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Thread: communication and navigation equipment

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    92

    Question communication and navigation equipment

    Hello,
    I have been maintaining an interest in the SHTP since 2008, and and for various reasons (mostly work obligations since I am self employed in a small business) havent been able to put it together.
    I was interested in the 2014 race and had spent a bucketfull of money rebuilding and modifying a 36 foot tri. Unfortunately, I sank it in 15 feet of water in August, 2013, and that was the end of that.
    We salvaged the boat and now I am putting it back together. Obviously, every single electrical component has to be replaced new. I am entering the recently announced Pensacola to Havana race starting October 31, 2015, a 550 mile sprint. We will be sailing in 2 months and have two months to de-bug and sea-trial it, prior to that race. I will singlehand the boat back to Louisiana, about 650 miles, to see if I think its safe, (or I am perhaps) for entering the SHTP.
    Here is the question.
    What simple nav and comm equipment setups will do the job. I know I am installing an NKE autopilot and other NKE systems (wind, speed) I want AIS, and I am leaning toward InavX in the IPAS, with a couple of handheld GPS backups. Also Delorme tracking. I will only have solar power, and perhaps a Honda 2000 eu genset BOat will be full LED lights equipped.
    Any suggestions, critiques, or comments with regard to specific equipment, or installation will be appreciated.
    Jim

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    235

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    My boat has solar power (max possible 9 amps when the sun orientation is good). This is nowhere near enuf to satisfy my autopilot draw, esp when things get a little rough. I have an inboard engine and "feed" the batteries with it as necessary. I also carry a Honda AND a 30 amp batt charger to plug into it (the direct output of the 12V plug on the Honda is only 8 amps). Sounds like a nice new auto bilge pump would give you needed peace of mind.....Enjoy the race!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    3,688

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    If you're installing NKE instruments and autopilot you have a lot more money than most of us! What are you using for a drive unit? It makes a huge difference in draw.

    I used GPSNavX on a MacBook for the 2006 race, MacENC on the same MacBook in 2008 and iNavX on an iPad (and iPhone) last year. Overlaying weather charts (downloaded via satphone) was easy. I used an Iridium phone and Iridium's AxcessPoint last year but I think their GoPhone is the current equivalent (the wireless hub is built in).

    If you want to chat with the other skippers an SSB is also nice, but if you get too chatty it will use up your available electrons.

    I have 2x43 watt Kyoceras and a 45 watt flexible panel on the dodger - about the same max output as Harrier's. If we'd had more sun during the race this would have been enough, but we didn't. I burned maybe five gallons of fuel using the Yanmar as a battery charger. YMMV.
    Last edited by BobJ; 07-03-2015 at 05:48 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    92

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    Harrier and BobJ
    I appreciate your responses. The history of this boat is one I got too deep into, and stupidly spent about $100K rebuilding a boat over a two year period, that I bought for $2000.00. It was not premeditated, but something that just kind of kept sucking me into it like brer rabbit and the tarbaby. "stupidly" becuase it was like building a mansion in the ghetto. I was in the debugging it stage when I sank it, when a hatch cover in the starboard ama came loose and it down-flooded very quickly in a six mile race at almost the half-way point. There are a set of new bilge pumps for the ama's that were going to go into the amas, but my impatience to go sailing and see how fast it would go in a little short race on a gorgious day, in Lake Pontchartrain, bit me in the ass. Actually, the bilge pumps would have probably been inadequate, but a bilge alarm would have solved that problem. Harrier was rather right on with his observation.
    The NKE stuff is because I know its the best, and the most important equipment, other then B&G, which is even more expensive. My advisor, who has raced the SHTP, Ryan Finn, thinks it overkill for that race, and a waste of money. Its certainly not going to leave much for anything else, hence my post on the forum. But in reading the forum, autopilot failure is clearlyseems to be the most vexing problem of the many problems that arise, and the rest of the electronics are relatively cheap by comparison. The fact that the boat is a trimaran with some moderate speed potential means to me that the autopilot has to have more capability to steer and react quickly. If I was racing my J35, I probably would not use NKE. My quess is that all those folks from Europe sailing the various open classes and mini's must know something. THe boat has a 8hp Tohatsu outboard, so there is no realistic battery charging there. That leaves the Honda and Solar. Fortunately I had not installed the solar panels yet when I sank it, so That is money that I dont have to spend again. I had purchased an ICOM SSB too, that was not installed too. I gather that weather faxes are the best thing for those of us that GRIB files intimidate.
    THe NKE is not purchased yet as we are still trying to figure out what we need. I know the hydralic drive burns more battery, but is stronger and quicker. I am having to build another rudder as one of the bugs was a totally inadequate trudder that would not steer the boat becasue the Raymarine GP 4000 wouldnt react fast enough, and when it did, the boat was already out of control and couldnt be brought back. This is a function of another factor, which is a 12 foot longer mast, a 4 foot longer J measurement, achieved with a bowsprit, and

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    92

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    sorry, I hit send accidentally:
    It was supposed to say and some big ass sails. We are going to take it down the Gulf coast for an extensaive shakedown and try to optimize the boat and sail handling procedures, and see what works. I dont really think that I have hotrodded the boat too much for it to handle by todays standards. It is too heavy and could never compete with a Farrier 31, which is blindingly fast by comparison, although not as comfortable to spend time in the cabin on.
    In two months we will have the boat sailing, and have two more months to fine-tune it. If it isnt safe, then I have a flashy day sailor and will not go offshore, as my wife doesnt care to handle my debt load. Being on the boat when it flipped has made her somewhat cantankerous.
    Jim

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Montara, CA
    Posts
    803

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    Quote Originally Posted by jimb522 View Post
    Harrier and BobJ
    I appreciate your responses. The history of this boat is one I got too deep into, and stupidly spent about $100K rebuilding a boat over a two year period, that I bought for $2000.00.
    Wow, now I'm kinda feeling better about all the upgrades I did on my boat...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    92

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    sometimes boats are like women. A guy can get kind of carried away.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    430

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    Hey JimB can we get a picture of your boat? And do tell more about this race to Havana please.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    92

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    I will be happy to attach a picture if someone will tell me how.
    Pensacola Yacht Club, Penscola Florida, is holding a race from Pensacola to Hemingway Marina about 9 miles West of Havana. I organized one of the last races there in April 1999 and the Feds shut racing down for years after that up until this year, when Obama reopened diplomatic restrictions and eased enforcement of the trading with the enemy act.
    Pensacola YC has done it right and gotten a general license and each boat can get a license to participate. Instructions are on the PYC website. The race will start on Oct. 31, 2015 and go direct to the finish line at Heminway marina. 500 nautical miles on a course of about 148 degrees. The pilot charts for November at first glance look like about a 75-80 percent chance of a NE wind, or a port beam reach going and starboard beam reach coming back. I hope to stop at the Dry Tortugas (70 miles West of Key West on my sail back, as I have never been. Wind that time of year should be 10 to 18, and overall conditions fair. Temps very moderate, but not blistering hot and humid like now.
    .Havana is beat up, poor, and very interesting. I found the cubans loved us (or american dollars more likely) and I had fun wandering around there for a week. Prices are going to go up and there will be a tourist boom as tons of capital is going to be poured into Cuba for development of tourism. Thats my general view of the future.
    I do believe it is safe, and they really want us there.
    You will have fun if you come, and the water is beautiful. The race is oriented toward racer/cruisers, with the emphasis more on cruisers. BUt, Pensacola Yacht Club knows how to run a race, and those more interested in racing will have great ride too.
    Jim
    Jim

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Posts
    56

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    I am curious if you have purchased the NKE system. I went way over the top on my J/88 and did. I think you will find if you look at B&G it comes in quite a few flavors and they offer similar systems for similar dollars. I love my system.....but the interface is not a clean as the B&G; and support is further away and in French ;-).
    The pilot drives the boat beautifully in waves with the kite up (Waves being 4-6 foot coastal Coastal CA and SF Bay)..so far.
    The reason I purchased the system is the remote....it offers a "fail safe" mode that puts the boat head to wind if separated from the system by 50 feet or so. I have not tested it yet...it gives me some peace of mind. Realistically if you fell of the boat with the kite up, even if the boat went head to wind it would probably drift aways faster than one could swim.....but I try not to think about that.

    Also, they Raymarine Products offer a lot of bang for the buck and don't forget to look at Pelagic Autopilot!!!!!

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