Paddlewheel location?

[sybrmike]

I picked up a new set of gauges for my 89 Saltare project - gonna modernize her a bit in the rebuilding process this winter. No budget for PP this go round, but will include two electronic speedometers to keep that old school feel (one could be replaced with PP face later). I'm planning on removing the two pitot tube pickups on the transom (neither speedo works) and using a single thru hull paddlewheel transducer to drive the two speedos. I'm thinking the Airmar DST800 triducer so I can also add a combo depth and temperature gauge (Faria 74431).

Specific to this hull, any ideas as to the best location for the paddlewheel. I've had suggestions for ~6" starboard of the center drain (just forward of the engine) or opposite the RW intake (again ~6" starboard of keel, but just aft of engine). Any thoughts? Thanks.

[csuggs]

Will that actually go through the hull?

[sybrmike]

Yes, 2" hole right through the bottom (ouch!). It's the type of pickup used on the "modern" tournament boats. Evidently, the transom mounted paddlewheels were supposed to be an improvement over pitot tubes, but were finicky about placement and water flow (turns, listing, etc.). Moving the location to a "clean" water stream under the hull made them much more consistant. We'll see...

[87SunSportMikeyD]

Yep you are totally right it should be a huge improvement in consistancy. It is a requirement for PP (unless you want to go GPS). It does require somewhat precise placement. Maybe call Anthony at Skiers Choice, or maybe Perfect Pass and just say you bought a PP but arent sure where to put the paddlewheel.

[OUI]

I'd be interested in your old speedos if you still have them.

[jaywidhalm]

Pardon my ignorance, but what was the idea behind 2 speedo's anyway?? Just in case one failed or something?? Just curious.

[sybrmike]

OUI - You're welcome to the speedos once I have them removed, but don't think you'd really want them. Yes they are factory originals (looks like made by Airguide w/ Supra logo), but neither were working - reason unknown (at least one air tube was loose from the rear of gauge) and they're pretty beat up. I just finished making room in the garage so I can bring the boat home from storage this weekend to start working on it in earnest, but from memory: the plastic lenses are "crazed" in several places, the trim bezels are chipped and faded, even the paint is peeling off of one indicator needle.

Jay - two speedos are carryover from the good ole days of when inboard tournament boats were actually used to pull slalom skiers through a bouy course (I'm old enough to remember, anybody else?). Running a course required a constant speed over the length of the course, confirmed with stopwatch timing from within the boat from start to finish gates. Two speedos each with it's own pickup helped the driver with calibration, and yes, in case a pitot got clogged or speedo failed during a run. Nowdays it's pretty much just nostalgia with all the wakeboard and surfing (and to fill a hole in the dash until PP is installed) - especially since most dual speedos on current boats are driven by a single paddlewheel sensor.

[chautauquasun]

I don't mean to hijack your post and can repost this in a separate post if you prefer.

When I was pulling my boat out this year the tube that goes down into the speedo pickup came apart right where it joins the pick up. I can tell if it is broken or if it just cam loose. Is it difficult to repair this or do I need to buy a new pick and tube and rerun the tube into the boat.

The pick ups on mine with rotate and I have to rotate them because the bunks on the trailer are in the same place. When I was rotating the one the tube came loose from the pick up. I haven't really looked that closely at it but wanted to see if anybody has dealt with this problem before.

thanks

Dan

[sybrmike]

Don't worry about jumping in - that's what these boards are for, right?

Depending on how the tube "came loose" from the pickup, it shouldn't be a difficult repair.

If the tube itself broke and they're original on your 84, then it's probably brittle from age and the tubing should be replaced in it's entirety (else, you risk chasing recurrent breaks). You might get by with trimming the end of the tubing and seeing if you can get enough slack pulled through the transom to reattach to the pickup. There's some silicone around the tubing where it exits the transom (under the little s/s bonnet cap) that you will have to work or cut loose. Don't know if yours has the brass dampening tubes located on the inside of the transom or not, but if the plastic tubing is brittle I'd look at replacing all the tubing between the speedo and pickup. You can use a fish tape or stiff wire to feed it behind the gunnel (mine's in the same pvc conduit as the wiring) and can probably access the transom thru-hole (and dampening tubes?) by removing the ski locker and/or gas tank.

If the tubing pulled loose from the pickup - the tubing just slips over a nipple on the plastic pick-up, so maybe just reattach with a dab of adhesive (careful not to plug the air hole). The plastic nipple may have broken off, in which case it's time for a new pickup. Take a closer look & let us know...