Intrument Repairs

I removed the Voyager US1 Loran C unit, thinking it wasn't working. After reading the manual in a spare moment and realizing it would be nice to have backup for GPS, I re-installed it, and voilá, it works! I should have been more careful in how I cut the cables as I took it out. Luckily, I've got a steady hand for splicing!

It turns out that the SailComp Compass was actually working, although the PO didn't know it, as the control unit (with the on/off switch), was well hidden. Since I had to cut the display loose to remove the mast, I'm waiting to find a good spot for the display before I bother to splice the severed cable. The unit provides a large and highly readable output, selectable from magnetic heading (from a hull mounted fluxgate sensor), countdown timer, and course deviation from preset port and starboard headings. There are buttons mounted on the face of the aft cockpit seat (under the traveler) that allow you to set the p/s headings, control the timer, and select the display. The display is often mounted under the gooseneck, so the entire crew can see it, allowing them to whine when the helmsman is momentarily distracted by the all girl crew sailing naked crossing to starboard.

While I had the mast down, I overhauled the Signet masthead unit for the wind speed and wind angle. It was mostly just cleaning, but I did replace the bearing on the anemometer (I had a replacement left over from my high school slot car stuff from 35 years ago - I knew there was a reason to keep that stuff!). I then disassembled the indicators, removing the accumulated crud and repairing the needle bearing on the speed instrument, again using paper clips and glue. I touched up the paint a bit and replaced the missing "dot" on the lens that hides the meter movement. They now seem to work, although the displays are tired looking and a little stiff.

The knotmeter paddle wheel was broken, with one of the "ears" that holds the shaft broken off. I ended up installing two piano wire pins into the parts, since super glue wouldn't do much to the fiberglass reinforced plastic. I expect to lose the thing the first time I find some kelp. Although somewhat mysterious, the sender seems to work, and the indicator seems to respond as expected, but the reading was way lower than the adjustment could make up. I ended up adding a couple of transistors into the display head to amplify the signal - it now works, although it is no longer self powered.

The most creative repair was to the Datamarine Fathometer, which wasn't even hooked up when I looked at it. Adding power resulted in a blinking LED if the transducer wasn't connected, but an otherwise dark display. Naturally, I took the puppy apart, and found the "numitron" display tubes were both cracked. Replacement numitron antiques were more expensive than a new instrument, so I ordered a pair of 1" LED displays fot $1.25 each. After wiring in the LEDs with some resistors, I discovered that the LEDs fit perfectly into the assembly, and the resulting instrument works fine and is probably more readable than the originals. The depth transducer is a big clunky thing, which takes up a good portion of a compartment, so it may be doomed to replacement ith something more modern.

I expect I'll replace all the instruments with something modern eventually, but I'll have to fiberglass the existing holes, replace the masthead, etc., so it can wait till I go through the rest of the boat looking for more serious flaws.