NAVIGATION
Yeoman Plotter
Our previous boat, a Westerly Merlin came fitted with what was effectively a Yeoman plotter although it had an Autohelm (an old name for Raytheon/Raymarine) badge on it. We were converted. Entering waypoints into the GPS was easy, plotting current positions was easy and quick. Bearings to/from navigational features was a dream allowing hand bearing compass readings to be confirmed for cross checks. No more more messing about with dividers trying to find a suitable bit of the lat/long grid on a folded chart on a dark, wet night to confirm the boat's position in the middle of a separation scheme. Electronic plotters, whilst producing very nice convincing pictures, are expensive to feed with charts and electricity and we would still have to buy the paper charts anyway. So we have fitted a Yeoman plotter which sips a couple of hundred milliamps. We were surprised to find that the new Yeoman plotter does not seem to be as accurate as the Autohelm version which was invariably spot on for plotting waypoints and positions. On the Yeoman, positions can be as much as 1 centimetre out, we have not fathomed to reason for this yet, in the meantime, we are cautious about relying on it too precisely, but that is as it should be. All navigation tools complement each other and should be cross checked to avoid errors.Top
Feedback - 2008. We love it. Unfortunately it let itself down slightly about a year after being installed when connector in the internal circuitry started failing. On calling the agents (Precision Navigation Ltd) they sent us an upgraded replacement free of charge. I like that in a company.
Astronav
Having completed the RYA Yachtmaster night school, we were keen to have a sextant on board and keep up the practice, even if not normally the primary means of navigation. There is a cost involved with having to purchase the annual almanacs, but hopefully use of the sextant will remain an interesting exercise - and may even be useful one day should we be struck by lightning and we run out of batteries for the 3 hand held GPSs.
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Wind, Speed and Depth
Do It was originally fitted with a Navman speed system and an old style, whirling light Seafarer depth system on the chart table with a remote readout on the cockpit instrument pod. It was a pain to use. It had two scales 0-20 metres and 0-120 metres which had to be switched at the chart table, the gain knob had to be regularly tweaked to get a consistent reading. The speed readout worked, but the transducer seemed far more prone to collecting marine wildlife than our previous Autohelm instruments. No wind instruments were fitted. We had formed a view of what we wanted on the cockpit instrument pod which was as follows:
After much research, we considered that the Navman range had the right combination of reputation, cost and readability for the wind, speed and depth displays. Unfortunately, their navigation display was fairly hopeless only being able to show one item of NMEA information at a time requiring lots of button pushing. The NASA nav display seemed to fit the bill. Although it was yet another style of display on the pod, we were prepared to accept it.
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Feedback - 2008. The depth gauge occasionally 'doubles' the depth when between 10-20 metres showing double the true depth. The digits on the wind speed display fade if the display is off for a few days and the display has to be left on for 2-3 days to make them reappear. Possibly humidity in the system although it is in a dry location, a trawl through the YBW website discussion pages shows this to be a known problem. Emails to Navman support have yet to produce any response at all.
GPS
Do It came fitted with an Apelco GPS system with a display at the chart table. This worked but only had a limited NMEA capability (out only which prevents it from receiving waypoints from the Yeoman). It eventually ceased to function the first time the new SSB was used at full power. This was a good excuse to fit a Garmin 128 GPS which has both in and out NMEA capability, allowing it to accept waypoints from the Yeoman plotter.
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Feedback - 2008. The Apelco unit lasted about 2 months before dying. It was replaced by a Magellan GPS128 unit which is simple with no charts, colour or otherwise, but it has performed faultlessly.
Radar
COMMUNICATIONS
Single Side Band (SSB) Radio
Our Icom M710 SSB radio has two main uses, staying in contact with other cruisers and collecting weather information. When purchased, Do It had a Yaesu receiver which while capable obtaining weather information could not keep us in touch with the rest of the world. We initially considered using a SSB with a Pactor modem for email, an Iridium phone or nothing at all except for the VHF. Although the 'nothing' option fitted in with our intended low impact lifestyle, the advice received was that an SSB would greatly enhance our contacts with other cruisers. Iridium did have a deal where you could purchase 200 minutes for a year at 200 dollars which was adequate for emergency use only. However, this tempting offer has been withdrawn to be replaced by a more expensive arrangement. SailMail have recently raised their prices from $200/year which combined with the cost of the Pactor modem (over £600) makes this a little expensive. There is a view that you probably don't want to know about disasters at home when in mid-ocean so we will stick plain old SSB for the moment. At present, Icom do not sell UK approved SSBs. The 802 is a good set but for some reason, the European Union gnomes have decided that it is not suitable. After much searching, we found a second hand Icom M710, a tried and trusted system, which is fitted at the chart table. Installation of SSBs is a complex topic and we received much conflicting advice. The most convincing information was provided via the Icom website and a very helpful chap in New Zealand via the YBW Forums.Top
Feedback - 2008. - There are some who consider long range single side band (SSB) radios to be an archaic, expensive anachronism and believe satellite communications/telephones are they way to go. We are very happy with our Icom 710 SSB which gets used on a daily basis. Not only can it be used for communication with other boats and shore stations, it can receive free weather faxes, text forecasts, voice forecasts, navtex, SW radio services (such as the BBC) and email. The daily radio nets are the very stuff of the cruiser life, particularly on passage. Mechanical and medical problems can be discussed with several other boats simultaneously, weather forecasts, social chat and recipes can be swapped. Try that with an Iridium telephone at $XX/minute.
VHF Radio
The boat came fitted with a slightly elderly Regen VHF. It works, so we have left it in place. We intend to put off the purchase of a DSC for the moment as we hear that they can be a nuisance. Some organisations trigger the alarm regularly for what appears to be routine information awakening the off watch crew and requiring the on-watch crew to come below and silence the alarm.
Although only a one way method of communication, we considered an EPIRB to be essential. The magazine reviews rated the McMurdo Precision GPS highly, and it has a 5 year battery life. It took a bit of a pasting in a American test as a result of which modifications were made. We have one of the modified versions with a rubber collar. Never to be used with any luck.
Navtex
The Navtex fitted to Emerillon (a NASA Navtex Pro) was very useful, taking very little power, collecting weather forecasts and eliminating the requirement for us to get up at ungodly hours of the night to listen to the latest forecast which seem to be gabbled faster and faster these days (or is it because we are getting old?). The sounds of 'Sailing By' played before the 'Oh My God Its Early' forecast on BBC Radio 4 still bring me out in shivers reminding me of nights spent scribbling out the latest gale forecasts in my underpants at the chart table. Do It came with a basic NASA Target Navtex model which was terrible with an appalling user interface. The display only showed 8 lines of data on a dim LCD display. The ICS Nav6 looked lovely but was expensive, so a compromise was the NASA Clipper Navtex, with a larger and more readable display than the Target Navtex. This is mounted at the Chart Table. Top
DOMESTIC
Water
Do It is fitted with 5 assorted stainless steel, plastic and GRP storage water tanks totalling 350 litres. This is pumped to a 20 litre day tank which is refilled as required and noted in a log book allowing the usage to be tracked. The stainless steel tanks have proved to be a bit of a liability with poor welds causing rust in the water and leaks. The plastic and GRP tanks seem to be working satisfactorily. The water is fed via a foot pump (no wasteful pressurized water systems thank you) to the galley from one of two spouts. One is direct, the other is via a Nature-Pure filter which claims to remove most bugs, viruses, etc. We have also reinstalled a salt water tap in the galley for washing dishes. Hubert and Monique did have one fitted but did not like it so removed it. This made reinstallation easier.
Cooking
The original stove was rather elderly and did not have flame failure devices. Combined with the unusual gas installation (bottles under the cooker in the galley), the whole thing was a bit of a liability. We have had the whole lot renewed and fitted a very nice shiny Nelson Spinflo cooker which makes lovely toast. Should we ever run out of gas, we can also cook on the Refleks diesel stove (see below) which may not be much fun in the tropics.
Plumbing
We have made a few changes to the plumbing including the fitting of the water filter and salt water taps mentioned above. We have also fitted a monster 166 litre holding tank from Tek Tanks (of Froyle, Hants conveniently 2 miles from our house) behind the throne which is working very successfully giving us a week in port without difficulty.
COMFORT
Heating
Do It came fitted with a large shiny stainless steel Reflex heater. Unfortunately, the chimney had been lost but Lockgate Stoves were able to supply a new one. The installation is slightly unusual with the stove mounted under the companionway steps and the chimney emerging into the cockpit. The chimney is removable so we only tend to fit it and use the heater when not under way. In action, the stove is very effective giving plenty of nice, dry heat, however, it does tend to accumulate at waist level upwards leaving the feet feeling rather chilly. Easily solved by lying back on the saloon seats with one's feet propped up. As mentioned above, the stove can also be used for cooking and the pressure cooker fits nicely on the top.
Music
We wanted to bring our music collection with us, Although there was a nicely fitted CD storage unit in the saloon, no way was it big enough for our combined 400+ CDs and tapes. So we laboriously converted the lot to MP3s and burnt them onto CD-Rs. The intention was to play them on a portable CD MP3 player plugged into the original Sony car radio-cassette player via an adaptor. This was also integrated with a built-in 10 stack CD player. Unfortunately, the radio cassette failed and we could not find a replacement. So we have installed a Sony car CD/MP3 player instead leaving the 10 stack redundant. Anyone want it? The new MP3 player seems to be rather fussy about it's CD-Rs and we may have to reburn some of them.
Feedback - 2008. Sony Car Radio. Installed to play all our freshly MP3ed music, it has never worked well. It won’t play CDs with stuck on labels properly. Sony kit seems to have gone from being good quality, good value and reliable to be high priced, not reliable with proprietary formats.
TV
Do It came fitted with a PAL/NTSC TV. However, it was large, heavy, thirsty on power and we did not plan to watch it'. So it was left in the attic at home. We have a small (10 cm square) LCD which does for the odd episode of 'Dr Who' or 'Casualty'. Other than that, it is a DVD on the laptop or a game of cribbage. Top
Brickbats & Bouquets - 2008
Here is some feedback on other equipment.
Bouquets. Starting with the positives, here is the good stuff which has just worked, doing what it says on the box with minimum maintenance or intervention.
- Nelson Spinflo Cooker. Apart from having to replace some rusty chromed pan clamps with some stainless steel ones, it has a perfect record.
- Danfoss Fridge Compressor. This has worked faultlessly, chilling the wine and beer, and keeping food fresh pretty much continually ever since we set off.
- Sailrite Sewing Machine. The first Sailrite sewing machine we purchased had a problem, but it was replaced free of charge by Solent Sewing Machine in Portsmouth, UK. The new one has worked perfectly since and more than justified its cost and is capable of sewing an astonishing thickness of material. We have since learnt that the Sailrite is just a badged version of a Chinese made machine which is available elsewhere cheaper under different names (Thompson). Sailrite do have a nice website and sell some good stuff though.
Brickbats - PYI Shaft Seal. Dry bilges are essential in a steel boat. We went to some expense before we set off to replace the dripping packing type seal with a PYI Carbon Seal. It never worked spraying water all over the engine room. It has now been replaced with a Volvo shaft seal which has worked perfectly since installation.Top
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