Yes, the guy who makes these carbon fiber brackets hails out of Alameda and owns the Moore 24, "SPITFIRE", I'm sure you've all seen this very pretty boat. He's a great guy and was at last years SAIL EXPO at Jack London Square. These brackets/housings are very nifty. You can see his ads in the back of Sailing World - Just an FYI

- Tibor

:: Postscript to Tacktick thread---
::
:: In talking with the ocean equipment folks just now about
:: my tacktick problems they pointed me to a small business
:: that is manufacturing custom mast brackets for Tacktick
:: instrument readouts. These brackets apparently wrap
:: around the readout, protecting the quick-release
:: mechanism, thus making the readouts much less prone to
:: dropping in the drink.
::
:: These brackets can be found at www.mastbracket.com, and
:: this small business is located in the SF Bay area. If
:: you get one of these or find more information, please
:: post on this site to update everybody.
::
:: Thanks,

:: Mark
::
:: :: Hey, in order for it to be an official race boat it has
:: :: to have duct tape on it...doesn't it?
:: ::
:: :: I like your lanyard idea though, I will try that.
:: ::
:: :: Mark
:: ::
:: ::
:: :: :: I have to agree with Mark. My experience has not been
:: :: :: great with the Tacktick system. It is a really cool
:: :: :: idea, and the customer support has been great, but the
:: :: :: reliability is not there. I must say, every time I call
:: :: :: and send my unit back in there is no charge to me except
:: :: :: for the shipping. Oh and the cost to replace the display
:: :: :: when it went in the drink.
:: :: ::
:: :: :: I did come up with a great solution to the mounting
:: :: :: system. The back plate that clips into the craddle is
:: :: :: secured to the unit with three screws. I loosened the
:: :: :: screws and slid a small lanyard between the two parts
:: :: :: and tightened the screws. Then once I snap the craddle
:: :: :: to the mast, I tie the lanyard around the actual mast
:: :: :: mount. That way, even if it pops out of the craddle,
:: :: :: again, it will just dangle by the lanyard. So far it
:: :: :: seems to be working. Probably looks a bit better than
:: :: :: the duck tape too.
:: :: ::
:: :: :: Cheers,
:: ::
:: :: :: Jason
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Folks --
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: My impression in discussing this "integrated
:: :: :: :: electronics" issue with Jason a couple of years ago is
:: :: :: :: that the intent of this rule is to ban the integration
:: :: :: :: of GPS systems with other sensors. As Brendan has
:: :: :: :: correctly pointed out in this thread, integration of
:: :: :: :: speed, and wind with GPS does provide a very accurate
:: :: :: :: technique for optimizing performance in racing venues
:: :: :: :: with significant current. My own personal belief is that
:: :: :: :: the fleet should continue to ban such integration of
:: :: :: :: electronics. The Express 27 has such great "feel" it is
:: :: :: :: really a "seat of the pants" kind of boat. I'd hate to
:: :: :: :: see that changed and reduced to a sail by numbers
:: :: :: :: approach totally. I understand Tibor's point, but I
:: :: :: :: think you climb up the learning curve faster by
:: :: :: :: observing the boats around you, rather than have your
:: :: :: :: head stuck in electronic readout land too much. Also, I
:: :: :: :: don't think the wireless networking of sensors to
:: :: :: :: readouts constitutes such "integration" (in agreement
:: :: :: :: with Jason's early comments): it merely replaces the
:: :: :: :: running of wires with a wireless link, leading to one
:: :: :: :: less problem when the mast is de-stepped and stepped.
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: However, as someone else has pointed out in this thread,
:: :: :: :: we do now have a means to "interpret" and clarify the
:: :: :: :: rules. That mechanism is rules intrepretations through
:: :: :: :: the National Advisory Board. There are a number of
:: :: :: :: things like this that need attention, and I will be
:: :: :: :: emailing members of the NAB with proposals within the
:: :: :: :: next couple of days to address this and other issues. I
:: :: :: :: will email the proposed interpretations and NAB ruling
:: :: :: :: to the membership, reminding all that the membership can
:: :: :: :: over-rule these interpretations with the appropriate
:: :: :: :: number of members in agreement. So, standby...
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Finally, my experience with the Tack-Tick wireless
:: :: :: :: instruments has not been as positive as Brendan's. We
:: :: :: :: have lost a readout overboard (which sounds just like
:: :: :: :: Jason's experience on Moxie this year). We now duct-tape
:: :: :: :: the damn things in place. I was suspicious about this
:: :: :: :: mount from the get-go, but not suspicious enough. I have
:: :: :: :: complained to the Tack-Tick distributor about this (but
:: :: :: :: it is not clear that they are really listening). With
:: :: :: :: all the banging around that we subject our boats (and
:: :: :: :: ourselves) to on the bay, its pretty clear that this
:: :: :: :: quick-release mounting mechanism is not adequate for the
:: :: :: :: bay... maybe it is OK for other venues, but not here.
:: :: :: :: Also, I have had the hull-transmitter unit fail. This is
:: :: :: :: the unit that wirelessly communicates with the readouts
:: :: :: :: mounted on the mast. Wires from the sensors terminate in
:: :: :: :: this unit below decks, rather than going directly to the
:: :: :: :: readouts. I kept getting a "low hull battery" indication
:: :: :: :: and the system would shut-down completely, as a result
:: :: :: :: we sailed much of last season without instruments...that
:: :: :: :: was painful. It was under warranty and they replaced it.
:: :: :: :: Now, the fluxgate compass is not working! I will
:: :: :: :: (hopefull) be sending that back before the warranty runs
:: :: :: :: out.
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Bottom-line is the Tack-Ticks have not been that
:: :: :: :: reliable, at least not on Xena. The concept is great,
:: :: :: :: maybe I just got a lemon, sounds like Brendan has had
:: :: :: :: better luck.
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Anyway there is a new US distributor
:: :: :: :: www.oceanequipment.com, they are located in socal. So
:: :: :: :: far they have been pretty responsive to replacing failed
:: :: :: :: components, but if you plan on buying one I would grill
:: :: :: :: them about the reliability and complain about that cheap
:: :: :: :: mounting mechanism. They need a mechanism that is more
:: :: :: :: robust than that.
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Later,
:: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Mark Lowry, Xena #68
:: :: ::
:: :: :: :: Express 27 Fleet Poobah
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: :: I'm also in agreement that this rule could use updating
:: :: :: :: :: regarding integrated electronics should be revised to
:: :: :: :: :: reflect current trends and bring these archaic rules
:: :: :: :: :: into the 21st Century. This is not that big of a deal,
:: :: :: :: :: cost-wise anymore (and this is coming from someone who
:: :: :: :: :: doesn't have alot to throw around) and I think would be
:: :: :: :: :: great to incorporate into the fleet . . . personally, I
:: :: :: :: :: find it interesting and would add to my enjoyment and
:: :: :: :: :: learning of the sport.
:: :: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: :: I think the really good sailors in the fleet will
:: :: :: :: :: benefit some from this upgrade but probably not as much
:: :: :: :: :: as the less experienced because they already sail so
:: :: :: :: :: well and understand the Bay conditions so much better
:: :: :: :: :: that it won't give them a quantum leap away from the
:: :: :: :: :: beginners. So, I'm not so worried about the best getting
:: :: :: :: :: so much better that they are untouchable. The beginners
:: :: :: :: :: on the other hand, will be able to sail more
:: :: :: :: :: intelligently and similaneously better understand the
:: :: :: :: :: nuances of the Bay. Perhaps the net effect will be to
:: :: :: :: :: bring up the "rear" of the fleet, modestly, creating
:: :: :: :: :: better contention with the rest of the fleet. This
:: :: :: :: :: should make for more exciting racing overall and I think
:: :: :: :: :: that would be a good thing as a whole.
:: :: :: :: ::

:: :: :: :: :: - Tibor

:: :: :: :: :: Kolibri
:: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: :: US 28859
:: :: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: :: :: Perhaps we should understand what "integrated" means.
:: :: :: :: :: :: Paraphrasing the dictionary, connecting two or more
:: :: :: :: :: :: elements is integrating. It would seem that connecting a
:: :: :: :: :: :: GPS does not define the system as integrated. If two
:: :: :: :: :: :: instruments can "talk" to one another they are, by
:: :: :: :: :: :: definition, integrated.
:: :: :: :: :: ::
:: :: :: :: :: :: I agree with Will. When our rules were first written the
:: :: :: :: :: :: instruments now available to us were only a dream. Their
:: :: :: :: :: :: relative cost to 25 years ago is not that much. If we
:: :: :: :: :: :: were to remove the prohibition of integrated instruments
:: :: :: :: :: :: it could be a move to modernization of our class rules.