So yeah, I bought into the marketing on this one. Basically TackTick wind/speed/depth instruments sold me on the fact that I wouldn’t have to run any wiring. They are wireless instruments, designed for the lazy boat owner—me.

Garbage is all I have to say about these things. They have one redeeming feature and that is that when the weather is really crap I can unsnap the faceplate and bring them below in order to watch the  wind speed from the comfort of my couch. That is—of course—if they are working.

When they crapped out on me this last time I went online to find their contact form only to discover that they’d been sold to Raymarine. “Great!” I thought, Raymarine—big company, products I’ve always been happy with, and surely some quality customer service.

Now, three e-mails later, I have yet to hear from them. Not a peep.

“Well call them,” you say. Easier said than done. I live in Mexico, and I’ve lived without a phone for the past decade. Skype? Internet sucks. Skype calls are often reminiscent of the Apollo 13 recordings with the astronauts swinging around the moon.

So anyway, this is my online plea. E-mail me Raymarine, please. I have like $2,000 worth of TackTick garbage scattered wirelessly around my boat, and somehow I always find sailing to be easier when I know how hard the wind is blowing and how deep the water under my keel is.