LIBS, Electronics and help for technobimbo

[ChattingLil]

Sadly, I am completely skint at the moment, but my instruments are becoming less and less reliable. Currently, only 1 of my 4 available is working (so that is set to depth ). Log sometimes works depending on fouling.

I have simply no idea where to start the thought process on replacing/upgrading and I have absolutely no idea what the costs might be. It's all very well saying "one instrument costs x" but I have no idea if that is just the readout display thingy, or what else I might need to buy to go along with it. My undestanding of these things is very scant.

I wasn't intending on going to LIBS this year, but on second thoughts, it might be a good idea for me to talk to people about my requirements.

So, anyone else going who'd be prepared to hold my hand and help me?

Anyone got a ball-park figure on what it might end up costing?

Currently I have 3 x tri-data and one wind direction and speed display.

One of the tri-data doesn't work at all (this used to be set to compass). One is set to log, which virtually never works due to fouling, and the depth does work. The wind direction doesn't work, but I think that's because the windex is broken (somewhat hilariously, it works at F6 and over ).

I also have an auto tiller pilot thingy, which also doesn't work - is it worth me taking it to LIBS to see if anyone can repair it? (well, it works after a fashion - it moves in a random way).


help!

 

[Athene V30]

I am another technophobe but learning to live with it!

I try to kep things simple (like me).

For general helming I have 2 x TP10 autopilots - the press the button when on course and it steers to that until you tell it otherwise, plus the wind vane but thats for offshore singlehanding more than anything.

I replaced the log / depth last winter and looked at the kit CliveG has and liked it BUT without major surgery the triducer would not work on my V shaped hull so I ended up with separate NASA Clipper Log, wind and depth. All work independently. The depth is fine, log fouls like any paddle wheel and the wind tells me there is never any more than 10 knots.

I do have a Chart Plotter and AIS fed into it which I find a comfort for channel crossings. I could not get the 2 to speak at first and had to get someone in to help. The VHF also links in so the DSC bit can work too if the brown stuff should hit the fan.

The long and short of it is I spent about £1200 last winter on new kit to suppliment what I had from last boat and the only reliable bit is the depth. But on the East Coast what else do you want!

 

[Fire99]

Personally, before forking out any money, i'd want to check out the current instruments and their connections properly. (That is unless you have your mind made up that you want to replace.. )

Log wheel will almost defintely be down to fouling but I wouldn't be surprised if some of your other issues were not down to poor electrical connections etc.

I have a Simrad TP22 autopilot. They can play up but once again, if it's set to pick up info from your gps and the connection is poor, it will try and send you all over the globe.
However, it's worth checking that it can hold a course using its own internal compass.

Regarding the windex, is the sender definitely broken? If so it may be worth getting a price for the replacement sender before committing on replacing the whole kit.

I've done a fair bit with electronics and quite like getting into these things so if you need any help give me a shout.

 

[MoodySabre]

I wouldn't rush out and buy new stuff. Fire99 is right - you need to work out what is absolutely not working and what can be encouraged to work. Then a visit to ebay and a bit of patience waiting for secondhand stuff to come up on auction - lots of refitting in the next few months will produce something. Keep a eye on forum For Sale too.

So you have depth and you know when it's too windy Log is unecessary unless you are racing or anal about getting every last half a knot out of the sail trim. A tillerpilot is nice but unecessary to link it to anything else. Never tried to fix mine but if shows any life then someone can probably fix it.

 

[FullCircle]

You need a decent stock of chocolate, coffee and rum, then the electro fairy might come and visit when he is passing.

 

[Jomo]

You need a decent stock of chocolate, coffee and rum, then the electro fairy might come and visit when he is passing.

 

[nigelm]

I wouldn't rush out and buy new stuff. Fire99 is right - you need to work out what is absolutely not working and what can be encouraged to work. Then a visit to ebay and a bit of patience waiting for secondhand stuff to come up on auction - lots of refitting in the next few months will produce something. Keep a eye on forum For Sale too.

So you have depth and you know when it's too windy Log is unecessary unless you are racing or anal about getting every last half a knot out of the sail trim. A tillerpilot is nice but unecessary to link it to anything else. Never tried to fix mine but if shows any life then someone can probably fix it.

Ditto everything MS & Fire99 has said , i have aquired all my inst off ebay all clipper and only one (the wind ) was new the rest all look ok but only time will tell .

to be honest i dont really need speed /wind but at least it gives me sumat to look at while others go speeding by

Micaralee only had a ancient depth sounder and a old gps when i bought her so i'm starting from scratch so to speak , should keep me out of mischief for a while tho

going back a few years when i had the Pegasus 700 she only had a nasa clipper duet and this was fine and performed without fault .

one thing i found invaluable (to me) is a tillerpilot and is the second thing out of the cabin after my mug of tea , i used it all the time on last boat (etap26) even for just getting warps/fenders ready ...

 

[Wunja]

If your feeling brave and you have the original blanking plug, you can clean the log paddle wheel without lifting the boat out of the water. There used to be a video on youtube showing this, but I can't find it now.

With your chartplotter, the only other critical instrument you need is the depth and a compass, and that doesn't need to be electro/digital/gyro type.

If you're in the mood to spend money, I would suggest getting the tiller pilot working would be the first thing.

I would also recommend getting a single electro fairy on board, but not the cockpit full that you tried in Oostende!

 

[wingdiver]

Then a visit to ebay

Don't forget the 'For Sale' section on the forum. I have bought and sold many items through the forum and all transactions have been great.

 

[ChattingLil]

all great advice, so thanks one and all.

Obtaining stuff secondhand, ebay, forum, whatever, might be the way but it doesn't really help with my woefully scant knowledge of what I need in the first place.

Thanks for the offers of assistance - will gratefully take those up and also get myself a decent book and just start learning!

BTW - I have cleaned out my log a couple of times, the second time wasn't too bad, but the first time gave me heart failure.

 

[Koeketiene]

Don't forget the 'For Sale' section on the forum. I have bought and sold many items through the forum and all transactions have been great.

Maybe we should rename the For Sale forum 'Fox's skip'?

 

[wingdiver]

Maybe we should rename the For Sale forum 'Fox's skip'?

No - that's Sailorman!!!!!!

 

[Leighb]

BTW - I have cleaned out my log a couple of times, the second time wasn't too bad, but the first time gave me heart failure.

This has been discussed on the forum lots, but with care and speed you should not get more than a cupful or so of water into the boat.

I take mine out every time I leave the boat so it does not foul.

 

[johnalison]

I'd like to put in a contrary point of view. Having cruised happily for 30 years with little more than a twiddly echosounder and later a log prone to fouling, 10 years ago we bought a new boat and fitted it with Raytheon (as it was) ST60 units. I haven't looked at the prices as we had our eyes tight closed when we ordered, but I suppose you are talking about £2-2,500.

This kit has been a major source of convenience and pleasure to us when sailing and the only failure so far has been a broken vane on the wind transducer. The units talk to each other so we can get VMG and if necessary, wind-guided piloting, and all the lights can be controlled from one unit. The log transducer rarely gets clogged, probably because the paddle wheel is between two blades, and when it does, there is a valve to prevent too much water getting in. Far from being a toy, I find a speed readout extremely useful when sailing to windward, especially in a blow.

I know all this is a bit fancy, and seems a long way from a summer evening in an Essex creek, but good instruments have their place in a comfortable boat, along with a fridge and a decent heater.

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Speaking as a very frugal sailor, this is my opinion, for what it's worth.

Fouled log, you might have to take it out, but I usually bring mine back to life by twiddling with it. This involves loosening the fittings just enough that you can turn the paddle wheel without actually taking it out. You have to be actually moving through the water, sailing or motoring, turn the assembly through 90 degrees so the water is now running across the paddle wheel in a different direction. Leave it like this for a few minutes, maybe turn the paddle wheel till it is 180 degrees to its original position, twiddle back and forth, swear a little, and 9 times out of 10 you are repaid with a working log because whatever was hanging onto the paddle wheel has fallen off by now.

Wind indicator. I bought one a while back because I needed something to 'balance' the row of instruments in the cockpit. During windy weather the anenometer went into orbit so now it won't read wind speed. But hey, you can tell when it's windy can't you? So I'm not bothered about not having one of those.

In addition, I have echo sounder, log and navtex all from NASA. These instruments are really cheap, easy to fit (I fitted mine) and if you have a problem with them, NASA repair them quickly and cheaply. Mine don't interface with anything, partly because I don't feel the need and partly because I wouldn't know how.

I wouldn't be without my echo sounder, couldn't care less about the log, find the navtex very useful, think the wind indicator is wind-ow dressing.

Oh, and I have a handheld chartplotter which isn't interfaced with anything but reassures me from time to time that I am where I think I am.

My handheld (newish) radio is better than my ancient fixed radio.

I have a tillerpilot which comes out about once a year just to make sure it's working, but since I don't sail single handed, the tillerpilot isn't necessary.

Having said all that, if you can get your existing instruments to work, that has got to be best route. Replacement instruments might not fit the holes the old ones come out of with resulting annoyance.