installing a masthead wind transducer

[SPembleton]

I want to install a masthead wind tramsducer.  All of my electronics are Garmin, so i am considering the wired and wireless gWind models.  The advantage of the wired one is that it does not require bi-annual battery replacement and wired just seems more dependable.  (I am not sure if that is true or not).  I am leaning toward the wired one, but my local marine electronics guy says i will have to unstep the mast to do so, because he will have to take the top plate off, and that only comes off if you unfasten the fore and back stays.  Is this true? Does anyone have experience with the bluetooth versions?

[Roc]

Steve,
That's true about the forestay and backstay connected to the top mast plate.  But do you think you'll be able to drill a hole and fish the wire down?  See how my tranducer is mounted.

Regards.

[Rick Allen]

Here's a link to a photo album of when we removed the mast for new equipment.
http://public.fotki.com/randypictures/painkiller-1/out-comes-the-mast/page2.html

Good pictures of the masthead before an after...

[SPembleton]

Thank you both.  Pictures very helpful.  The only thing in the mast is the anchor light, so I think it should work. Does it need to go in a tube, or just rght down the mast?

[Ted Pounds]

The wireless wind instrument I had (Tack Tic, I think someone bought them out) had a solar cell built in so it never needed battery replacement...

Also, I removed it every fall anyway so it wouldn't get beat up from the ice and winds of winter.

[Craig Illman]

I installed a Simrad wind transducer with the mast up a few years ago. I had to drill a 1/2" hole at the top and another in the side at the keel step. One tip from a friend was to attach three zip ties at 120 degrees offset, every eighteen inches to keep the fifty foot cable from slapping the side of the inside of the mast as the boat rocked.

Craig

[Ron Hill]

Steve : I installed a wired Datamarine wind transducer on top of the mast with the mast in place and without removing the mast cap!! 
Wrote it up in the Mainsheet Tech Notes way back about 1992/3?    "Seek and you shall find"

Great information in those old Mainsheet tech notes!!   You just have to read them!!

A thought

[Terry Forshier]

I installed the tack tick wireless ones. they have worked well. I did have to have a new spinner part replaced after the 4th year. (the cups that spin around telling speed. the bearing wore out) I like them. No wires up the mast and you can take the displays below at night and still see the wind speed, direction etc. No problem with the solar batteries. I think ray marine bought them out now.