Electronic equipment???

I am posting these questions here at the bottom end of the website because i have more faith in the "drivelers" and "quoters" and "nonsence" and "pictures" than the "experts" at the top of the page. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK FELLAS. You are mayor therapy to this old fart.

So the question is

what electronics gadgets should REALLY be on a cruising cat

Radio communication what and what for (application)
weather fax
internet (connection????) fax?
GPRS
simple depth sounder
auto pilot / wind vane???
software?

and and and

even a bloody compass
sextant???

i am looking for your personal preferences and experience

what breaks - what is reliable - what is affordable - what is totally over the top wasting time and money

lets get real
when i read about 50 / 60 ft yachts / cats going around in 80 days at 16 knots and 30 knot winds with water makers churning out 200 liters an hour - and 4 heads with jacuzi
and and and
please dont reply
this thread is for OLD FARTS
a computer on board comes with a full sine invertor and and and

how long does the drive belt last on a belt driven steering system that works of the wheel???

 

Vote for:
Electronics
VHF
simple depth sounder or fish finder
seiko
radio FM, AM, LW, MW? whatever

Non el
wheather "meters"
compass
sextant
fishing eq.
ax
Havana Club
lime
Herba Buena
asucar

 

Best - nothing, it won't break then will it?

Serious - radar, so you can see no matter what!
auto steerer so you can drink beer!
GPS so you don't have to do too much nav!
VHF so you can tell everybody to fcuk off!
Music machine (radio CD player what ever) to keep your sanity!
small fridge to cool the beer! (mind you sticking it in the bilge is just as good!)
computer with internet connection so you can tell us to fcku off!

That'll do the rest is just to much trouble!

 

Hello Manie,

Firstly, think !! I've heard of guys on the sea that could SEE the land, but since the compass showed a faulty direction, they followed the compass and headed out instead of in

You have to have a marine radio, and the right one - there is new regulations on this, I have it somewhere. I prefer a built-in one and a portable one, both are handy.

South African Maritime Safety Authority, Marine Notices http://www.samsa.org.za/

You have to have a compass, I'm building myself two digital electronic ones

These two above probably are the most important instruments to have

12V compact fluorescent lights that is economic on power... I make the best ones 7W to 55W

A GPS / chart plotter is a cool gimmic... shows where all the spots are ie wrecks and so on, Cost about 5k (Also get the san maps of the area you are to venture in)

Next important I would put a Barometer, this will indicate the dendency the weather is heading to. Gives you a fair warning about what's about to happen regardless of the (often wrong) weather forecasts.

A radio or TV so you can watch your soapies or listen to weather forecasts...

Temperature meters, inside and outside, so you know if you have to take the jacket out and have a wind chill indication... freeze or fry

I'm adding a 10 min alarm for night watch... that's about how long you will have at night before a tanker runs you over

Echo sounder (of course), you know how deep to find the fish

Then there's a host of other gadgets you could find handy...
Torch, voltmeter, digital clock and so on, even a flasher you put on life jackets so you can find someone overboard, especially at night.

You have to remember there is wiring in a boat

Solar panels are good to have, and so a wind power gen.

Radar systems are megabucks, but would be great to have, cost more than the boat

 

Fanie/Manie, Don't forget the new epirb stuff... 410Mhz with gps - so when you "beep" for help it sends your position as well as a homing signal....(GME MT410G is about Aus$599.00) http://www.bcf.com.au Also a flare firing device (12 gauge pistol) - also a good anti-pirate device as it fires phosphorus flares - strong deterrent on petrol fuelled boats when at close range manoeuvring to board you.......

 

They're not electronc, but worth mentioning.

What happened to bazookas and rambo stuff as anti pirate deterents ?

 

Well blow me down and I always thought epirb's were electronic (is there a cocoroach inside? how does it send for help or does it wait till you are dead and lay eggs inside your rotting corps?

www.aviall.com have the "F/veiry" pistol in their online catalogue - they supply electronics stuff to the aviation industry. some things work better manually and can be easily hidden till needed......

We have an electronics store called Dick Smiths Electronics, his trucks are all labelled "making deliveries for the Electronic Dick"

 

You guys are COOOOOL

MANY THANKS

 

Geees Manie, You won that Nigerian Lottery? - You may need to with all that stuff... add solar panels, 18 of the good ones will get you above 3kw max capacity, You may need something around or bigger than the Bob Oram 44C to carry it all and fit it.

 

Yeah, if you get those 3kW capacity solars you can add a welder to the list as well. Weld some broken masts back up when they break.

'Signal us, we come to you'

 

I'll have a further 20kw to drive the engines.... weld directly with 140v?

 

Hey hey dont come your funny stooof wif me okay hey

i have got a bloody good mind to peees off wif me cell fone = nokia and hand held gps = garmin eTrex H and hand held compass and 3.5 hp generator and 5hp Mercury outboard okaaaay

steal a laptop
steal a truck battery

what else

Jeez Fanie how is all this **** going down with the war now 5km away from us (sunderland ridge) started last nite.
My mechanic didnt come to work today so i have to service engines. No more beer until Friday - bloody lousy hey

 

Where can i steal some solar panels

 

i see realistic scantlings is getting HOT HEY

too hot for me i am still an old fart he he

 

You can make your own:

http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/echem/echem2.html

Not as efficient as commercial products, but beggers can't be choosers.

Thiefs can, though

Edit: This cell produces 12,5 microwatts, meaning you'd merely need 8.000.000 of them to produce 100 watts. I guess it would pay off working a real job to pay for a proper solar cell panel instead of putting months and months of work into this.