Instrumentation

[Rum_Pirate]

What instrumentation do you have/use aboard your vessel?

EG permanently installed e.g.

indicator speed indicator,​

inclinometer,​

wind indicator,​

depth gauge.​

GPS.​

speed log.​

anemometer.​

chartplotter or navigation app.​

radar.​

AIS.​

and also portable e.g.
VHF,
iPad,
other ?

 

[Tranona]

You will probably get twice as many answers as people who post!

The old saw - it depends where and how you sail then what you want to know about the where you are and what is around you to help you make save decisions. You sail in very different waters from us in the sort of performance boat that few people have. In reality my priorities for a steady old boat in and out of shallow harbours and up and down the coast rarely out of sight of land (but busy waters) will be very different from yours.

However, here goes. Echo sounder, GPS speed log, compass. chart plotter with AIS and wifi to tablet, DSC VHF, autopilot hand held VHF

 

[johnalison]

All the above plus water temperature, solely used by my wife to check on swimmability. Also useful are engine revs and battery volts, though I don’t have current or capacity measures. I also have water and fuel level meters. At home there is a plastic sextant and a Walker log. I don’t carry a lead line.

 

[bitbaltic]

All the above plus water temperature, solely used by my wife to check on swimmability. Also useful are engine revs and battery volts, though I don’t have current or capacity measures. I also have water and fuel level meters. At home there is a plastic sextant and a Walker log. I don’t carry a lead line.

My Airmar reckons the Bristol Channel is 30 deg C and this never much varies from the day it was installed. There is no way to calibrate it either.

 

[newtothis]

You will probably get twice as many answers as people who post!

The old saw - it depends where and how you sail then what you want to know about the where you are and what is around you to help you make save decisions. You sail in very different waters from us in the sort of performance boat that few people have. In reality my priorities for a steady old boat in and out of shallow harbours and up and down the coast rarely out of sight of land (but busy waters) will be very different from yours.

However, here goes. Echo sounder, GPS speed log, compass. chart plotter with AIS and wifi to tablet, DSC VHF, autopilot hand held VHF

Echo sounder? You were lucky. We had a small rock on a piece of string that we threw overboard and counted the seconds until it hit the bottom.

 

[The Q]

A burgee on the top of the mast..
And that's it at the moment.

For the purposes of trials, I'll be carrying an Android tablet with speed, and GPS tracking.. and GPS time for count down to race starts..

 

[Porthandbuoy]

2xlogs (paddlewheel & GPS)
GPS display (geriatric Furuno)
Navtex (geriatric Furuno)
Tablet plotter
DSC VHF radio
AIS transponder (EmTrak 954)
Depth sounder
Handheld VHF
Electronic barometer
Battery monitor

Comprehensive suite of engine instruments.
Carbon Monoxide detector

Coming soon
Solar panel & charge controller

 

[jamie N]

DSC VHF,
echo sounder,
AIS XPNDR,
TP10,
CO monitor (for wood stove).
Speed & GPS Lat/Long from either the VHF or the echo sounder

 

[Neeves]

two logs, one in each hull both paddle wheels and also GPS. Paddle wheel minus GPS - gives speed of current (tide). 2 X Fluxgate compass +one magnetic (plus further magnetic at foot of berth (when at anchor it indicates when a front is coming through). The magnetic compass indicates heel. (and when a multi heels and your feel it - you have a real problem ). Water temperature - useful to know if you are in the warm (or cold) current, yet. Wind, true, and with paddlewheel apparent speed. Wind direction true and apparent. Depth, 2 probes, one in each hull, one is a crude fish finder - so a vague indication of seabed. Broadband radar, no AIS (no traffic), DSC VHF both handheld and fixed, Icom SSB, MFD and tablet plotter + tablet through WiFi to main MFD, 2 x barometer, electronic (and actual pressure?), battery state. Auto pilot. We carry full paper charts and the relevant Admiralty Pilots.

What's Important, true wind speed, down wind you tend to lose track, radar, fixed VHF, SSB (for forecasts), depth (another indicator we are in our out of current (runs at 4 knots), MFD + WiFi + Tablet, logs.... and paper charts

Our redundancy because we upgraded the MFD when we replaced radar and the extra instrumentation cost little (we had a good deal). I also like redundancy. Our MFD is 7" at the helm but the tablet is an iPad Pro (with keyboard shared with MacBook)

We sail offshore, out of sight of land though not oceans; we sail inhospitable waters, use poorly documented anchorages and must be self reliant. Currents are important to us. But if the chips were down - we could easily come within sight of land and simply count lighthouses.


Our biggest dangers are (the skipper ), flotsam, jetsam, whales, unmarked crayfish pots and unlit fishing boats. Wishlist, sonar (no chance - owner has already advised). Better interrogation of all data to be available at helm (and to the iPad) - I lack the skills and even I will not pay the money - nice not essential - I'll stick with the wind in my face, the bow wave enveloping the helm station and a huge rooster tail.

Jonathan

 

[Stemar]

On a fast multihull, I reckon an anemometer is essential, as they don't give you any obvious warning that things are going from fun to hairy to Oh Bu-SPASH! Other than that, depth, speed and whatever navigation system fits your need/want and budget. I have a NASA wind, NASA Duet and plotter software on a tough tablet. AIS is nice to have when cruising, less important when day sailing, IMO. Inclinometer? It it goes more than a few degrees beyond level, you're either racing on the ragged edge or overcooking it. In either case, you're heading for the above-mentioned Oh Bu-SPLASH moment.

Engine stuff: Revs are nice, but not essential. Fuel gauge is essential unless the tank is transparent, but a suitable stick works well as long as you remember to use it. If you're inclined to forget, a spare can means unwelcome reminders are less of a nuisance.

Leccy: A volt meter will tell you enough to keep an eye on things. For flooded LA batteries, 12.7 resting voltage is fully charged, better than 12v under a moderate load is fine, if it goes below 12 it's time to shed some load (turn the fridge off) or charge up. It isn't perfect, and in hot conditions those voltages may change slightly, but it works. There are all sorts of toys, which will tell you the same thing with more precision, but I'd sooner spend the money on a bit of solar power.

 

[johnalison]

I forgot the clock and barometer. They look very nice.

 

[davidaprice]

two logs, one in each hull

That's a cool idea: from their difference, you can calculate the boat's rate of rotation, and then you can do away with the compasses

 

[Arcady]

Forward looking sonar and masthead camera. I know, very indulgent really.

 

[LittleSister]

Banjolele and Wurlitzer organ.

 

[KevinV]

Banjolele and Wurlitzer organ.

Well that's one way to prevent people rafting up

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Depth gauge and compass. Both with backups though lead on string is a pain in deep water. Also Vhf and chronometer

Currently also have chart plotter and various logs and windguages and voltmeters many of which I ignore including my unreliable barometer

 

[Stemar]

lead on string is a pain in deep water.

Where Rummy sails, if he can't see the bottom, it's deep enough

 

[Sandy]

Fuel gauge is essential unless the tank is transparent, but a suitable stick works well as long as you remember to use it. If you're inclined to forget, a spare can means unwelcome reminders are less of a nuisance.

In my experience a fuel gauge is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Know your l/hr, when you filled the tank and the hours run since then. ALWAYS carry a full jerrycan.

 

[Frogmogman]

Banjolele and Wurlitzer organ.

Well that's one way to prevent people rafting up

Almost as effective as bagpipes…

 

[johnalison]

In my experience a fuel gauge is as useful as a chocolate teapot. Know your l/hr, when you filled the tank and the hours run since then. ALWAYS carry a full jerrycan.

The tell-tale tube on our last boat was fail-safe, but our current tank meter has proven reliable and effective, and there is still a useful amount left when it reads empty. I keep a mental and sometimes written note of hours done, but can’t remember having to rely on it in twenty-odd years. The gauge on the water tank is similar and also works well, at least since I replaced it when broken.