[C320-list] Calibrating/Aligning Raymarine ST50 Windvane

[Dave Hupe]

I recently had my masthead wind instruments unit rebuilt (by Dan Gerhardt in Durango, CO), mainly because my wind anemometer cups did not spin at all last year when I bought the boat.  I elected to also have the wind direction part rebuilt while the unit was off the boat.  
I just reinstalled the masthead unit.  The anemometer cups stop in light wind and/or are not spinning as freely/fast as I think they should (especially comparing them to the same setup on the 320 in the slip next to mine).  I'm hoping the cups will spin more freely after they have a chance to continue to spin in the wind (new bearings loosen up?) .  
The wind direction part is working (it did before, but hung up occasionally), but now my wind instrument panel shows the wind is about 180 degrees off (when the wind is blowing at the bow, the indicator suggests it is instead blowing toward the stern).
I looked a my manual and it says for calibration to first "linearise" the direction transducer by powering up the unit and driving the boat in 2 complete circles. Then it talks about pushing down the left-hand instrument panel CAL button for 2 seconds until "CO" is displayed, then pushing the rocker button (is this the right button?) as many times as needed to move the pointer to the correct wind angle.  
I understand steering the boat in circles, but the second part of the procedure confuses me (when and what is the correct wind angle?).  The only way this seems straightforward to me is to physically have someone on the mast hold the windvane still as if it were blowing directly at the bow, then push the CAL button to appropriately correct the pointer.  However, this doesn't seem like what the manual directions indicate you need to do. 
Has anyone been through this with old instruments on an early (1994, etc.) 320?  Can you explain this better for me?
Dave Hupe
1994 Cat 320 "Mayan Sun" (#32)
Holland, MI

[Chris Burti]

Dave,
If i recall correctly, you may have missed part of the instructions. after
you linearize the instrument, you head directly into the wind and then
adjust.

if your instrument is 180 degrees out, I recommend rechecking your wiring
first, that sounds like you have a couple wires reversed.

Chris Burti
Commitment, #867
Farmville, NC

[Warren Updike]

If you have a mechanical wind vane on your mast top, that is what I use as a guide in aligning the instrument (until this big-ass osprey sat on and broke it.) Simply steer into the wind until the vane is dead-on the bow, then in "Cal" mode, use the rocker to move the needle left or right until it aligns with the vane. Without the wind vane, steer into the wind using a ribbon or some light material tied to a shroud or stay until wind is on the nose, then adjust the instrument. It doesn't need to be 100% unless you are racing, in which case you need a faster boat anyway.

Warren and Pattie Updike
1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
Middle River, MD (Chesapeake Bay)

[hoopdtwo]

Chris-Heading directly into the wind makes perfect sense, but this definitely is NOT in the Raymarine manual instructions about this. I should have thought about doing that (duh). I can't check this out until next week

I didn't redo any wiring .... only took down the whole masthead unit, sent it out to be rebuilt, then remounted it upon return.   Maybe there was a wire reversed internally in the masthead unit, but it seems like that can be corrected with the calibration procedure (hopefully).
If my wind speed cups continue to stick/spin too slow,  Dan in Colorado who rebuilt it said to return it and he will fix it.
Dave Hupe1994 Cat 320 "Mayan Sun (#32)Holland, MI

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------From: Chris Burti <clb...@gmail.com> Date: 7/27/18 4:13 PM (GMT-05:00) To: 320 <C320...@catalina320.com> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Calibrating/Aligning Raymarine ST50 Windvane

[Dave Hupe]

Warren-
Thanks ….. I will be trying this calibration soon.  Hopefully it will work.
Is the "rocker" button the right-handed one?  If so, I may have a problem to accomplish calibration, since it does nothing currently when I push it (supposedly to switch between true and apparent?).  However, the Raymarine manual on page 11 (about specifications) says this button is a dummy button that does nothing????

Dave Hupe
1994 Cat 320 "Mayan Sun" (#32)

Holland MI
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Chris Burti]

Curious, I'm pretty sure it is in the ST60 instructions, which is what we
have. I think mine was 180 out when I replaced the masthead unit, and it
may be that it resolved with the calibration, i just don't recall no, nut
it works correctly.

Chris Burti
Farmville, NC

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

Ahoy.....would you please send Dan Gerhard contact info?.....I have
issues with mine also, and plan rebuild this
winter.....Thanks....Joe...#245

[Allan S Field]

Dan Gerhardt
35 Michael Way
Durango, CO 81301
C2...@mydurango.net

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Schwartz
Sent: Friday, August 3, 2018 8:18 AM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Calibrating/Aligning Raymarine ST50 Windvane

[Elizabeth Schwartz]

thank you!!