[TG] [TG11] ST50 to ST80

[Sarge]

I’m looking at buying a set of ST80 instruments to upgrade from my ST50 set. My question is: will my ST 50 transducers work with the ST80 instruments or will I need new transducers?

[Tom - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hello Sarge,

For depth and speed ST80 used black-box analogue-to-Seatalk interfaces (Speed Pod, Depth Pod). For Wind, there were two different windvane variants: a 'forward-facing wind' which was an analogue wind signal similar to ST50 used (but I believe with larger anemometer cups that meant it would spin faster in the same windspeed) and connected into Seatalk via another black-box interface, and an 'active wind' which was a vertical carbon wand and outputted Seatalk digital wind data down the mast using a dedicated masthead connector and cable. You would need to make sure that the depth/speed/wind pods (or vertical wand and masthead connector and cable) were supplied with the kit and working, and that if you reused your ST50 windvane you may not get accurate wind speed (ST80's software expected its windvane.) You would also need to make sure that the kit included a working Masterview (not Maxiview) display, as the Masterview was required to properly operate the system.

I would really question whether this is worth the effort however: by the time you change all of the Seatalk cabling over from round to flat connectors and worry about the transducers and pods, I really don't think this would be a worthwhile change. Remember that ST80 was retired around 20 years ago, and what other item of (at least) two-decade old electronics would you spend any significant time and money on installing?

Regards,
Tom

[Sarge]

Thanks Tom. That was just the sort of advice I was after.
My ST50 wind is not working properly. Sometimes it reads near accurate direction and other times is way out, like 180+ degrees. I need to get up the mast and check the transducer as we have had some dirty storms associated with fires so I’m hoping it’s just dirty.

[Sarge]

Thanks Tom. Good advice.
Can you tell me why my ST50 would be displaying wildly inaccurate wind direction? On the starboard tack it’s about 10 degrees out and on the port tack it’s anywhere between 50 and 100 degrees. Sometimes it’s also completely on the wrong tack. Very random.

Cheers, Steve