CCTV

[ChathamSailor]

Halo Vision fully portable wireless with battery pack is your answer

 

[bdh198]

A thread from January 2007 and an OP who hasn’t been on the site since August 2007.

 

[lustyd]

I suggested mirrors on here recently and was basically told I was an idiot that needed to learn to park. It's surprising how much better the thread is going just because it's tech based, maybe the luddites just didn't bother opening this one ?

 

[rotrax]

The main reason that I bought the CW was to have a nice warm dry wheelhouse.

I spent years sitting out in the wet and cold and one thing I'm not going to do is go back to that.

Once sailed down the Humber in early March. It was so cold I froze to the seat and couldn't stand up. Crew had to pull me up and I went down the companionway head first because my legs wouldn't work.

Don't want to go into that sort of nonsense again

If you sail singlehanded, you will need technology.

If, however, you have crew, some pontoon bashing and practice might get the stress levels reduced by using the method First Mate and I use. You will need a good 'spotter' and an open window so you can comunicate.

Our boat has a huge pilothouse with a rear door only. First mate is I/C helming. I put the fenders and warps on ready, plenty of big - and I mean big - fenders!

I call the steering moves to First Mate who is inside, on the wheel and controls. I use the Canal steerers calls, the dock or pontoon being the Towpath side.

"Steer in" is towards the pontoon, "Steer out" away from it. Clear and unambiguous. Our boat requires a fair speed to steer and a steep aproach with a late turn.

If FM has got it right, next call is "Astern" to stop us. If, as we prefer, it is Port side to, prop walk pulls the stern in.

A loop over the pontoon cleat or stepping off with the lines will have you alongside.

It wont go right at once, just like " How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"

" Practice man, you've got to practice! "

Whatever method you choose, Good Luck!

 

[Blue Sunray]

Having moved to the Watson with its wheelhouse from a proper yacht with tiller steering I find it difficult to judge the distance to the berth when parking. Visibility is restricted by the high bow leaving the position of the pontoon completely out of site for the vital last few yard.

Its literally done by sense of touch - which when you are touching with 15 tonnes is not ideal

Has anyone used CCTV cameras to assist in providing a decent view. I though of one camera on each side of the wheelhouse roof pointing forwards and outwards a bit.

Does anyone have any thoughts/advice - better siting, type of camera, can cameras use laptop for screen etc etc

Yes I have. My helm is offset to port but it is more covinient to moor starboard to. I fitted a camera mounted on a short Iroko 'wing' on the starboard quarter of the superstructure linked into the MFD at the helm. It helps, but monitoring both the camera picture and the real world requires more practice than I'd anticipated.