Broken windex
Catmojo
Matt
Wed 17 Jun 2020 11:17
The windex helm display (the unit that shows how much wind and from where) has gone on holiday and decided not to work, which I hear is very popular of late, dammit. The wind measuring weathercocking transducer is on top of the mast and still nicely pointing in exactly the direction that the wind is coming from BUT every now and again the little dial at the helm goes blank, the arrow sets straight ahead and the numbers change to three dashes. In fact that's now mostly what it does. Raymarine ST60 WIND.
Like a fair bit of the gear that came with the boat that dates back to 2004 or thereabouts, it's probably suffering from what is technically known as a Severe Lack of Newness. The fix is usually to throw it away and buy a load of new stuff, PLUS some extra stuff to replace some of the stuff that works fine BUT Unfortunately Is Not Compatible With The Other New Stuff. Can't do that until I get nearer a shop, though.
I turned it all off (and the power supply switch) and back on again and Hurrah it worked - for about ten minutes, but then the windex ST60 dial display went into its frozen tizz again. Actually that might be a Bad Sign - that it works for a bit and then magically Doesn't, all on its own. I might rip out a particular kitchen cupboard which lets me reach the back of the ST60 dial display and wiggle the wires, but best wait till Ampi not there, which she often is, like now.
On the plus side though, Ampi just found another last loaf of bread in the freezer, so I can have a bacon sandwich! Overall I'd prefer that the windex worked, but a bacon sandwich will be significant compensation, I suppose. AND Ampi is making pizza for lunch, so that's even better. I'm secretly feeling a bit selfish about wanting the ST60 to work AND have the bacon sandwich AND the pizza too, but what the heck.
So I had better get used to sailing without the windex, dinghy-style. You have to point your nose at where you think the wind is coming from, and turn both cheeks to check. I will have to put up the mainsail soon, and what with not really knowing how much wind there is I will likely put in a reef. Actually maybe two reefs is a possibility due to lack of windex, sailing overnight and offshore and with still-quite-newbie crew -they can't say they've sailed across the Atlantic for another 450 miles yet.
Maybe James or Simon have brilliant ideas on how to fix the ST60 but meh, not hopeful. I seem to recall that James's solution to avoid Raymarine problems is to buy a completely different brand, with wireless instrument displays.
Otherwise very lovely sunny morning. You gotta look at the positive stuff, eh? "But aside from that, Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?"