point system for onboard gadgets

[Maren]

Originally Posted by Jack Long

In an effort to help manage all of the various widgets, gizmos, and value-added features of the used boats I see, I am creating a weighted list for the features.
Thanks

I understand the desire to come up with some sort of decision making calculus. But it might be helpful for all involved if the goals or purpose were crystallized. Are you looking to sail on a large lake, or day sail in protected or semi-protected waters. Perhaps you are looking to cross the Atlantic or cruise the Caribbean. You don’t really need an EPRIB for the ICW.

Regardless, I would say the boat and the items required by law are your starting point and not electronics. People have been sailing for a long time without most of the electronics.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Jack Long

Let me know what you think!

I did something similar - except I did not use "Points".

But simply used £ notes!!

if I wanted an item onboard, and the boat didn't have it then I simply added £XXX (the cost to buy / repair / refurb / modify) against the item..........and added all these items up, plus the purchase price = my actual cost price of the boat.

Not perfect of course!

Yesterday I dug around for the list, didn't find the final version for "Wayluya", but have now added a blank version here:-

Wayluya |

[Lightfin]

Pblais,

By "the biggest small boat that works". do you mean, "buy the smallest boat that meets your needs/desires?"

[Pblais]

do you mean, "buy the smallest boat that meets your needs/desires?"

I suppose it's a way to interpret it that is still a good idea. A small boat is really what you want. The large boat can always be bigger and eventually consumes your time and energy in it's own bulk. The 100 ft sloop is nice to look at out in the anchorage but would you really want to maintain one all on your own? It needs a crew to go any place! Extra feet come back to haunt you.

It also means that not all 36 ft (or any size you choose) boats are the same size yet a lot of the fees you pay are by the foot. The smaller the big boat is the less you pay in the marina. That is actually where the expression came from. To put it another way "the plump girls can carry more for less".

[Sailormann]

My List:

Compass

Charts

Sextant

Clock

Auto-pilot

Motor

Radio (VHF)

Head

Stove

Fridge

GPS

Stereo

[Boracay]

I forgot to include:-
13) Protection from the elements - Dodger, Bimini clears etc.

The reality (as has already been stated by David) is that one adds the cost of repairs and additional equipment to the asking price and comes up with the total price for the boat.

This can then be compared with the total price of a much better equipped boat.

[Weyalan]

I guess it boils down to what you define as a gadget/gizmo, and what you define as an essential system for the boat.

Optional items that I have installed that I now think are money very well spent are:
Colour Chartplotter (at Nav Station)
Depth sounder (display visible from steering position)

I should add that the Chartplotter is installed in the navstation (a) because I am mistrustful of the weatherproof claims of manufactureres of such equipment, and (b) It is, for me, too expensive/tempting a piece of equipment to have unsecured on deck. I have purchased and installed a GPS repeater on deck, visible from the steering position, that "repeats" information from the chartplotter - obviously it doesn't display the chart, but it gives current speed / heading, plus if you put in a waypoint on the plotter it displays distance to and heading of the waypoint and has a little "highway" to keep you on track fro your waypoint. I am very happy with this system.

[Sandero]

Weyalan,

I have a GPS cockpit repeater and it is very handy indeed. A few years ago I bought a Garmin IQue3600, which is my PDA, addresses and so forth and it does BOTH road and marine navigation "charting". It's not waterproof by any means and so it lives under the dodger and out of spray. But it is a shrp display and it allows me to see a plot from the cockpit without mounting some sort of huge awkward looking gear. I hate those monster pedestal instrument pods. The thing was cheap and it does road navigation quite well, even talks, play MP3s if you want and you can take it ashore and wander around and not get lost or look up restaurants and so forth. I do not use it for routes as in entering a waypoint, but just to compare what my eyes sees with a little chart.

One of the most use pieces of electronics I have purchased in years. Car, boat briefcase... even bike.

[Maren]

Originally Posted by defjef

Weyalan,
I have a GPS cockpit repeater and it is very handy indeed. A few years ago I bought a Garmin IQue3600, which is my PDA, addresses and so forth and it does BOTH road and marine navigation "charting". It's not waterproof by any means and so it lives under the dodger and out of spray.

Have you thought about one of those otterboxes for your PDA? Or, barring that one of the clear mini dry bags?

[Sandero]

Maren,

Actually, I haven't. The unit is quite well protected where it sits under the dodger. By the way the WAAS GPS sucks batteries down so I keep it plugged into a 12v cigarette type outlet. And when I am not sailing it's down below, safe and secure. When I take it in the dink it goes in a zip lock bag however.

[GordMay]

It seems that Garmin has discontinued production of the iQue 3600, and all their other PDA (Palm) GPS Handhelds:
Goto the reports:
Garmin Discontinues All Remaining iQue Models
Garmin Discontinues All But One PDA Model
And Garmin:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=165

[Maren]

Originally Posted by GordMay

It seems that Garmin has discontinued production of the iQue 3600, and all their other PDA (Palm) GPS Handhelds:

Yes, I had noticed that when I was checking to make sure Otterbox made a product for the 3600.

We just recieved the 2 OLPC XO computer we ordered just before X-mas, so I am watching the Linux based Nav software thread with keen interest.