Boat Electronics

• Nexus wired remote display - It's about the size of a TV remote control and lays flat on deck. We move between ours between the bow, our sleeping cabin, and the chart table. Install a plug so that your are able to switch between areas (use Radio shack 4 prong Mike set). It also has multiple timers that uses the GPS UTC time which come in handy for SSB nets and critical things to do at sea.



• Hand bearing compass - We move ours between the chart table and our cabin, depending on if we are in sea or harbor mode. The electronic ones are ok for taking bearings, but we use this one to quickly see which way we are pointing without getting out of bed or having to turn on an electric compass. If you use an electronic one make sure you hold it flat, the reading changes dramatically when you tilt it side to side.



• VHF Remote Microphone -  Make sure you have a cockpit VHF solution, preferably at the helm. I have tried many times to call other boats as they enter an anchorage; they are heading straight for the reef but they can't hear me because the speaker is down below.



• Tracking electronic barometer - Speedtech and Weems & Plath make them. W&P has a high wind alarm that goes off if the pressure drops too much - it has signaled some false alarms for friends but also caught a 65 knot blow in Tahiti.



• SSB/HAM Accessories - Good headphones with noise canceling ability are best for listening on the SSB/HAM.  Use a Small Voice Recorder for NET Weather because you usually only get one chance. Keep a list of current weather faxes/nets to listen to based on location. Put your call sign on a sticker on the radio. Build a remote speaker that can be plugged into the headphone jack and extended to the cockpit for listening to nets. Small battery clocks (UTC + Local) help get the net times correct (or use your GPS). Ham radios are typically cheaper than SSBs, in some cases you can modify the radio to transmit on both SSB and HAM frequencies.



• Radar – We know lots of people who use the radar as part of their watch schedule at night; we don’t. Occasionally we will turn it on and check for squalls and ships, but we try to keep a good visual watch. I’m sure we will use it more if we get into shipping lanes or areas where ships are known to run without lights. We also try and travel when there is a good moon, which helps you see the squall lines and thunderheads if it is not too overcast. Practice using the radar during the daylight hours, around harbor entrances and other boats, to get use to what it shows you.
It can also be useful when the charts are off or you need an accurate distance fix.


• Garmin GPS 76 - This is a no-frills (and without charts built in) GPS.  In fact, we made it to New Zealand with a Garmin 48. We use electronic charts (with paper backup copies) but do NOT have the computer running constantly with the boat overlaid on the chart for two reasons; the charts can be inaccurate, and we don’t want the computer running all the time due to power consumption and wear and tear on the laptop.  We keep two GPS units; one at the nav station in a Ram mount and the other at the helm. Both are hardwired to 12 volts + the computer. I use a Dual Pole Dual Throw ( DPDT) switch to handle both data in and out signals. I usually keep the one at the nav station in NMEA mode for the charts and the other in GARMIN mode in case I want to modify our current route (via the chart program). I have a NMEA screw terminal block that becomes my NMEA hub where I hook in an old serial cable to the computer. NMEA devices can only drive 2-3 other receivers, so if you have more than that you may need a NMEA Multiplexer. NOTE: if you are planning on cutting an old Garmin cable make sure it is not the Garmin to Computer cable, for some reason they have all the wires but don't connect power to the power pin right at the end. Additional mounts are available that may fit better at some nav stations than others and an external antenna makes the signal more consistent. It doesn't need to be outside, just out from the clutter of all the books and bulkheads that seem to come together at chart tables. A nice neoprene case is useful in the dingy when you are scouting anchorages. The Garmin 72 has a lower resolution screen and does not allow an external antenna and the GPS 76 Map has built in charts (nice for around your home port). The simplest GPS is a USB powered one, perfect if you only use it for electronic charts or as a backup. See our simple hand held GPS Kit.
   
• Hand Held Depth Sounder- We use this to extend our anchoring possibilities. If we are not sure about a pass or an anchorage, we scope it out in the dinghy with the handheld GPS and follow you track in with the big boat. It's also useful when checking the depth of obstructions within your boats swing radius (in the dinghy or while snorkeling).

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