Idea for Raymarine Windvane and i60 Disp for Rotating Mast

[eodjedi]

So I've been doing quite a bit of research in how to incorporate a windvane on my rotating mast. I've already fed pvc conduit through the mast for some wiring, so I will be using that conduit as a base for my build. I currently have an EV-100 Sail and Raymarine A67 MFD. I will attach my already installed PVC Conduit to the base stud and then proceed to attach an aluminum rod to the top of the mast through the PVC pipe. This should cancel out the rotation. Any thought or concerns?

[BOAT]

I thought of that too - if you can keep the PVC from twisting I think it will actually work. Another option are those long fiberglass drill bit extensions. The key is to do it without adding a lot of weight.

40 feet of PVC is a little heavy, but what else is there?

I gave up on the idea because I was not sure I could keep the pipe from binding inside the mast. I considered a flat piece of aluminum stock too because it weighed less, but joining the sections ?

The whole premise is to have something on top of the mast that is fixed to the deck below. It seems like it might work. One guy insisted that using the forestay was the answer. I looked at all kinds of crazy ideas too like wires from the spreaders. It's a problem everyone is trying to solve.

[grady]

It's a problem everyone is trying to solve.

It has been solved for a while now. Hang around some Hobie guys they will help.

http://www.nexusmarine.se/products/mari ... s/mrc-box/

[BOAT]

It's a problem everyone is trying to solve.

It has been solved for a while now. Hang around some Hobie guys they will help.

http://www.nexusmarine.se/products/mari ... s/mrc-box/

No, no one has figured out how to make the vane point forward even when the mast it's on is turning. Altering the signal AFTER the vane has already turned has been going on for decades.

That's not what he is talking about Grady - we all know about the mast rotation compensators - the early ones were mechanical belt drive units that fit at the bottom of the mast. The one I have is a sensor unit (still mechanical) that fit's inside the mast and attaches to the deck with the mast bolt. Now they make compensators that are all electronic - they figure out what direction is forward by the movement forward using a GPS - standard chartplotter process is to figure direction based on movement - but if your standing still IT DOES NOT WORK! Even a flux gate compass can't tell you where the front of your boat is! It can only tell you where the compass is pointing! There is also a HUGE lag delay on all electronic mast rotation compensators because they require forward movement to figure out where the front of the boat is. They are not very good. I myself would not trust on to operate my Auto Pilot.

You need a fixed reference point on the deck of the boat to tell the unit where the front of the boat is! That is why the mechanical units are the best. (And less expensive).

Roger got the rotating mast from Catamaran Technology - in fact in the owners manual he says that the mast is from catamaran technology - Hobie used rotating masts many years and they were invented on catamarans. In the old days only catamarans had rotating masts - later the most advanced design monohulls started using them. No one has solved the problem of making the wind vane on top of the mast point forward no matter what the mast does - that is what eodjedi is talking about.

[eodjedi]

Well come July 1st, I'm going to put my theory to the test and see if the PVC is strong enough to withstand the rotation of the mast. I used a little gasoline to cut through the foam when I initially installed the piping, so I don't expect too much binding. The PVC pipe's added weight to the mast seemed fairly negligible when I did my lift test. I like the idea of attaching to the fore-stay in some way, but I will try this method first and see what happens. I definitely don't trust some sort of overpriced Potentiometer to compensate, especially when it involves my autopilot.

[K9Kampers]

I thought of that too - if you can keep the PVC from twisting I think it will actually work. Another option are those long fiberglass drill bit extensions. The key is to do it without adding a lot of weight.

40 feet of PVC is a little heavy, but what else is there?

I gave up on the idea because I was not sure I could keep the pipe from binding inside the mast. I considered a flat piece of aluminum stock too because it weighed less, but joining the sections ?

The whole premise is to have something on top of the mast that is fixed to the deck below. It seems like it might work. One guy insisted that using the forestay was the answer. I looked at all kinds of crazy ideas too like wires from the spreaders. It's a problem everyone is trying to solve.

Along this idea, consider the fiberglass rod sections used by chimney sweeps. Up to 8 ft. section lengths of various diameters with button lock connector ends. Have the rod assembly inside a pvc sleeve inside the mast. How the rod assembly attaches to the mast step without interfering with the mast swivel mechanism is the next challenge.

[eodjedi]

Well my mast step was replaced recently during a windy accident (BWY). The stud comes through the upgraded bearing, mast base, then nut. The stud would therefore be the attachment point. I like your idea of using a fiberglass rod through the PVC, problem is the wiring that's already installed. I may be able to fit it in. Currently I have coax and anchor light wire running through the PVC. Add to that the wiring for the Wind Vane and it gets fairly tight. I'll have to pop off the top and see what I'm working with.

[sailboatmike]

I would of thought a simple potentiometer could be used to let the electronics know the direction the mast is facing, if it turns right you get a higher resistance if it turns left a lower resistance, if I can think of this stuff surely someone that knows something about electronics should be able to nut out what is basically a simple problem

[grady]

Mechanical, Electrical I realy do not see the difference if it solves the problem? The Nexus compensator works.

[BOAT]

Mechanical, Electrical I realy do not see the difference if it solves the problem? The Nexus compensator works.

Yup, that's where i ended up after trying for a few years to figure out the problem. I was looking at the labor to put in all the electronic stuff and the brain box and so forth vs trying to run a pole up the mast for the vane or a rig attached to the forestay and after wrangling my brain on if for many many months I decided the labor and effort was the same either way. If you can get a steady non-rotating platform for your wind vane on the mast - great - that's always a good accomplishment. It's the most accurate so I always strive for that, but the labor is the same as doing a compensator, so sooner or later it's just a lot of work because they both need wires and all that other stuff.

I broke down and bought an RM-10 compensator a few months ago and that was the end of the battle for me - but for others I say "fight on!" I'm always in support of new inventions! That's why we have MACs!
MOD away!

[eodjedi]

Yeah I though about buying the R10, but when I emailed the seller, I was told that the shop was moving and it would be a few months, you know, like after the summer season. (Of course a few months could also be Tattoo 22 calendar months) Besides, I would need to buy a Raymarine i60 Windvane display because the A67 can't calibrate or adjust the R10 by itself even though it is NMEA 2000 compliant. That's an additional $500 on top of the $600 R10. I think I'd rather do the work and figure it out. So back to the drawing board. I'm still going to attempt to make it work, but I think I'm going to finish my Marine A/C first.