[C320-list] ST-50 Instrument Replacement

[John Ellis]

The 15-year old ST-50 instruments on my boat are slowly failing, and are no longer repairable by the Raymarine factory. First the speed transducer died and a replacement failed to fix the problem, and now the wind vane has started to disintegrate - the anemometer no longer turns and part of the wind vane has broken off. I noticed the wind vane failure sailing today when there was apparent wind direction, but no wind speed on the display. It must be time to break out some boat bucks for replacement instruments.
 
Does anyone have experience with NMEA 2000? I'm considering Garmin's GWS wind sensor, through hull transducer for depth and speed, and two GMI instruments. Another alternative is wind/speed/depth Raymarine ST-60s, which are not NMEA 2000. One factor will be ease of installation, that's why a NMEA 2000 system with one backbone cable is attractive. The other factor is compatibility with the existing through-hull sensors - the best case would be if the Garmin/Raymarine speed sensors will fit in the existing ST-50 through-hull fitting; since my boat is in the water year round avoiding a haul out to replace the entire fitting would be a big help.
 
Any advice or experiences with a similar instrument replacement will be much appreciated!

John #271