1000 Miles With My New Electronics -- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by MehmetCan

Fantastic post, thanks a lot. I'm currently trying to decide between touch and non-touch versions of the Zeus, but your solution seem to make sense. Any difference between the two units besides touch capability (crash resistance, usability, extra features etc.). Thanks a lot in advance for the reply.

The Touch version has built in GPS (which Im using) and is capable of remote control over wifi. It displays dynamic currents and tides (you won't care about that in the Med). It uses micro sd card instead of regular one. It has fewer buttons. It is smaller (I was surprised). It is much cheaper, and is more cheaply made with more plastic. The screen is the same brightness and resolution. Important: non-touch has 4 network ports; Touch has only one. Touch has normal N2K socket; non-touch has Simnet (you need an adapter).

The non-touch version suits my way of working better, and is more solidly made (real military type feel). But the Touch works absolutely fine; I really have no problem with it and don't regret having it. It's better value for money, too (the 7" is less than a grand - unbelievable - so no excuse whatsoever for using an IPad)

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by CAELESTIS

"13. The Zeuses, I am sorry to say, are much less stable than my previous Raymarine RL plotters. The Ray plotters were rock-solid and as far as I can remember, I never had a single crash. The Zeuses crash regularly -- not often enough to be a real problem, but they are not as solid as the Rays were. This is not the only instability issue -- I regularly get "no pilot controller" errors and other anomalies. I guess there are some bugs -- hope that firmware updates will eventually eliminate them."

Crash? Any idea what is causing the problem? Is it the plotter or one of the many extras plugged into it?

Modern plotters are just computers. They even have hard drives and USB ports. Just like with regular computers, crashes come from bugs. Hope they work them out.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I think most people in the software business feel the same way you do. Nearly all of my colleagues are super tech guys, all of them with the Chromecast stick within days, their phones are rooted or jailbroken on day one, etc. With manual navigation you need to get your observations by your surroundings as where with electronics you tend to get your data from screens.

For us, it's paper, manual tools, a GPS for fixes, the sextant for noonsites when it's clear and we've got the time, and doing all the typical line of site stuff (3lop, etc).

It's saved my ass a couple of times too. On a commercial boat I worked on the chart plotter busted 1/3 of the way into the trip, the other captain was useless.

I've also gone to the right place which was really the wrong place. Locations that are ~50 miles apart with the same name. But looking around to do a 3lop fix I couldn't find the visual indicators I was expecting to find so still pretty far offshore I noted the error and corrected.

Not trying to convert anyone.

I worry about the new generation of sailors who can't plot three-point fixes or use a Portland plotter.

However, I must say, the risk of a broken plotter ought to be backed up with - a backup plotter, even on a boat with skipper, like you and me, who can manage without it. It's really a matter of safety. I have an IPad with INavX for that purpose. Plus paper of everywhere I go, and probably half a dozen freestanding and independently powered devices capable of giving GPS position data, one of them in a biscuit tin in my grab bag with a bag of lithium batts for it. Hand bearing compasses (3x). I don't have a sextant.

[s/v Jedi]

I believe modern chartplotters, radars and AIS improve safety significantly, even for those who, like me, can do without them. The first 20 years of my sailing was without even a GPS. Loran and Decca was stuff for ships, not yachts. But today, I use every gadget that I can afford.

When people stick to old tech navigation like Rebel Heart describes, they should also adhere to all the things that came with it, like staying way further off charted dangers (no radar to confirm shorter safe distance), arriving during daylight hours, slow slow approach to custs and entrances etc. even with all that precaution, the odds of accidents is still a 10-fold higher without the modern gadgets. Even when the skipper is very experienced. This is what history shows us.

The danger is when unskilled skips think they can navigate because of gadgets. These fools should be thrown in jail when their actions endanger rescuers or damage reefs etc.

[barnakiel]

Re: ultrasonic speedo: possibly turbulence issues? Where is yours located?

THX for great post!

b.

[Sid at SailAway]

Thank you! I just wish every review was as honest and thorough as this one is.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I believe modern chartplotters, radars and AIS improve safety significantly, even for those who, like me, can do without them. The first 20 years of my sailing was without even a GPS. Loran and Decca was stuff for ships, not yachts. But today, I use every gadget that I can afford.

When people stick to old tech navigation like Rebel Heart describes, they should also adhere to all the things that came with it, like staying way further off charted dangers (no radar to confirm shorter safe distance), arriving during daylight hours, slow slow approach to custs and entrances etc. even with all that precaution, the odds of accidents is still a 10-fold higher without the modern gadgets. Even when the skipper is very experienced. This is what history shows us.

The danger is when unskilled skips think they can navigate because of gadgets. These fools should be thrown in jail when their actions endanger rescuers or damage reefs etc.

+1

Hit the nail on the head

[MehmetCan]

Dockhead thanks for the reply -once again.

I couldn't agree more with the tandem usage of old and new. I've studied computer engineering and I know one thing for a fact, electronics always get busted. Especially with an always shaking, damp, variable temperature environment like a boat, so belt and suspenders should be the way to go. Plus, old methods are 99% of the time plain fun, if you don't believe, try straight razor shaving, you'll not return back to disposable safety razors ever again! (I know, not sailing related, however, honest and friendly suggestion to give it a try).

Last but not least, I agree with you s/v Jedi, especially when you think that today's boats are much faster than they used to be (don't just think about your boat, but the traffic surrounding it) along with increased traffic, it's just irresponsible to rely solely on old methods...