VHF + AIS +handheld +cabin +Nav +paper +?

[Kayakeur]

Outfitting a 23 foot trailer sailer for months-long solo Chesapeake Bay USA

I want to install modern electronic navigation + VHS + AIS + software + what else?

I have paper charts and am accustommed to using paper charts. I've read old tests by Practical Sailor and Offshoreblue.com and reading for years. Practical Sailor recommends handheld VHS Icom M24, $150 and Standard Horizon HX290 $110. Leery of used equipment but would if unit tested.

Looking for decent "Best Value" equipment and software, affordable prices, not cheapest, and would love advice on specific models. General knowledge is good, too, but specific model recommendations most useful. Thanks very much. -Kayakeur

[goboatingnow]

Cant go wrong with Standard radios. I use nothing else across 7 boats.

[dougweibel]

One cheap way to get both VHF and AIS (receive) is an Icom M94D. It is pretty expensive for a handheld but kills two birds with one stone.

A cheap alternative for AIS is a Quark Electronics QK-A026 ($160 on Amazon) which combines GPS, AIS, a NMEA bridge and WiFi. You can stream data from it to a phone or tablet running OpenCPN giving you electronic charts with your boat position plotted as well as AIS targets. You can also pass NMEA-0183 device data through it to OpenCPN for display. I used one on my last boat and keep it around as a backup in case of lightning strike, etc. You can get the NOAA charts for free on OpenCPN. If you already have a tablet, or or comfortable with the screen size of a phone, this gets you a lot of the functionality of a plotter for little money.

[thomm225]

You don't really need AIS on the Bay.

VHF handheld range is only like 5 miles which is fine for the Northern Bay.

Is there any way you can buy an old used VHF and mount the antenna on the top of the mast.

That would be much better than the best handheld available.

I have AIS, GPS, VHF (SH GX2200) with antenna on the mast plus a couple handhelds one with GPS so I can see boat speed if I want but I don't use any of that much just my main VHF and a single fold out chart.

I also have USB GPS pucks on my computers for chart plotters which come in handy for anchoring way up the creek to see the depth

I'll be headed North in a few day maybe going up 100 miles and won't use AIS at all unless for fun to see the ships

[Jammer]

I use and recommend:
* A Garmin Montana 700 portable GPS loaded with suitable marine charts
* Mount for same wired into vessel's 12v system (the "motorcycle" mount is more compact and may be more suitable for your vessel when combined with an Arkon arm; this combination is also cheaper)
* A permanently installed VHF radio. Mine is from Standard Horizon however there is little difference between major brands. Mine does not have AIS capability but radios are available that will do this.

Antenna and feedline for VHF radios are a significant part of the cost. An antenna on the stern rail or pulpit rail is least expensive and easiest and is still a huge improvement over a handheld. The radio itself will cost about the same as a handheld with similar features. Power draw is low.

The handheld GPS is less expensive and uses less 12v power than a chartplotter and still gives you a sunlight-readable display and access to good charts. By putting it in a mount it stays in its spot at an angle where you can see it, rather than sliding around the cockpit.

[shimari]

I think you've received good advice on the VHF.

I'd think about using a tablet with iNavX or Navionics on it. If the budget allows it, I'd add the quarklabs AIS receiver. It's ~$160 and will feed the tablet with GPS and AIS info over Wifi. Alternatively, you could use a Bluetooth GPS puck. It's cheaper but now you have to keep it charged etc. You also won't get AIS out of it, but as another posted value on the bay is limited.

[Flatswing]

Originally Posted by Kayakeur

Outfitting a 23 foot trailer sailer for months-long solo Chesapeake Bay USA

I want to install modern electronic navigation + VHS + AIS + software + what else?

I have paper charts and am accustommed to using paper charts. I've read old tests by Practical Sailor and Offshoreblue.com and reading for years. Practical Sailor recommends handheld VHS Icom M24, $150 and Standard Horizon HX290 $110. Leery of used equipment but would if unit tested.

Looking for decent "Best Value" equipment and software, affordable prices, not cheapest, and would love advice on specific models. General knowledge is good, too, but specific model recommendations most useful. Thanks very much. -Kayakeur

U don’t need AIS on the bay, too many boats don’t have it. VHF - good portable or used fixed as others have said. For Nav, hard to beat AquaMaps
Run on any tablet with GPS chip (all Androids & iPads with Sim capability but no card required). Any Android or iPhone has the GPS chip built in. A Lok sak or just a ziplock for phone /tablet waterproofing in cockpit but for longer trips u will need a 2.4A USB charging source in the cockpit since the programs/ screen are power hungry.

[Kayakeur]

Thank you, everyone. Your answers covered all the bases with excellent details. I ordered a handheld Standard Horizon HX300 for $130, made in Japan. It does everything you all suggested;

I'll be running new coax from old radio Horizon Optima + thru deck, sockets, up inside the mast to old antenna alongside 12 volt wire, then test by to and from new handheld, see if the old radio and antenna work, and go from there.

Next I'm looking for a tablet for nav, perhaps a fishfinder as depthfinder, and wouldn't the masthead also need a detector for wind velocity and direction? I have a Windicator but it's just a physical arrow.
Thanks very much, everyone.