Small Wooden Boat Marine Electrics

[jamiesmith]

A bit of a general question – I've got a 24.5ft wooden Alan Buchanan Spartan (bit like a Folkboat) with a 6hp Stuart Turner with a dynamo charging a battery.

I've finally given up on the Seafarer depth below transducer and need to install some appropriate electronic nav systems.

It's a tiny boat without much space for displays, there is limited battery charging power through the dynamo. I've seen TackTick do solar powered, wireless systems, mainly geared towards racing, which sound attractive as we do more racing than cruising currently.

I'm just wondering what sort of instruments people are using on their similar sized wooden boats. Any input welcome.

Jamie

 

[pyrojames]

On my old folkboat, a cable driven VDO Sumlog, and a hand held lead line!

 

[CliveSmith]

If I remember correctly, the old Target echo sounders could be powered by a 9v battery.

We use a handheld echo sounder when Wayfarer cruising, but this might be trickier from the cockpit of a yacht.

You could use a small motorcycle battery to power sounder and perhaps a handheld VHF. The battery would be small and light enough to take home for charging.

 

[Sequoiah1]

We installed Tack Tick this year to the wooden S&S we race on and cruise. Absolutely great except for the fact that you need to buy the bronze transducers for going through wood hulls! So they add etra to the cost. Solar powering works great and no cables down the mast or through the boat. The manuals are bloody impossible to fathom toatally and found the only method for learning the options was to keep pressing buttons. Having said that we only needed true wind or apparent, boats speed and depth and they are not too hard to find. All in all the saving in installation cost and the ease of set up was great. We also have a remote though its not that useful. Have no idea how the kit interfaces with other gear
pilots etc but as stand alone cant fault it.

 

[jamiesmith]

Thanks folks, that's very helpful.
Someone had already told me to ensure I use bronze transducers with the new system. I suppose Tacktick must make a bronze "triducer" for their depth and speed system. Having looked at it some more, I'm convinced it's the way forward for us. Solar power has to be a winner. Many thanks all.

Jamie

 

[KenMcCulloch]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks folks, that's very helpful.
Someone had already told me to ensure I use bronze transducers with the new system.
Jamie

[/ QUOTE ]
That seems to be widely advocated but there are plenty of people with unproblematic installations of plastic transducers in wooden boats. When I took over Border Maid she came with plastic ST50 transducers in her mahogany bottom and there don't seem to be any problems. Having said that I could not withdraw the paddlewheel the other day when dried out which might have been because of the movement in the timber. No evident cracks or leaks though.