences in the GPS and turned it off when using the PC as the navigator. Otherwise I turn it ON. That simple toggle is all it took. I did not need to trick the handshake with the additional connections on the DB9 connector
Thanks Again