Can use Mercury Smartcraft Tach/Speedo on older Mercury engines

[fastelli]

I own a 2001 Mercury 250 EFI Outborder and smartcraft is not supported

I'm looking for a nice paddlewheel speedo (up to 70 km/h) and the Smartcraft looks really good.

There is no real need for me to use additional functions beside the speedo (and eventually tachometer).

Does any owner of that instrumentation know, if it's possible to use the instruments only for these 2 functions? Speedo should be "standalone", beeing only connected to power and the paddlewheel sensor, the tachometer only needs the spark signal ...

Is it possible, to calibrate the analog display to measure in km/h?
Is it possible, to see the actual speed in the digital display and is it accurate enough on acceleration?

Thanks a lot
Andreas

PS: Perhaps you know any other paddle wheel instruments. By now I own a Raymarine ST40 which is to slow (display update only once a second).

[Cookee]

Try http://www.livorsi.com/ nice guages and they do bezels to match your boat!

[Matt]

Is there any reason why you particularly want to use a paddle wheel speed sensor rather than a pitot?

[tue]

Smartcraft guages won't work with a none smartcraft comaptible engine. The connections are all via multi plugs not the individual wires like normal guages.

[fastelli]

I need a paddlewheel since
- I'm barefooting and the driver has to hold a defined speed
- I'm skiing in muddy water and have always problems with pitot systems

had a look at the livorsi page but didn't find any non smartcraft paddle wheel speedos.

thanks
andreas