# Raymarine Wireless Tacktick opinions from owners?



## patrscoe (May 9, 2011)

I have one more purchase to make in my change from Simrad to Raymarine instruments & systems which is a masthead wind transducer and 60+ instrument head but I have seen the Tacktick wireless out on the market for several years now but there are no positive or negative reviews, nothing... There are always people saying that the signal will fail but appears to be just their opinion as they don't own one. I know as a package, it's about $300 or so more.

Are there any owners of the Raymarine Tacktick wireless out there (or know of someone in your marina) and what do you think so far? 

Thanks.

Patrick


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

I have used the tactick since before they were bought out. The gear works as advertised, I have never had a signal drop issue, and the head units seem to last forever. 

I currently am sailing a boat with the new stuff, and it seems like it is equally good, but we only have two years with it.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

As an installer all I can say, to be polite, is to look at other products. If you want an in-depth analysis please PM me..

This is a fairly typical screen shot off one of my customers boats. System less than one year old...


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## MarkSF (Feb 21, 2011)

Why would you change FROM Simrad? I just installed a new Simrad NMEA 2000 wind transducer and is40 display - works superbly. At some point in the future I think the Garmin GMI10 will be changed to a Simrad equivalent, too.

I checked, and West Marine are still selling this pack for $1000 :

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...alogId=10001&partNumber=11500733#.USPwlXLh69Y

A Simrad wind display, wind transducer, DST800, and a combi display. Bargain of the century.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

There is some good information on this site but the search function sucks. I dont know how much has changes since ray marine has bought them out, but Ive had the Tack Tick T 104 package for a few seasons, and been very pleased. No issues except a loss of data on the wind unit when entering one particular creek, swan creek, for some unknown reason it seems to lose it there everytime? weird I know, otherwise it has worked flawlessly. Ive not used it on any extended cruising, but had them on 24/7 for two weeks and the battery never dropped below 50%, even with a few days of overcast if I recall correctly.


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## patrscoe (May 9, 2011)

2 positives and 1 big negative. I still need to check if the wireless can be connected to my Seatalk backbone.

Why I changed from Simrad to Raymarine? I purchased and installed a NSS7, IS instruments and Simnet backbone early last year. 
My plan was to purchase a autopilot by Simrad this spring but the cost and the customization required did not justify the means. Electic or hydr linear drive would require some modifications below the decks to fit and proposal to provide and install was over $4,800 (included relocating the refrig-compressor.) Besides the very expensive autopilot system (at least what I am willing to spend towards one), had no problem with the Simrad products. 

This winter I sold most of the Simrad systems on ebay and luckly did not take too much of a hit ($) and changed to a Raymarine C90W (much bigger unit then the NSS7), and replaced everything except for the wind masthead and wind instrument. Autopilot installed is a X-5. I always liked Raymarine as this was in our previous sailboat besides Raymarine customer service stinks.

Anyways, wireless system would be nice but sounds like I need to do more reserach into the system.


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## xymotic (Mar 4, 2005)

Wow, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but IMO that was a HORRIBLE decision.

The Simrad could have driven the X5 every bit as well as the Raymarine, and done EVERYTHING else much better.

And the C90W is already at end of life, whereas Simrad is just getting started.


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## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Sailingdog, a former poster on SN also has Tack Tick for years and has been very pleased. He does not post here anymore but you could try a PM or Anything-Sailing forum?


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## patrscoe (May 9, 2011)

Xymotic,
I disagree, the X-5 can be integrated into a Simnet backbone through NEMA2000 only but Simrad wind data cannot be read by the X-5.


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## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

patrscoe said:


> Xymotic,
> I disagree, the X-5 can be integrated into a Simnet backbone through NEMA2000 only but Simrad wind data cannot be read by the X-5.


You'd likely need to convert it to 0183. There are plenty of boats out there doing steer to wind with cross brand devices it's just a matter of getting it converted to the proper language....


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## patrscoe (May 9, 2011)

Mainsail, being it's your profession, I am sure you are right but I based my decision on Simrad Tech support and Raymarine Tech support and what they both told me.

I don't regret my discussion to switch. I preferred to have one manufacturer throughout. 
.... discussion has gotten off the topic.

p.s. thanks for the PM and information.


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## jsaronson (Dec 13, 2011)

My wireless wind instrument (with powered display) worked flawlessly for season 1. My only complaint is that the NMEA 183 interface is another $400.


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

I had installed tacktick on my previous cs 5 years ago. Friends purchased it when I bought the new cs. The instruments are still working w/o problems on the old boat.
I installed them on the new boat last spring. Worked fine. I did the installs myself and removed a ton of wiring from both boats.
I mounted the transmitter for the transducer as high above the waterline as possible and don't have a problem w/ the signal to the repeater. My mast is the limit for distance of the mast head unit and maintains signal. At this point I would install them again. Time will tell.
Jim


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## Jiminri (Aug 26, 2012)

I installed the TackTick awi. The less expensive unit with the display that is hooked to 12v power, not the one where the display runs off of a solar panel. Used it for 2 years before I put the boat up for sale. Worked great the whole time. Never lost a signal. I plan to install a similar unit on my new boat.


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## agoffin (Sep 6, 2010)

We bought the wireless wind display and transducer (ST101) end of December. Installed it early Jan on our 70ft mast. and within 2 days it was not functioning anymore. Raymarine says the unit is defective... we need to send it back to the dealer... we're on a 1,200 mile-passage... hard to do... very disappointed.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

I have found the tactick stuff to be about as reliable as any other instrument. That is they never really seem to work properly on some installs, never have a day of problems on others, and only work in months with the letter R for others. The upside is the wireless stuff is easy to install and return when something goes wrong.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Our current boat came with an older Tacktick wind/depth/speed system (MN 100). Must be at least 10 years old now ... maybe more. It has worked well for the four years we've owned the boat. I did have to replace the depth transducer, although I think it was even older than the Tacktick system. And in light airs our windy sometimes gets stuck. I think there is fine grit in the bearings b/c when I took it down three years ago, and cleaned it up, it worked flawlessly for the following season. Overall, I've been quite pleased with the system. 

agoffin, this is probably a silly question, but is your mast too high? I think our masthead to the hull transceiver must be about 55 feet. I know our signal strength is low, but has never failed. At 70 feet, might you be too high?


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

At some point the button battery in your TackTick will need to be replaced. They are soldered on to a small circuit board. Unless you are really good at soldering on PCBs stuffed with SMDs you'll have to find someone like me to do it for you. Even with my nice little soldering station and solder vacuum it takes me about 30 minutes plus set up and clean up. Not cheap.


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## agoffin (Sep 6, 2010)

At 70 feet said:


> that's what Raymarine suggested - but they did not seem to be sure! I am puzzled that there is no maximum working signal range in the product's manual, nor in the description of the items sold by Raymarine dealers/distributors.
> 
> And of course we're in the middle of a 1,200 mile passage when a wind instrument is useful especially at night...
> 
> We've been very unlucky with Raymarine wind instruments wired or not.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

SVAuspicious said:


> At some point the button battery in your TackTick will need to be replaced. They are soldered on to a small circuit board. Unless you are really good at soldering on PCBs stuffed with SMDs you'll have to find someone like me to do it for you. Even with my nice little soldering station and solder vacuum it takes me about 30 minutes plus set up and clean up. Not cheap.


I'll remember that I can send them to you when my units crap out . Actually, I forgot to mention that we did have to have the battery in our hull unit (the transceiver that feeds the wireless units) replaced. We sent it to Tacktick, and for a small fee (forget what, but really was small), they replaced the battery and sent it back. I think this was before Raymarine bought them out, so not sure if this is still possible, or as cheap, now.



agoffin said:


> that's what Raymarine suggested - but they did not seem to be sure! I am puzzled that there is no maximum working signal range in the product's manual, nor in the description of the items sold by Raymarine dealers/distributors.


Sorry to hear about the troubles Agoffin. I'm not sure where I read about the distance limit ... perhaps online somewhere, or perhaps in the old Tacktick manuals (which are on the boat, in a snow bank right now). I'm pretty sure our mast hight is getting close to the recommended limit, but I could be remembering this wrong.


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