First boat, what upgrades to buy

[KeelsonGraham]

Some good advice here. Cover from the sun is a must. Navionics on a tablet.

Also, do the things that might prevent a very expensive breakdown. Engine oil and filters change, transmission oil change, and a very thorough check of the raw water pump. Fuel system de-bug and filter change.

 

[doug748]

Post two sums it up.

However I think your first instinct is correct - you should have AIS in and out. Something like this has a lot to commend it:

ONWA K-combo 7A Chart plotter with Class B+ AIS transceiver and Sounder | eBay

It could run at the helm, independent of everything and even give you a second depth reading should you use it. These are re-badged Far East products retailed by a UK company so there is some customer back up. They can be no doubt purchased at source should you prefer.
There are lots of other models and sizes in the range.

Your speed problem is quite likely to be a fouled paddlewheel and I would certainly keep your basic instruments. New interfaced instruments are very expensive and I have never grasped where the payback is, unless you race.

I agree with the others on sprayhoods and shade, including a simple system of keeping out low sun as it goes down.

PS

Don't know if this helps: https://forum.raymarine.com/attachment.php?aid=4405
.

 

[Refueler]

Hi "doug748" .... ONWA is not a re-badged product in any form.

There are basically three Brands similar - BUT not same :

Zinhui
Matsutec
Onwa

Each are their own brand and even the free K-Charts do not run on other brand. The Charts are compiled for each brand.

Aves Marine in UK - is official UK Dealer for ONWA products. One of the best I have had to deal via ... old fashioned good service and nothing's too much trouble.

 

[Tranona]

Note that the OP is in Sweden and the boat is in Greece.

 

[doug748]

Hi "doug748" .... ONWA is not a re-badged product in any form.

There are basically three Brands similar - BUT not same :

Zinhui
Matsutec
Onwa

Each are their own brand and even the free K-Charts do not run on other brand. The Charts are compiled for each brand.

Aves Marine in UK - is official UK Dealer for ONWA products. One of the best I have had to deal via ... old fashioned good service and nothing's too much trouble.

It's a good point. If so, it would be better to say there are very similar products available direct from the Far East, no doubt cheaper. Personally I would rather go with an established importer who holds stock but others may be different.

.

 

[Refueler]

Note that the OP is in Sweden and the boat is in Greece.

Sweden has an official Onwa dealer .....

I would assume Greece has also.

 

[johnalison]

I have not sailed in the Med, unless you count an hour in a rented dinghy in 1971, but I have sailed with and without a sprayhood. We sailed for nearly thirty years without, perfectly happily, but the thing I noticed when we bought an HR was the relief from glare, and imagine that this would be even more marked in the Med. A good transparent section is ideal, even if you can’t run to glass, but even in northern latitudes, or rather sunny Essex and the Baltic, an opening section is very important as it can be like a tropical hothouse under the hood on a sunny day.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

My experience in the Adriatic with regards to the usefulness of AIS is that lots of fishing boats do not transmit. I guess it gives away their favourite fishing spots to competitors. This is, I believe, illegal for commercial boats, but seems to happen anyway .... I have encountered fishing boats at night which I cannot find in my AIS target list - but the bigger ones are usually floodlit and easy to spot.

Other commercial vessels do always transmit AIS info which is very useful to have on your plotter with appropriate settings for collision alerts - the high speed ferries which travel around at 42 knots cut it fine sometimes, and get a bit too close for comfort, but only in good visibility, and the AIS does a good job of predicting their path.

An AIS transponder is not pointless for a small yacht - there is an urban myth that ships just turn off display of class B to avoid display clutter, but ... Rule 5 of the COLREGS states:

'Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision'

... if the captain of a commercial vessel somehow managed to get his AIS system to ignore class B collisions then he would fall foul of Rule 5. He would be in very serious trouble if this resulted in a collision with a yacht.

Back this up with a radar reflector and it's about as much as a small yacht can do, other than ensuring all your nav lights work with appropriately rated LEDs/Bulbs and lenses that are clear and bright. As @Tranona says, my experience is also that there is little boat movement at night apart from the fishing fleets.

Here they all are heading out of Krnički in Croatia at 8:45 pm ...



On the Sprayhood/Bimini question, for the Med they are both a must IMO with a few stipulations - get a Sprayhood with a large middle opening window to let air through and improve visibility forwards when required. The Bimini must provide as much shaded area as possible, with coverable windows to see the sails from the helm - having a zip-out section to join the Sprayhood to the Bimini is also a great addition.

The sprayhood in my boat provided shade and shelter in the most comfortable part of the cockpit - up by the companionway - and the crew need this protection for the inevitable times when you end up motor-sailing to windward in rain (it does happen in the med) and bad weather to get a fed-up family into harbour for dinner and bed-time. Good shelter in the cockpit is essential IMO. If the only place you can shelter from the elements is below decks, then the probability that a crew member will vomit below decks increases exponentially - vomit in the cockpit can be washed away with a bucket of sea-water - vomit below decks? Really not good.

... and you can always fold away a sprayhood and a bimini completely, but you can't unfold one you haven't got.

Comfort and convenience cannot be overestimated - the more comfortable the boat, the more likely you and your crew will keep coming back for more.

IMO, the Dufour 36 has all the essentials to make it a great med boat ... enjoy!

 

[waynes world]

Its all new to me this sea lark aswell. I have got a boat tat needs updating. rewired the fuse box so i can atleast see whats what.

Getting a VHF ( and licence ) just incase
A built in fish finder/plotter. Hook Reveal 9 so i dont get lost...and find fish
Anchor and chain etc
Heating to keep warm, well T as she gets cold...ok for me aswell

and sod it away we go

i dont see a need to overcomplicate stuff. can be costly and not needed.

 

[Tranona]

My experience in the Adriatic with regards to the usefulness of AIS is that lots of fishing boats do not transmit. I guess it gives away their favourite fishing spots to competitors. This is, I believe, illegal for commercial boats, but seems to happen anyway .... I have encountered fishing boats at night which I cannot find in my AIS target list - but the bigger ones are usually floodlit and easy to spot.

Other commercial vessels do always transit AIS info which is very useful to have on your plotter with appropriate settings for collision alerts - the high speed ferries which travel around at 42 knots cut it fine sometimes, and get a bit too close for comfort, but only in good visibility, and the AIS does a good job of predicting their path.

An AIS transponder is not pointless for a small yacht - there is an urban myth that ships just turn off display of class B to avoid display clutter, but ... Rule 5 of the COLREGS states:


... if the captain of a commercial vessel somehow managed to get his AIS system to ignore class B collisions then he would fall foul of Rule 5. He would be in very serious trouble if this resulted in a collision with a yacht.

It is perhaps not whether they turn it off or not, but rather whether they actually watch it as an aid to their decision making rather than using radar. The number of collisions between commercial vessels and yachts even in densely travelled waters like the English Channel is thankfully small to non existent even in pre AIS days. The great value of AIS is in collision avoidance - that is better awareness of other ships and their progress so that you can shape a course to avoid them.

 

[ashtead]

I have always been surprised at lack of AIS on French and Italian fishing boats in Med so if night sailing radar is helpful. Even in English Channel it seems too complicated for many fishing boats to turn on . As said at least if they turned on you could avoid them and the pots they leave bind to snare the unwary yachtsman .

 

[srm]

I noticed in the Atlantic that Spanish fishing boats did run AIS, but at such a low power that they would only display at a couple of miles or so range, long after I had them on radar and visually.

 

[Refueler]

I noticed in the Atlantic that Spanish fishing boats did run AIS, but at such a low power that they would only display at a couple of miles or so range, long after I had them on radar and visually.

Interesting ..... as AIS is stipulated Tx power (subject of course to losses in cables / antenna).

 

[srm]

Interesting ..... as AIS is stipulated Tx power (subject of course to losses in cables / antenna).

No evidence, but I suspect they just shorten the antenna to de-tune it.

 

[Refueler]

No evidence, but I suspect they just shorten the antenna to de-tune it.

I would suggest its a combo of lack of height on the Fish Boat and maybe yours ?? Plus probability of poor cabling / maintenance on their part.

 

[MisterBaxter]

I very much agree re the folding prop. I had this strongly brought home to me when sailing my old Sonata with a small outboard.Every time I did got the motor tilted up out of the water I was struck by the change in the boat - not just faster but livelier, more responsive handling. The boat seemed to come to life.

 

[srm]

I very much agree re the folding prop. I had this strongly brought home to me when sailing my old Sonata with a small outboard.Every time I did got the motor tilted up out of the water I was struck by the change in the boat - not just faster but livelier, more responsive handling. The boat seemed to come to life.

Likewise with my two catamarans, one with outboard the other a lifting outdrive. However we had the extra drag of the leg as well. Have not been able to fit folding props on my monos as all had keel hung rudders with prop in an aperture. I did set up the two bladed props so they could be locked vertical, in the shadow of the keel which seemed to help.

 

[Tranona]

Likewise with my two catamarans, one with outboard the other a lifting outdrive. However we had the extra drag of the leg as well. Have not been able to fit folding props on my monos as all had keel hung rudders with prop in an aperture. I did set up the two bladed props so they could be locked vertical, in the shadow of the keel which seemed to help.

A feathering propeller as in the photo will probably fit your boat. However they are very expensive for people who are unconvinced or have not experienced the benefits. While nice and new are shiny they spend their life hidden away where only the fish can se them. However they go quietly about their business adding typically 0.5 knots to average passage speed.

 

[HissyFit]

I know that it has been stated that modern equipment is NMEA 2000 compatible, but OP's specific radio requires an NMEA 0823 GPS antenna. These are still available online. See the attached manual.

External Speaker Connections; Grounding; Gps/Nmea Data - Raymarine Ray54E Owner's Handbook Manual [Page 17]

 

[Tranona]

I know that it has been stated that modern equipment is NMEA 2000 compatible, but OP's specific radio requires an NMEA 0823 GPS antenna. These are still available online. See the attached manual.

External Speaker Connections; Grounding; Gps/Nmea Data - Raymarine Ray54E Owner's Handbook Manual [Page 17]

See post#4