Raymarine R70945 50m Cable for RSW Wind System

Wind data starts at the top of the mast and has to travel all the way down to your instruments at the helm. On a lot of boats the standard cable that ships with a wind pack just isn't long enough. That's where the Raymarine R70945 comes in. It's a 50 meter run of genuine Raymarine cable built for the RSW wind system, so you can get clean masthead wind data down to the display no matter how tall the rig or how long the path.

The RSW system is Raymarine's wind sensing setup, and like any instrument network it's only as good as the wiring that ties it together. Wind is one of those readings you glance at constantly, whether you're trimming for a beat upwind or just keeping an eye on a building breeze at anchor. When the number drops out or jumps around, it's almost always the cable path, not the electronics. Starting with the right cable length removes the most common failure point before it ever becomes one.

Fifty meters is a lot of cable. That's roughly 164 feet, which sounds like overkill until you actually route one. On a sailboat the run goes up the inside of the mast, across the deck, and back to wherever your instrument system lives. Add the twists, the service loops, and the slack you want at both ends, and a shorter cable runs out fast. We've seen plenty of installs where somebody tried to make a factory-length cable reach and ended up with a connector under tension. That's how you get intermittent readings a season later. The R70945 gives you the length to do it right.

Because it's a real Raymarine part and not a generic spool of wire, the connectors are the correct RSW fit on both ends. You're not adapting, splicing, or hoping a third-party plug seats properly. It lands where it's supposed to land. For anyone who's fought a marginal wind signal, that matters. The number one cause of flaky masthead data we see isn't the transducer, it's a bad connection somewhere in the run.

Who actually needs 50 meters? Bigger sailboats, mostly. If you're running a 40 to 60 foot boat with a tall stick, the distance from the masthead to a nav station down below adds up quick. Power boats with a hardtop or an arch that routes gear through existing conduit can eat up length too. If you've got a small boat with a short run, you probably don't need this much cable, and you'll be coiling the excess somewhere. Buy the length that fits your routing, not more.

A few things worth knowing before you pull it. Give the cable a generous bend radius wherever it turns. Tight ninety degree kinks at the mast exit or a bulkhead are hard on any cable, and they're a pain to fix once everything's buttoned up. Leave a service loop at both ends so you've got something to work with down the road. And protect the connectors. Saltwater and electrical connections don't get along, so a little dielectric grease and a proper boot at the mate goes a long way toward a connection that still reads true a few seasons out.

Routing the cable is the real work here. Fishing 50 meters up a mast is a job, and if the mast is stepped you'll want to plan it around your rigging. Tape the new cable to the existing messenger line, feed slowly, and don't force it past a spreader base or a masthead sheave. Take your time. A cable that's chafed against a sharp edge during the pull is a problem you won't see until it fails.

Bottom line, this is the correct cable for extending an RSW wind install where the standard length won't reach. It's genuine Raymarine, it carries the full manufacturer warranty, and it saves you from the splice-and-pray approach that causes more wind instrument headaches than anything else. If you're speccing a new install on a larger boat or replacing a run that's gone marginal, get the length right the first time.