Instruments

[Ron Dunbar]

Hello,

I'm in  planning for a new BR Expedition. Does anyone have any recommendations for choice of cockpit instrumentation. I'm thinking along the lines of medium sized chart-plotter with add-on speed/depth sensor. 
Has anyone located their compass anywhere else other than where Swallowboats put it?

[Julian Swindell]

I think the argument against a chart plotter is that some of them draw a significant current. That puts you straight into the realm of needing a large battery and then needing some way of charging it. With just a grey scale GPS the current draw is minimal. I have toyed with the idea of an iPad with Navioncs maps installed, on the basis that the iPad has its own battery and yo can take it home to recharge it if necessary. I have run Navionics on an Android phone, charged by my 10W solar panel, and it worked fine for a whole weekend, I just couldn't see anything on it! I was able to look back at where I had been, but not much use for real time navigation. Chart plotters should be much more visible, but that is probably why they draw so much power.

[Graham W]

My Garmin GPSMAP 556s, which was a standard Swallow Boats option a couple of years ago, is a GPS plotter, electronic compass, SOG log, depthfinder and even fishfinder.  It uses quite a lot of current compared to the cheaper monochrome options but even so, it takes a day's concentrated use to wear out a small Yuasa 7ah battery.  I now run it off a brick-sized 18ah battery, which lasts about three days if it is run down.  However, I keep it topped up with a solar panel, which seems to work even in North Wales.

Navionics charts on an iPad (in a waterproof case or cover) are extremely good, although it can sometimes be difficult to read them from an angle. The charts are also bang up to date, unlike the built-in ones on a plotter. But no depth reading from this solution.

An expensive extra refinement is a Tacktick apparent wind direction and wind speed system. The whirligig wind transducer can be installed on top of the mast and communicates wirelessly with the instrument display down below (mine is on the aft of the centreboard case).  No batteries required, as the whole thing is driven by tiny built-in solar panels - one on the transducer and one on the instrument display. Very clever!

[Rob Johnstone]

I use an Ipad with Navionics software / charts and sit it inside one of the those £90 watrerproof cases. So far it's taken me half way round Britain OK, but I agree with Julian about it being difficult to see at times.
Normally it's mounted on a folder out panel across the companion way; when navigating anywhere tricky,  I found it best to have it beside me on the cockpit lockers (tied on to Vagabond with a suitable piece of string).

[Reg Barker]

Hi Graham
I was interested about the 18ah battery size, I am a bit baffled or ignorant when it comes to solar panels and to use them to charge the battery, but what size of solar panels or should i say what wattage to keep them topped up.  Is it easy to connect them? Which make would be the recommendation? I am also looking into purchasing a chart plotter.

[Graham W]

Hi Reg,

The solar panel that I use is this one, which can be bungeed along the top of the boom (if it is supported by a topping lift) http://www.kurandamarine.co.uk/flexible-solar-panels/aurinco-bluewater-25w [subsequent note - Aurinco pulled out of the marine solar panel business in 2016]

For this size of solar panel, you will also need a controller, to stop the panel overcharging the battery.  The one I use is this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/HQRP-Waterproof-Battery-Controller-Regulator/dp/B00595FIBW

By the time that you have paid for the panel and controller, you could have bought seven or eight Yuasa 18ah batteries, so it is a very expensive solution to the problem of lugging around a large battery for recharging.  If your BR is kept on a trailer, I wouldn't bother with solar - just position the boat next to a power point and use a conventional charger.

My excuse for having it is that my boat is usually on a pontoon without electricity in Wales or moored off the coast of Corfu.

[Graham W]

I have posted an article to the library about 'Boat electricals', which also covers instruments.