Marine Electronics

The storage battery’s chemical reaction is reversible, which means that it can be recharged, and will be continuously, as long as the engine is running and the alternator or generator is functioning properly. Normally, we take these things for granted, and are surprised when they don’t work-a testament to the reliability of the devices.

Every year, a surprising number of boats are struck by lightning. Almost invariably, there is some damage to the boat or its equipment. The damage can range from minor electrical problems to serious hull damage.

The storage battery’s chemical reaction is reversible, which means that it can be recharged, and will be continuously, as long as the engine is running and the alternator or generator is functioning properly. Normally, we take these things for granted, and are surprised when they don’t work-a testament to the reliability of the devices.

Beyond the text and photos contained in a sailboat manufacturing company’s brochures, and the words of a dealer or salesperson, and absent an understanding of yacht design, discerning the actual capabilities of today’s production boats is a major task. Gone are the days of Herreschoff et. al., when the conventional wisdom held that a long, deep keel was the best method of producing good tracking, displacement produced a seakindly ride, and performance (straightforward speed) was a simple matter of adding sail area. Prior to the age of fiberglass, most yachts used similar raw materials (wood and metal), and construction methods, so those variables were not generally a consideration.

The systems used to attach a mainsail to its mast have come a long way since the time of hoops and parrels, and the variety of options now available for retrofitting plays to the advantage of the consumer.

If the weather this time of the year is cold enough for you to give up sailing for a few months and curl up in a warm place, there’s a good chance that the electronic equipment on your boat would appreciate a little of the same treatment. A little extra care when the weather is cold can add considerably to the useful life of most electronics. Unless a piece of gear is totally sealed against the environment, the atmosphere on the inside of the unit will be pretty much the same as the atmosphere on the inside of the rest of the boat. In the middle of winter, this can mean a lot of cold and condensation. Needless to say, condensation on the inside of your delicate electronics is not the best atmosphere for long life.

If the weather this time of the year is cold enough for you to give up sailing for a few months and curl up in a warm place, there’s a good chance that the electronic equipment on your boat would appreciate a little of the same treatment. A little extra care when the weather is cold can add considerably to the useful life of most electronics. Unless a piece of gear is totally sealed against the environment, the atmosphere on the inside of the unit will be pretty much the same as the atmosphere on the inside of the rest of the boat. In the middle of winter, this can mean a lot of cold and condensation. Needless to say, condensation on the inside of your delicate electronics is not the best atmosphere for long life.

While the wireless trend has eliminated some wires, we’re still stuck with plenty of copper poking through our decks. For those of us installing new external Wi-Fi antennas or simply tired of replacing our VHF coaxial every three years because it chafes at the lousy deck fitting that came with the boat, the British hardware manufacturer Scanstrut has introduced a new waterproof deck seal. PS installed a stainless-steel version at the bottom of a test tank filled with water. Nary a drop leaked through.

Practical Sailor contributor and bluewater cruiser Joe Minick details the benefits of an onboard Wi-Fi computer network on a cruising boat, and explains the easy DIY setup that connects multiple electronics to the Internet via a client router. Beyond the usual benefits, one that is particularly useful to sailors is that an onboard network allows networked devices to share GPS, NMEA instrument information and other navigation data using software like GPSGate from Franson Technology and Handheld for Mariners. Minick used the Engenius EOC2610 from Keenan Systems and the D-Link DWL G700AP in his setup, which has served his crew well as they cruise the Med. The ethernet-based system is similar to the the Bullit2 systems PS tested from Bitstorm and Wave Wi-Fi.

As a publication that strives to give readers a thorough look at similar items competing in the marketplace, Practical Sailor's long-term testing is vital to determining product durability. Over the years, weve found various ways to update our views. Occasionally run a column called Gear Graveyard, and once in a while, we just round up products that have or havent stood the test of time. This is one of those roundups. All of the items mentioned are, or have been, in use aboard either a 26-foot biodiesel-powered inboard powerboat or a 32-foot Union cutter test boat. They are among quite a few items aboard that undergo testing and abuse, formal and informal, intentional and unintentional. The 10 items included in this report are the Plastimo flexible water tank, Seoladair Easystow inflatable fender, Garmin GPSMap 545s chartplotter, Coleman thermo-electric cooler, Jabsco oil changer, ACR Firefly 2 strobe light, Force 10 Seacook single-burner propane stive, FilterBoss, Aere inflatable fender, Boatsense systems alarm.