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More Gizmo 2011, the solar panel project 37

Electrical & Engines / Green Boating

More Gizmo 2011, the solar panel project

Gizmo_solar_panel_plan.jpg

So maybe this is an all-about-Gizmo week. Given her multitude of electronics partly described on Monday, and the fact that the boat rarely sees shore power, plus how helpful readers were in spec’n out the ChartTable21 discussed yesterday (and yet more strain on the 12v bank), I’m keen to add some solar panels and I again seek advice. Oh, and while Gizmo does have a 6 kW generator, I don’t like running it, and would enjoy removing it altogether. I created the drawing above (PDF here) in an effort to explain to a solar salesman in Arizona what I was up to, but I haven’t purchased anything yet…

ChartTable21; coming together, thank you! 22

Navigation / Entertainment / What's on board...

ChartTable21; coming together, thank you!

Gizmo_MacMini_and_Vizio_LED_TVmonitor_cPanbo.jpg

Yesterday we saw the helm side of Gizmo’s pilot house, but you may recall that recently I asked for advice about the components that might turn the lovely port-side cherry chart table into a 21st century navigation & work station (and entertainment center) when its lid is up. Panbots responded with enthusiasm, I took the majority guidance, and, boy, am I pleased. That 26″ Vizio M261VP LED HD TV & monitor, purchased for $350 at Amazon, has been on the test bench for about 10 days, and it was joined last Friday by that minimal Mac Mini, also bought at Amazon
along with a Crucial 8GB RAM upgrade
. The setup and testing I’ve done so far all suggest that this is going to be a terrific solution to the project I’ve dubbed ChartTable21…

A Gizmo preview, 4th of July 2011 6

Navigation / What's on board...

A Gizmo preview, 4th of July 2011

Gizmo lower helm July 2011 cPanbo.jpg

Here’s hoping that everyone in the States had a fine holiday weekend. We had better weather here than you might think if you read that fog delayed two nights of fireworks, but I was busy with oodles of visiting family. Gizmo, however, is really ready to cruise, and numerous product reviews will ensue. Take a gander, for instance, at this seasons’s lower helm configuration…

Furuno DRS2D radome, “punching above its weight”? 1

Navigation

Furuno DRS2D radome, “punching above its weight”?

Furuno_DRS2D_n_MSTZ_Explorer_cPanbo.jpg

Despite soggy weather I had a fine time wowing a WoodenBoat School navigation class with electronics while we cruised from Camden to Brooklin last Friday. (It was also nice to be reminded about what a neat place I helped to create, what an interesting array of students it attracts, and how nicely my replacement Rich Hilsinger has improved the school while maintaining the good vibes…consider a course, or at least a visit by boat or car.)  And on Saturday I also enjoyed bringing Gizmo home by myself, even though my wife began to worry when a burst of wind and lightning knocked the electricity out in our neighborhood. But when she called, I told her truthfully that I felt quite snug and safe at the pilothouse helm and could easily see where the squalls were thanks the little Furuno DRS2D radar showing both on the NavNet MFD12 and in MaxSea TimeZero, as seen above…

The WirieAP, “Marine WiFi Perfected”? 28

Wireless & Apps

The WirieAP, “Marine WiFi Perfected”?

The_Wirie_marine_WiFi.jpg

The original Wirie — seen above being assembled on a cruising boat in the Caribbean — is a 1,000 mW USB WiFi transceiver which seems smartly set up for marine use and has many fans. But I’ve been one of those boaters who prefers an Ethernet-based alternative because it can be installed beyond USB cable length limitations, plus it can go right to a router and thus easily serve the Internet to multiple devices. (A particularly good Ethernet-based, high-power WiFi radio is the Ubiquity Bullet, which is available in many marine packages, as we discussed at length last Fall.)  However, the new WirieAP model adds a local boat WiFi access point to that waterproof plastic case, which means that the install only requires a 12 volt feed to let every WiFi-enabled device on board share a well-amplified shore-side Internet connection…

Welcome Ocean Signal, but is COSPAS-SARSAT “endangered”? 5

Safety & SAR

Welcome Ocean Signal, but is COSPAS-SARSAT “endangered”?

Ocean_Signal_safety_family.jpg

Ocean Signal is a relatively new name in serious marine safety gear, and Ocean Signal America — run by the same team that distributes Digital Yacht and recently-mentioned Digital Deep Sea in the States — just debuted at the last Miami Boat Show. That’s where I got to see and handle the gear above, and the company’s claimed engineering expertise seemed borne out. The Ocean Signal equipment struck me as beautifully designed, and there are some features, like user-replaceable EPIRB batteries, that will appeal to yachties. But the company may be smart to focus on commercial marine, as I’m beginning to wonder if COSPAS-SARSAT equipment has much future with boaters who can choose other solutions…

America’s Cup 34, hat’s off to Stan Honey 8

The Trade / Zany

America’s Cup 34, hat’s off to Stan Honey

Oracle_AC45_capsizing_in_SF_courtesy_Reuters.jpg

Last week in San Francisco, Russell Coutts probably did the America’s Cup racing program a great service when he not only capsized an AC 45, but personally took a dramatic header right through its wing sail, all before a fleet of press boats!  You want to see the video.  Heck, Charlie Doane admits to watching the crash “about fifty times” and looking forward to more. I like a shot of NASCAR in my sailboat racing, too, but I’ll bet that an equally important element in making this sport more popular will be the broadcast TV wizardry being spearheaded by the remarkable Stan Honey…

New AIS brands: Em-Trak, Digital Deep Sea, & Watcheye 62

AIS

New AIS brands: Em-Trak, Digital Deep Sea, & Watcheye

em-trak main AIS page june 2011.jpg

Em Trak — or Em-Trak or em-trak (why do brands defy grammar conventions when it causes multiple misspellings on other sites?) — is a completely unfamiliar name to me, but it’s pretty darn obvious that the interesting array of new AIS gear displayed on their web site is closely related to the new AIS modules SRT debuted yesterday. The cases may be different (and jazzier) in some cases, but I’m seeing some of the same new features along with ones apparently added by Em Trak…