Repeater instruments above companionway

[Scott B]

I was looking at installing an ST60 wind repeater above the companionway. I've seen this on a few boats and think its a good idea so I don't have to keep looking down while sailing to check on wind speed etc.

This means running wires from the helm pedestal to the cowling above the slider hatch. Anyone elso done this. Is there an easier way to get there without having to take down some of the headliner, which looke like it could be a pain.

 

[Allan Emas]

If you have a raymarine auto pilot you could connect your repeater to the sea talk on the auto pilot. The box should be located in the sugar scoop. Sea talk is sea talk and it all shares the same information.

 

[Scott B]

I have all Raymarine, Auto, wind, depth, speed, chartplotter. All instruments are at the helm and are connected together via Seatalk cables, but do not have a separate box. This is the original version Seatalk 1 ( I believe ) and not the newer Seatalk ng, which uses Seatalk box.

What I'm trying to figure out is how to get the wire up to the space above the companionway where I've seen instruments mounted before. Just don't know how to get there.... the easy way.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Scott, my instruments are above the companion way. To my knowledge there are no easy way to do this. In my 34, the ceiling has a screwed on headliner so I ran the wires in there, and drilled a hole from the corner next to the companion way. The hole is at an angle to reach mid-way to the 1" board which is the base and support of the instruments housing. I created a channel on the forward facing part of the board and drilled a hole from the bottom of the channel going into the housing. Once the wires were in the proper location, I filled the channel and the hole from the headliner area to the companion way with Sikaflex 291. It has been 12 years and I have had no problems with the installation or with water coming in ! Good luck

 

[Scott B]

Thanks Claude.

I have the vinyl headliner and have heard horror stories about removing and replacing.

Didn't know if there was a trick somewhere to get the wires up there. Something like the PVC tube to run wires from just above the holding tank aft to above the electrical panel that I discovered after tearing near half the boat apart trying to run a wire for DSC from chartplotter to VHF, which then took me 20 sec. to feed thru......

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Thanks Claude.

I have the vinyl headliner and have heard horror stories about removing and replacing.

Didn't know if there was a trick somewhere to get the wires up there. Something like the PVC tube to run wires from just above the holding tank aft to above the electrical panel that I discovered after tearing near half the boat apart trying to run a wire for DSC from chartplotter to VHF, which then took me 20 sec. to feed thru......

Hi Scott,

The head liner isn't actually that bad to deal with. If you choose to do it I can explain how. I have a buddy that just purchased a 33 and he has 2 instruments there. I will look at his this week end and see how the cables were run. I will reply again on Monday.

Is the boat in the water yet? Hope so!!! Have a good week end.

 

[Scott B]

Hi Scott,

The head liner isn't actually that bad to deal with. If you choose to do it I can explain how. I have a buddy that just purchased a 33 and he has 2 instruments there. I will look at his this week end and see how the cables were run. I will reply again on Monday.

Is the boat in the water yet? Hope so!!! Have a good week end.

Hey, that would be great. I'm getting the ST60 early July when we meet up with the people we do a rendevous with each year. He replaced his 60's with all new i70 instr, so I scored nicely.

Also have a rope clutch to go in for the rigid vang, that I haven't tried yet as the headliner needs to come down. Good excuse now and do both.

Sadly, has been a very busy spring, so just finished spring work last weekend. Should be in next week and then gone. People at the marina keep asking if I'm in, but most of those asking are still putting up sails etc. at the dock and haven't been out. I'm 95% ready to go and 1 afternoon of work after launch I'll be 100% .......

Was tough spending that hot long weekend landbound, esp. since marine didn't even have the friggin' pool open yet , but oh well, hope the hot weather continues.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Scott,

I forgot that the couple with the 33 was moving this week end and they didn't get down until Sunday evening. By that time I forgot to check it out. I will though, this week or next week end.

The head liner is pressed into a plastic track that has some clamping tension. I use a 3" wide, very thin putty knife (or scraper) with the edge rounded off. If you start at a corner and insert the scraper into the plastic track you can off load the clamping force and work the material out. Once you have a small amount out it is easier by having the scraper in the track where the material has been pulled out.

To re-install the liner use the scraper to press the material into the track. Once you get used to where to make contact on the material with the scraper, in order to press the material into the track to finish with the correct tension, it goes quite quickly.

Good luck and I will find out about the instrument wiring soon.

 

[Scott B]

Sounds good. I like that idea with the scraper.

Thanks.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Scott,

I had a look at the other 33 with the instruments above the companion way and was no able to see where the wiring is run. The owner had the sea hood off to reattach the stop block on the inside section of the sliding hatch and he wasn't absolutely positive of where the wiring ran. He thinks that it is on the starboard side of the sliding hatch and he believes that there is a grommet that seals the wiring.

Apparently the sea hood is easy to remove and re-install. It also collects a fair bit of dirt in there.

 

[Scott B]

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know how I make out.