NEW ELECTRONICS FOR SHENANIGAN

During 2008 I began to have problems with my Wheel Pilot an old Autohelm for which spares where no longer available, in addition my B & G instruments where outdated, looking tired and the depth instrument was giving trouble. I therefore decided to upgrade the lot and started looking around for a system that would not break the bank.

NEW ELECTRONICS FOR SHENANIGAN

My main priorities were:-

After a considerable amount of time spent looking at manufacturers I decided the main equipment would be RAYMARINE.

I then started looking around for suppliers with the best prices and found Raymarine selling off the ST60 LOG & DEPTH instruments on Ebay at a third of the cost of the new ST60+ instruments and the only difference I could see between them was the front bezel.

The instruments purchased where :-

Raymarine ST60 Log

Raymarine ST60 Depth

Raymarine ST60+ Wind

Raymarine SPX-5 Wheel Pilot

Nasa AIS Engine

Nasa Navtex Pro Engine

Brookhouse NMUX-AIS-ST-NMEA-USB multiplexer

When it came to the navigation display because of the excessive cost of a large display and the need for INTERNET and SKYPE access I decided to look for a second hand PC and Monitor to play with and found a small Dell Optiplex SX270 PC and a 12 inch ELO touch screen monitor on Ebay for 150 pounds.

To gain access to the internet I have a WiFi aerial and a 3 Broadband Dongle when WiFi is not available.

A Webcam, Microphone and speakers are also installed for access to SKYPE.

Also installed are 2x 25AH gel batteries dedicated to the inverter to power the PC and Monitor

The Nasa AIS engine came with a disc containing SEACLEAR & SOB-MAX programs I downloaded both and found SOB-MAX was a fantastic navigation program so much so I have now purchased a license and loaded it with C-MAP MAX. charts covering the UK . The SOB-MAX program is free to evaluate for one month and I recommend you try it.

The whole system has been installed for 1 year now and has work exceptionally well. The SOB-MAX program displays numerous impressive features on the charts such as :-

• Tidal arrows showing the speed and direction of the current in real time, with a separate window giving tidal height’s and time predictions on selected dates.
• Using the AIS engine the name, speed, direction destination and MMSI call sign of shipping is shown and when a ship is highlighted, conversion lines are produced on the chart showing potential collision hazards.
• The usual facilities to produce waypoint and routes are just a touch on the modem screen or wireless mouse button and with the GPS information forwarded on to the autopilot you can go to a waypoint or track a route.
• With the wind indicator fitted the charts are able to display wind vectors and with that information the autopilot is able to steer the boat to the wind.
• The SOB-MAX program also displays the charts from daylight to dark modes particularly useful in the darker modes as the navigation marks on the chart flash in their designated sequences.
• With the availability of the internet GRIB weather information can be downloaded onto the system for viewing on the screen though I have yet to master this which I intend to do in the 2010 season.

The benefits of the new system have given me and those that occasionally crew me the feeling of additional safety and confidence to travel further to shores.

All who have crewed me have commented favorably on the system to such an extent that it is now a must have for them. Cautionary note I still carry my backup GPS, Yeoman Plotter and paper charts which I mark up on route in conjunction with the new system.

Safe Sailing,

Clive Williams

Useful Websites

http://www.raymarine.co.uk/

http://www.nasamarine.com/

http://www.digiboat.com/

http://www.brookhouseonline.com/

http://www.elotouch.co.uk/

http://www.dell.com/uk