Anyone used this brand of wind sensor -Autonnic - a UK brand.
www.autonnic.com/marine-wind-sensors
Im fed up with my Garmin NMEA wind sensor breaking after replacing parts on it a couple of times. These seem a reasonable price and quality compared to the Raymarine alternatives.
I like the idea of NMEA 2000 opening up the market, any experience or suggested alternatives?
I went down the rabbit hole on this when I needed to replace the cable on my B&G 213 wind - analogue.
Consensus seems to be bluetooth are all ** - not a consideration with Autonnic.
A+T instruments replacement for the B&G wind has ceramic bearings and according to the hype on Sailing Anarchy, is more reliable and super-accurate.
What electronics are you feeding down below? Do you have an Axiom? What is calculating True wind on your boat?
If you have decent electronics - i.e. something that will calculate true wind then your first port of call is to find a sensor that is compatible and pushes out enough data.
I went through the data sheet for that Autonnic sensor and whilst the update rate is configurable it doesn't say how often. An email to them would probably sort that out..
I found a place in Australia for spares for my B&G wind that was super helpful. PM me if you want their details.
I should have said a Raymarine boat, Axiom 7 MFD, under deck linear autopilot. Only thing Garmin is the wind indicator and GM10 wind display which I like more than the Raymarine display.
Cruising boat, primarily like to use the wind sensor for wind vane mode on autopilot.
Select to expand quoteEastCoastSail said..
Cruising boat, primarily like to use the wind sensor for wind vane mode on autopilot.
That last bit makes it easier because you only need apparent wind (in my limited experience).
I have the Raymarine P70 pilot head and acu100 which gets its wind from the H3000 via NMEA2000 via the Actisense WGX-1 from the B&G H3000.
It works fantastically in apparent wind mode. If I change anything I will put an Axiom in to make it handle steering to a bearing better (so I can control the amount XTE that's tolerated before it throws a ****-fit and starts swinging the rudder wildly from side to side).
I'd be tempted to just put a Raymarine wired wind into the boat because you (should) have an easier time setting up the instrument for true wind etc. Then you'll be able to reliably calibrate true wind (assume you have a log?).
Cruisers forum have some guys who know Raymarine really well, including one bloke who works for them in the US.
All this assumes you don't have to pull the mast out to do all this, which will eclipse the cost of the sensor.......
JonE , thanks for the detailed response.
I'm looking at approximately $1200 for Raymarine wind transducer with cable vs $600 for the Autonnic which is NMEA 2000 and will supposedly plug into the existing Garmin cable. So only a quick trip up the mast and plug and play?
"The Autonnic Wind Sensor is directly compatible with discontinued Garmin GWS 10 wind."
When the seabirds land on top and break off a cup, the GWS was $100, the Autnnonic is about 25% of that for the spares.
Unfortunately three years ago I installed all the fancy new Raymarine stuff and thought I could get away without a log and glassed the hole up. Because of all the previous effort I'm loath to drill another log hole and admit my mistake.
I have the Raymarine Autopilot Head and hardly use it as the Axiom MFD is much more intuitive, push left or right, rather than up and down degrees.
Select to expand quoteEastCoastSail said..
will supposedly plug into the existing Garmin cable.
This would swing it for me!
