Outfitting New Boat

little wing · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 7:27 pm Post subject:

1st: VHF w/DSC. If something happens to you and you are incapacitated, does your crew know how to operate the boat and get you to help and/or safety? It gives me great peace of mind knowing that when I stroke out or fall overboard, my wife merely needs to lift that little lid, push the red button, and help will arrive.

2nd: Binoculars.

3rd: Chart plotter. It does not need to be costly. Do you have a tablet and/or smart phone? For $15, Navionics is a great deal. Covers all of US and Canada. Add the cost of a RAM mount to put it where you want it.

4th: Sonar. We usually anchor out every night. That fish finder will tell you what's under you (rocks, weeds, logs, etc) as well as how much rode to let out.

Radar: So far it seems to be more of a distraction as I pay too much attention to it trying to learn the ins and outs of its operation that I ignore my surroundings. However, in the first and only summer of use, there was a trip on the St Clair river, frequented by lake freighters, when it downpoured. Couldn't see squat. I was glad to have it then. As I did another time in a remote part of the North Channel when we were fogged in one morning. However, that time we sat on the hook until it cleared. Maybe the best use so far is to see what's coming up behind you, especially running narrow passages. I don't like close in surprise passings.

ssobol · Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:31 pm Post subject:

colbysmith · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:02 am Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 12:32 pm Post subject:

Really heavy downpours and even "White squalls" can produce enough droplet interference, that the radar is very limited in its range. In one case, with very heavy winds, we found a marker at the edge of the channel, and basically put the boat right behind it--to maintain position--radar would have been in-adequate. So consider alternatives, if the radar is obscured by heavy rain, or waves where the tops are blow off regularly.

Snider · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:57 am Post subject: Yahoo's

I'm with you Colby. It's the careless and drunk small boats that worry me. As it gets warm in Charleston they come out, especially on the weekend. Some intoxicated boater set 3 boats adrift in Shem creek last weekend. It's a popular spot with several restaurants off the harbor, you'll see boats tied 3 or 4 deep. Apparently he was ready to leave and just let the other boats go before the bus boy/?dockhand could get ahold of the short dock-lines. I'd never dock in that manner, no way.

I joined a local boating group on FB and am constantly surprised by the immature comments from those with too much money (and boat) and not enough sense. We'll be running a lot at night, probably the best thing I could do is get a few big deck lights to turn on. It got hairy a few times under sail at night because we don't run a forward facing white light, just a red and green. Not sure if we weren't seen or just passed a little to closely.

I'm trying to keep the boat simple and clean. This has been a great thread. I think eventually a nice multifunction display that can run everything I may want in the future will be a nice upgrade, something like the 9" simrad (Go9 XSE / NSS evo3, can't really figure out the difference) would be the ultimate upgrade along with a nicer VHF.

I bought one of those Westinghouse 2500 generators from Home Depot last year. That's a great idea about using one of the swim platforms for the generator. I'd love to figure out a little AC that was portable and didn't require any holes in the boat, of course we could only use it when anchored.

snobol what ac do you run off the 1,000watt honda? (I was curious because I figured it was lighter and quieter than mine, but actually the noise level is about the same and mine only weighs 10lbs more.) Still interested in your AC unit though, it can be mighty hot here in the summer nights.

Snider · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:14 am Post subject: Hardee

Hardee,

Whats the difference in the 506 vs the 605. Warmart has the 605 for $446, there's so many variations its a little confusing. ICOM really needs a "compare" feature on their website, and so does Simrad. Also does either one of them have built in gps (or is that what GNSS is)? Would be nice not to need to mount an antenna.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Icom-M60511-IC-M605-VHF-Marine-Transceiver-with-Integrated-AIS/40629659

journey on · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 12:50 pm Post subject:

Just a word about radar: is it "necessary". And my answer is NO.

Before radar, and I remember that, when it was dark, foggy or really raining you couldn't see what was around you. And a lot of ferrys went aground trying to keep to their schedule. So radar came to the civilian market and (mostly) stopped that nonsense.

And now radar has come to the small boat market. In consonance with GPS/chartplotters it allows C-Dorys to safely navigate when there is no visibility.

So, is it necessary? On a C-Dory, you always have a choice: stay where you are or GO. We used to navigate under the visual rules and that kept us out of trouble; we could see or we stayed put. And a few times we got caught out.

We got radar in the early 90's, on a sailboat we were cruising. That let us go when there was no visibility and we got used to that so we still have radar.

But is it a necessity for small boat cruising? No! You always have the alternative to stay put. And invest that $2000 in something else, such as gas. But if you can't see, stay put. Unlike that guy and his buddy who came up from Seattle to Friday Harbour in a dense fog without any visibility; stupidity is still stupidity.

Boris

Snider · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 1:06 pm Post subject: Thanks

Thanks for the thoughts. I went into WM today just to see what they had on display. I really like the small clean look of the Simrad Go7xse. It doesn’t have the ability to add radar anyway. I may just go with it, plus it won’t break the bank.

ssobol · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: Yahoo's

colbysmith · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 7:18 pm Post subject:

ssobol · Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:23 pm Post subject:

I would chose a depth sounder over a compass. If you are on a small lake you probably aren't out of sight of the shore. On a river or stream you can only go upstream or downstream and a compass won't be much use.

However, in either case (depending on the water quality) you may not be able to see what is under your boat and a depth sounder can help you out.

Snider · Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 7:47 pm Post subject: Two year checkup

Wow time flies. Just finished adding some fans and a chart light today, thought I'd catch up this old thread, where to start.

My handheld GPS bit the bucket not long after this thread so when I pulled into a marina to get breakfast I asked an old friend who works at a large Beneteau dealer to work me up a price for a VHS, plotter and radar and WOW! he quoted me about $100 more than the equipment would have cost me to purchase, and that was installed. The savings was mostly from a "new" used 3G simrad radar they had for a steep discount, so I went ahead and got an ICOM M330, Simrad Goe9 and Simrad 3G radar installed. It's been great, we've been out a lot at night where the radar has been helpful.

We've done a lot of small upgrades, adding the rope handholds in the cabin was great and cheap (thanks Bob).

Added hydraulic steering.

Added an opening window/screen in the cabin door (prob dumb, to expensive but we like it).

Added the fan/light combo in the v-berth and cabin.

I got a larger anchor roller that I need to install so I can use my Delta if I need and if I keep using the Bruce it'll hold the shank up off the deck.

I bought two new batteries and upgraded to Group 27 from 24.

Rebuilt the trailer, added brakes, rewired it, carpeted bunks.

Lots of safety gear, EPIRB, water activated lights for everyone, spare VHF and GPS.

This boat has been a great blank canvas for us, we've enjoyed it immensely and continue too. Of the 24 months we've owned the boat we've been out in 22 of those months. One month it was in the shop another work got in the way. It didn't help that SC closed ramps but we still made it out just before.

Headed out for and an overnighter this weekend with our family of 4 aboard. The kids don't like the cruising as much as me but they sure love the beach combing, swimming and tubing and my son will love fishing when he's a little older.

The upgrade list is getting pretty short, maybe some cockpit lights and a docking light, a fan or two. Would be nice to replace the two aft hatch covers eventually. Add a coupe rod holders.

There have been repairs along the way. I removed the fuel tanks and batteries and rebedded everthing in epoxy, engine repairs and maint not to mention small things here and there. Small price to pay IMO.

Thanks everyone! This site has been great, it's ironic I spent more time here before I got the boat, I need to rectify that and give back more.

thataway · Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 9:33 pm Post subject:

It sounds as if you really scored on the chart plotter/3G Radar! Certainly well thought out improvements. Great time to be out with the family, and enjoy the spring!