[PUP] Redundancy (was Selen or Kadey Krogen)

[Ross Anderson]

Scott, John would chuckle if he saw all the redundancy I have including
two separate electronic charting programs with on board computers and laptop
back-up and the list goes on but having a drawer full of paper charts always
makes me feel a bit easier even though I haven't open the drawer much over
these past few years. It also gives the grandkids something to work with
instead of messing with the computers when I'm off watch. God Bless - Ross
10&2, (previous owner of the 2nd vhf that John tossed into the spare parts
bin. )

On Fri, Feb 20, 2009 at 10:54 AM, Scott E. Bulger <scottebulger at gmail.com>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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