[PUP] Redundancy (was Selen or Kadey Krogen)

[John Marshall]

I second Scott's point... assuming that the GPS constellation is  
working (and without it, I'm not sure anything in this country would  
work anymore) I have inexpensive electronic redundancies that use  
different power sources and different sensors. I even have a little  
GPS widget that I can stick in a window and run into my notebook,  
which is already my third-level backup.

I use PC-based Coastal Explorer as my primary, with a ruggedized,  
marinized computer that in two years of use has never hiccuped.  
(Getting a Windows PC to do that requires a different set of skills).  
I use a pair of Furuno NavNet2 as my secondaries (which always run in  
parallel to primary to give me two views of the world), and notebook- 
based third level that runs both Coastal Explorer and Nobeltec that  
doesn't depend on the boat electronics. If all that goes out for some  
reason, I have a Garmin handheld GPS plotter on the bridge with all  
the charts for areas I'm going in, and another one in my ditch bag  
(that's in a metallized, waterproof bag) and a third mounted in my dink.

I do carry charts for areas I cruise, often just the large scale ones,  
and I have a good old-fashioned compass that's been competently swung.  
I know enough about DR to get back to land, if not necessarily with  
great precision, and have the required plotting tools. I still like to  
ponder over charts as I contemplate where I'm going next.

Second, some electronics gear is very reliable. Furuno (although not  
the new NavNet3D stuff) is great. Buy gear that has a good rep and has  
been on the market for three or more years without any major changes.  
NavNet2 was the answer for me. It just works.

Can't agree more on AP comment by Scott. Two completely independent  
systems. Hand-steering most trawlers in a decent seaway is extremely  
tiring, and I doubt even a couple who could share 50:50 could last  
more than a couple of days. You'd also have to steer to the waves, not  
the course you wanted, at least on most boats.

John


On Feb 20, 2009, at 7:54 AM, Scott E. Bulger wrote:

> Hi John, I respect your opinion, but have my reasons for redundancy.
>
>
>
> A.   I believe paper charts are a thing of the past.  There will be  
> no paper
> charts (perhaps a cruising guide or maptech chartkit) on my boats.   
> I would
> not have the perspective without having redundant chartplotters
>
> B.  50% of my rational for redundancy was associated with the  
> distances we
> were going.  I'd rather buy that PC chartplotter than pay $1,000 in  
> duty to
> have a failed Furuno chartplotter FedEXed to me in Panama.
>
> C.  Redundancy means you don't stop going if something breaks,  
> that's why
> they are redundant.
>
> D.  Electronics are so cheap now it's not like your spending a  
> fortune on
> the basics.
>
> E.  My bilge has 3 pumps.  I like that!
>
>
>
> Those that don't leave the dock have other reasons, the electronics  
> are
> simply an excuse.  When we were voyaging at night amongst coastal  
> islands,
> reefs and rocks, I felt it was a requirement to have two, completely
> independent and autonomous systems telling me where I am, where I'm  
> going
> and what the charts think are in front of me.  I also had the  
> ability to
> dedicate one system to RADAR and the other to chartplotting,  
> something I did
> more and more frequently as we traveled.  I know many, many Nordhavn  
> owners
> that operate their two radars on different scales, one at 3 or 6  
> miles and
> one at 1 or less.  This is really, really nice when your off the  
> coast of
> Mexico with all the pangas fishing at night.
>
>
>
> Finally the Autopilot.  A piece of advice I got from the PUP list  
> was to
> install a redundant AP because if my AP failed while we were in the  
> open
> ocean we would gladly write the check after three days of hand  
> steering.  As
> it turned out, that advice was so valuable, as we didn't know at the  
> time my
> wife would suffer as much from seasickness as she did.  As it was I  
> was on
> watch 95% of the time.  If we would have had to hand steer and I had  
> been in
> the open ocean, ug, the thought is enough to make me sick.  So, for  
> $3,000
> to add the second AP was a no brainer.  It also solved a major issue  
> with my
> boat.  By installing an AP that was handheld, I now no longer had to  
> stand
> at the wheel.  So the lack of a dedicated helm seat became a non  
> issue.  I'd
> say we did about 80% of the ICW under AP.  That was a pleasant  
> surprise for
> me.
>
>
>
> In summary, for me and our safety, as a husband and wife crew, I  
> added the
> things I felt were required to make the voyage as safe as I could.  In
> hindsight, about the only thing I would rethink would be the FLIR  
> camera.  I
> think I would opt for a much less expensive low light camera.  Every  
> other
> option was spot on!
>
>
>
> Scott E. Bulger
>
> (425)313-5922, home
>
> (425)922-1850, cell
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