The REAR View...Monitor/Mirror -- What have you?

hardee

This topic just popped up in the "What did you do on your C-Dory today" thread and I think it's time for it to have a place. Cars are coming with back-up cameras, tow rigs have hitch up cameras, and every house on teh block has a half dozen cameras tucked away in teh eves or hanging under the porch light. Must be time to address this for C-Dory's too.

Ski boats have had mirrors since there were power boats pulling people. Cars had them, and now they are required .... in some places on both sides Shocked

I believe it was the first thin I added onto SleepyC when we started using the boat. It was a wide angle rear view mirror, just below the shelf, and set so that from the helm, the whole cockpit is clearly in view. It was to monitor that area when moving. Didn't really set it up to see very far past the outboards. That way I can make sure that whoever is with me, should they decide to take a walk down the hall, are still in the neighborhood. Works for that.

Now I have been passed by the occasional "Hey aren't you glad I didn't run right over you" guy a few times, and no it is never by a kid in a 14ft beercan boat with a 20 hp on the back. Nope, It's the guy with 40 feet between him and the bow wave he is making, and enough horse power to run the Columbia Rive backwards for a week. And a wake that would put the Alaskan Quake tsunami to shame. OK, so now I am a lot more careful about including my radar display into the scan (looking 240* and checking instrument panel very frequently).

So I'm not quite there for a total rear view camera monitor, but I did sleep in a Holiday in Express one night, and woke up with a plan. I had purchased a remote camera and monitor. It is wireless, and with a magnet mount on the camera, for watching the hitch ball when backing up to hook up. It worked for that, but the plan I woke up with was to put it in the boat, hanging from the door, so I could watch my six behind the boat, while I was going down the highway. I worked, for a while, then the camera battery died. New battery, and it's good again. Takes a bit to change the battery, stopping, unscrew the back, etc. Idea

Wire the camera to run off the boats 12VDS system. Perfect. Works like a charm. The monitor plugs into the cig lighter plug in the truck, and the camera plus into the boat. Good for all day, not just 3-4 hours per battery set.

Hmmm could this work on the water? Don't know, haven't tried, but I will. There may be some interference due to the wireless system, and I don't know if it is Bluetooth, green teeth, or what. Just know it works the way I have it.

I have one cig plug in the boat that is wired directly to the battery so it can work with the 1-2-Both-Off switch in the off position. I use that for my anchor monitor GPS and this camera setup.

What are you doing? What is working for you, and how did you do it? Let's hear, see and do. Thanks all.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

ssobol · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 11:35 am Post subject:

What camera/monitor kit did you buy? I am looking for something similar for use when backing the trailer. A magnetic mount sounds good. I have a 12 lighter output on the outside of the rear bulkhead that would be convenient for powering the camera.

hardee · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:06 pm Post subject:

At the time I was looking the best deal I found was one called "iBall" backup camera. Here is the link:

http://www.iballhitchcam.com/products/iball-wireless-trailer-hitch-camera?CAWELAID=120132530000000084&CAPCID=37621756289&cadevice=c&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4NmvBRCRp_yu2bzal4YBEiQAWfjpJnLu071-GqYRwrKvdgVuNJbN28-23kr8ICedyq3mtT8aAhT-8P8HAQ#.Vfb8oBFViko

Yikes, that is long. Sorry I don't know how to do the short kind.

The camera works pretty well. There are times and places where the signal gets some interference, so it gets snowy, but it is adequate. The screen is pretty small, maybe 3 inch, but it plugs into the cig lighter and there is no other support or wires to contend with. I'm ok with that. It is good enough to see traffic approaching from the rear, I can see in the cockpit, and both OB's easy. Works day or night. It is not IR though.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

msgchef · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:18 pm Post subject:

I put in a wireless system on Seaweed. From Tadibrothers.com. Big selection, spot on customer service. Went for about $200, camera, 5 inch monitor, receiver/transmitter. 12V hard wired so no batteries.
Pics on MyMods, Seaweed photo album.
Paul

AstoriaDave · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 3:49 pm Post subject:

Harvey, here is what TinyURL does to that long link. Cut and paste twice and you're good.

http://tinyurl.com/q93s4rg

Go here to do more. You can add this site to your toolbar if you want. Instrns on the site.

http://tinyurl.com

olsurfdog · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 6:36 pm Post subject:

My neck has several fused vertebrae in it, so it doesn't turn as far to look behind as it once did. I don't have a rear view mirror in my boat but intend to get one. I like Harvey's idea of keeping an eye on what's going on in the cockpit. A camera would be handy for the big picture. It would also be handy to have a backup cam for backing boat on trailer. Would save guess work as to how close am I to an obstruction. Just for parking my boat at home it would save jumping out, running back to see how I was doing thru the "s-turn" in my yard.
Came across this camera that uses wifi and an phone or iPad as a moniter.

http://www.tadibrothers.com/Catalog/BackupCameraKits/iPhone-Backup-Camera-iOS-works-with-iPad-iPad%20mini-iPod

Not sure if this same Paul (msg her) was looking at. Looks really useful to me. Could serve several purposes.

msgchef · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 7:03 pm Post subject:

that the exact camera and I did use it for a while on the ipad, however I use the ipad via my phone hot spot as a weather station so that took it out of the equation and I then went for a compatible wireless 5 inch monitor. I wish I had gotten a larger one though, but the mounts are great, the suction works nicely on the underside of the cabin shelf.

breausaw · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:12 pm Post subject:

For me the money would be better spent going in the fuel tank, I don't see the need for a rear view camera. Not to say it wouldn't be cool to have, the cost to benefits not there for me. But hay, I just put about a grand into a new Avery reel fitted to a 7' Hercules seeker rod, didn't need it but sure do love it.

What ever floats your boat man.

hardee · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 10:25 pm Post subject:

breausaw · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:26 am Post subject:

hardee · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:46 am Post subject:

Hi Jay,

At 600 feet, it is cold and dark. I guess you could put a flashlight on that camera. Laughing

My camera is only on the boat when I am towing. Otherwise, I'm with you. a mirror works fine.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

ColdWetDog · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 7:28 pm Post subject:

I'm using a cheap Amazon backup camera (waterproof even) hooked to my Lowrance HDS 9 (secondary display). I don't look at it all of the time, but I turn in on when coming through high traffic areas to avoid being run over by hyper testosterone fueled charter boat captains.

Easy and cheap. If you don't have a built in display, you can pick up a 'backup camera' system, either wired or wireless, for less that $75 at Amazon.

It's also useful to look at the fuel tanks, now I don't even have to turn my arthritic neck all the way around.

Larry Patrick · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 7:46 pm Post subject:

Depending where you are using it,Garmin makes GPS units that are also able to be used with a wireless rearview camera. I-Ball camera gets good reviews,just bought one it worked in wifes car also my Ford dually,but it had a lot of interference in GMC that I do most towing the boat with. So I returned it if it would have worked in GMC like it did in other vehicles would have kept it. No Bluetooth or anything I could find causing the interference.

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 8:52 pm Post subject:

garyf · Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 9:24 pm Post subject: