Maretron WSO200 Wind Station Install
Queen of Hearts had no electronic wind instruments when we bought her. Previous boats had a Garmin spinning wind sensor at the masthead, but for this one I wanted to try something different: no moving parts. The Maretron WSO200 uses ultrasonic sensors to measure wind, and it outputs natively over NMEA 2000.
The Sensor
The WSO200 is an ultrasonic wind and weather station with no moving parts. It measures wind speed and direction using sound rather than a spinning cup or vane, and combines that with air temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity in a single unit. On the NMEA 2000 network alongside a GPS and heading sensor, it also calculates apparent wind speed and apparent wind angle.
| Model | Maretron WSO200 |
|---|---|
| Sensor type | Ultrasonic, no moving parts |
| Output | NMEA 2000 |
| Measures | Wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity |
| Apparent wind | Calculated via NMEA 2000 with GPS and heading sensor |
The Mount
The WSO200 mounts on a 1-inch pole. A 316 stainless 1-inch pole mount bracket from Amazon clamps to the masthead fitting. The pole itself is 1-inch 316 stainless tube, bent in the vise to angle the sensor clear of the mast.
Bending the 1-inch 316 stainless tube in the vise.
316 stainless pole mount bracket clamped to the masthead.
The Install
Queen of Hearts winters on the trailer with the mast laid down on top of the boat. With a ladder, the masthead is accessible without a hoist. The WSO200 and its pole were assembled at ground level, then attached to the masthead bracket.
Positioning the assembly at the masthead before locking it down.
The NMEA 2000 cable runs from the WSO200 down through the inside of the mast, through the deck, and connects to the backbone in the cabin with the rest of the electronics.
WSO200 installed, cable routed down through the mast.
On the Network
Wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, barometric pressure, and humidity all appear on the cockpit displays: the Furuno FI-50 (FI-503), the Garmin GMI 20, and on mobile via Navionics through the Cortex. With the Garmin GPS and heading sensor also on the network, the WSO200 data combines with boat speed and heading to give apparent wind speed and apparent wind angle as well.