Advices on electronics

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

Howdy guys, it has just been recommended to me, well more implied in a direct way that I need a refit of electronics on my boat and engine service.

The issue I need help with is the electronics. I am currently inclined to get a Lowrance chart plotter/gps with a depth sounder and money/time permitting I will also get a Radar as well.

All of this I intend on getting sorted next weekend for a trip hopefully the weekend following of 40-45 NM.

What electronics, if any, do you have now? If you have a working depth sounder, and at least a hand-held VHF... I think I'd just get a tablet nav app, and pay for a towing service/insurance, and call it good for your first year or so.

40-45NM should be easy, although I say that without knowing the specific area...

I can probably make a good argument for a full-up fully integrated system, but not until I knew exactly what I wanted that system to do (i.e., more than just "be safe") and why I wanted the system to do that. And it would probably take about 4 days to install everything in that suite... and it would probably cost somewhere between $12-20K.

Actual selection would only come after fully comparing products from Furuno, Raymarine, Garmin, SIMRAD, Lowrance, etc... and would include back-up compatibility with laptop/tablet products (e.g., similar to the way TimeZero is a mirror of Furuno's NavNET).

But in the short term, a working depth sounder, VHF, and a tablet app, good to go.

-Chris

[Suijin]

RailRoader,

Welcome to the Valiant family.

If I were you I would go with Garmin or Raymarine. Lowrance is part of Navico now along with B&G and Simrad. I did a complete electronics refit last year with B&G and in hindsight would have steered clear if Navico. Some growing pains or whatever of integrating the brands.

All three use pretty much exactly the same hardware with slight differences in software. Lowrance is optimized for the fishing market. Simrad for general power boating, and B&G for sailing.

If money is an issue check on Defender.com for last generation models. If you get a refurbished one if those you can save a ton.

When you get a VHF, get one with an integrated AIS receiver. It’s a no brainer as the cost differential is minor. If you ever upgrade to a full AIS transceiver you’ll have the VHF as a backup.

If you’re going to get a radar, get it now. Chartplotters and radomes are paired as in its WAY easier to to mate same brand/generation radar.

A wind speed direction depth package is incredibly useful. You’d need to go up the stick to install though. I assume since you did not mention it that you have a working sounder.

The Alpha 3000 autopilot which I assume you have is both incredibly reliable as well as super energy efficient. It is however not that smart or feature rich compared to today’s autopilots. You may want to replace it down the road.

And yes, an iPad is great as both a repeater and a stand-alone plotter with the right software. I got rid of the old 12” plotter at the nav station during my refit and have not missed it.

The install will likely take longer than you think. You might not get it done before you leave for your trip. I’ve sailed for thousands of miles using Navionics on my iPhone for 90% of my navigation so you’ll be fine with something similar.

[brownr377]

My two cents, leaving aside all the other issues of getting old boats into cruising shape, for electronics up in your neighborhood, as an absolute you don't need much, but they sure can make life easier. I spent a few years out of Bellingham to the San Juans with paper charts, compass and a handheld GPS with fluky batteries. I was young and lucky though. Now I'm a little older and more careful.

This list is my opinion only, after you've rounded up
paper charts, good compass's, binoculars, current atlas for your waters, i know they're on all the phones but I like the paper versions esp the Canadian side ones they give a helpful picture you don't get off the electronics.

1 Minimum for safety
VHF
Depth Sounder

2 Minimum to make life easier
Above+
Autopilot
Speed through water
Some kind of GPS (honestly phones/tablets will work fine)

3 Nice to have
Above+
Wind
Chartplotter
Radar
AIS

Don't get me wrong out of list 3 now that I've had radar I don't think I'd cruise the PNW without it, but I managed prior to having it, it just changes the game.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by thomm225

My local "cruises" are usually less than 150 miles round trip.

I use an old Humminbird Depth Finder, an old Garmin 120 GPS, and some charts that came with the boat. (depth finder and GPS are probably 1990's vintage) Plus I have a VHF Radio.

This combination works great.

I have a couple hand Held Sunnto Compasses as backup

And I have quite a bit of experience on the water which I'm hoping you do as well sailing up there

My boat is 45 years old.

Using a handheld compass with 30-40 year old charts can never be considered a good idea.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Using a handheld compass with 30-40 year old charts can never be considered a good idea.

It's a good idea for some but not all. New sailors used to all the modern conveniences would probably freak out just using a compass and a 40 year old chart to navigate by

Being a sailor/boater with experience in my area and others with many years on the water, I use the compass to get close enough to my destination then I use familiar landmasses, towers, channel markers etc along with the old charts

This type navigation came quite naturally to me after not having a compass or chart while boating/sailing for many years. (and usually no radio either) This is the first boat (bought in 2011) I have had out of my 12 or so boats with any instruments at all

Many times before when out of sight of land, I used the Sun or a familiar star just to get me headed in the general direction I needed to go to get in sight of land then navigate from there by whatever was available from channel markers, buoys, land masses, water towers, and other boats coming and going thru an inlet or pass

Usually the only worry back in the day (on my power boats) was how much gas I had and was the old engine running ok, but I was a teenager or in my early 20's back then so at that age you don't sweat the small stuff

Coming into unfamiliar, narrow, and rough inlets though was still worrisome but at least the land was close so my thinking was to swim for it if I somehow swamped and lost the boat

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by thomm225

My local "cruises" are usually less than 150 miles round trip.

I use an old Humminbird Depth Finder, an old Garmin 120 GPS, and some charts that came with the boat. (depth finder and GPS are probably 1990's vintage) Plus I have a VHF Radio.

This combination works great.

I have a couple hand Held Sunnto Compasses as backup

And I have quite a bit of experience on the water which I'm hoping you do as well sailing up there

My boat is 45 years old.

I am working on engaging a local captain who has the requisite experience to help us move.

And sorry guys, I may have let my posts get confusing there. I'll try to explain, first order of priority is to make the boat safe to travel 45 nm. At which point I'll have the boat at a location that more intensive work can be done to make the boat absolutely safe.

I have a survey done on the boat and issues that need to be addressed are highlighted and I plan on sorting them asap but a lot of the issues are extremely minor. A few are major, one of which is the lack of depth Sounders and a chart plotter. So two different time lines, hope that makes sense. If it doesnt I'll finish my morning coffee and try again lol

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

I am working on engaging a local captain who has the requisite experience to help us move.

And sorry guys, I may have let my posts get confusing there. I'll try to explain, first order of priority is to make the boat safe to travel 45 nm. At which point I'll have the boat at a location that more intensive work can be done to make the boat absolutely safe.

I have a survey done on the boat and issues that need to be addressed are highlighted and I plan on sorting them asap but a lot of the issues are extremely minor. A few are major, one of which is the lack of depth Sounders and a chart plotter. So two different time lines, hope that makes sense. If it doesnt I'll finish my morning coffee and try again lol

Great, so after the boat repairs are completed all you'll need to do is get some sort of depth finder onboard, a hand held GPS, and a chart and you will be set for your trip so long as you go during a decent weather window.

You should even have your course totally in your head before departing on that short of a trip by looking over your charts etc

I took my boat 70 miles South after I bought it but only after several shakedown cruises within 10 miles of where I bought it and anchoring out overnight. I wouldn't take an old boat on an open water cruise until it proved itself

[rbk]

Originally Posted by TheRailRoader

I am working on engaging a local captain who has the requisite experience to help us move.

And sorry guys, I may have let my posts get confusing there. I'll try to explain, first order of priority is to make the boat safe to travel 45 nm. At which point I'll have the boat at a location that more intensive work can be done to make the boat absolutely safe.

I have a survey done on the boat and issues that need to be addressed are highlighted and I plan on sorting them asap but a lot of the issues are extremely minor. A few are major, one of which is the lack of depth Sounders and a chart plotter. So two different time lines, hope that makes sense. If it doesnt I'll finish my morning coffee and try again lol

I agree with most of the comments here. Make sure you have a handheld VHF at the very least, some basic charts (the area you're going through is very well marked and can easily be done with paper charts) and pick a good weather window. Start very early even leave in the dark as you'll want to come into harbor with some light. Absolutely wait to get an electronics package until you get to know the boat and sailing a little. As for the engine, change the fluids, filters make sure you have clean fuel, and spare fluids and go. If it runs and starts now is not the time to tear into it. Get it to your destination, then start taking a look at repairs. I did just this and my shakedown cruise was 1100nm.

[transmitterdan]

I have never seen a boat survey list lack of chart plotter as a serious safety issue. Does your survey really say that or is it a misunderstanding?

A chart plotter cannot make you safer in my experience. In fact, it works the other way around in many cases. Over reliance on them can lead to accidents. What a chart plotter does is make navigation a bit easier and leaves more time for visual watch-keeping. Your eyes and ears are your most important safety devices.

If you are going 45 miles that’s about an 8 hour trip give or take a couple hours. Leave early when good weather is forecast and you should be fine. The V40 is a well make boat. Keep the ocean on the outside with some of it under the keel and you will be fine.

As to the type of chart plotter, a Lowrance isn’t my first choice. These aren’t well known on sail boats. B&G is the same company and they are well known on sailboats. As is Raymarine which is also a good choice. Garmin is also gaining some ground on sail boats.

If you are even a little bit computer savvy a Windows laptop and a GPS puck on a USB cable is a great first time chart plotter. If you have the computer you can spend less than $50 and have a high end chart plotter.

OpenCPN can be learned in one or two evenings at home. And all the charts for US waters are free and updated weekly. Don’t let the price tag fool you. OpenCPN is a high end chart plotter with features many purchased systems don’t have. Auto-update of charts over WiFi is one example. You can plan your cruise at home and then record your voyage for review later. It is very capable. Later on you can interface it to an AIS, VHF, autopilot and a big screen TV. Not many commercial units can do more than OpenCPN.

[hellosailor]

Dan-
"I have never seen a boat survey list lack of chart plotter as a serious safety issue. "

Didn't you know? Federal law changed in 2017, all new chartplotters must be capable of zooming in to high enough a level so they show the outline of the actual boat, including all compartments and cabins, with a big red "YOU ARE HERE!" star on the display. Just, you know, to make sure the folks at the plotter don't get lost on the boat. That's a big safety problem, I've heard.

(WEG)

[Drew13440]

Ten bucks says the pro you hire to get the boat home will have his own nav kit. Ask.


The only requirement from you is a depth sounder.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Drew13440

Ten bucks says the pro you hire to get the boat home will have his own nav kit. Ask.


The only requirement from you is a depth sounder.

He’s moving the boat from somewhere in Washington (want to say Anacortes) over to Vancouver island (Sooke) These are deep well marked shipping channels. While a depth sounder is critical he can probably make this trip without. It may be a big deal if he needs to install a transducer (haulout etc).

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by rbk

He’s moving the boat from somewhere in Washington (want to say Anacortes) over to Vancouver island (Sooke) These are deep well marked shipping channels. While a depth sounder is critical he can probably make this trip without. It may be a big deal if he needs to install a transducer (haulout etc).

Where did you get that tidbit. I never saw the OP say where he was starting from or going. He said he was in northwest BC. Vancouver is southwest BC.

[TheRailRoader]

Originally Posted by stormalong

Where did you get that tidbit. I never saw the OP say where he was starting from or going. He said he was in northwest BC. Vancouver is southwest BC.

I think in another thread RBK and I discussed that bit.

It is La Conner WA to Sooke BC though

Distracted right now, talk later.

[rbk]

^^ what he said