Market research: What would you want?

[rgranger]

Access to bridge clearance, some key navigation aides when entering unfamiliar ports. Maybe AIS alerts or switching screens with a vest mounted remote control. Programmable watch rotation alarms.

 

[tfox2069]

Interesting question. I guess I'm wondering what the value of a display with its own sensors would be when most/all of that data is already being output by other sensors on the boat? Seems like unnecessary duplication - and cost. School me though - what's the thought process there?

Auto polars would SERIOUSLY make me consider buying it.

As for the display, I like the organization Davidasailor26 applied. I'll leave off racing since I don't participate in that activity and have no informed opinion there. I'm thinking through what information I most often need when looking forward - since you specified the display location as near the base of the mast. It is an area that gets an awful lot of stare time - especially in tense moments. I'd definitely want to be able to configure the display to repeat data already in the boat network for different situations, so configurability would be important (single function displays are an anachronism at this point). I also like a display that can flash between at least two different sets of information alternately if desired - this helps with clutter (too much info on the display at one time that verges on too small to read):

1. Cruising in open area
- Depth with trend arrow (e.g. is it shallowing or getting deeper)
------------
- SOG
- STW
--------------
- COG
- Steer + distance to course
- VMG
----------------
- TWS
- TWD
-----------------
- AIS
- CPA of nearest vessel

2. Cruising in "restricted" area (e.g. channel)
- Depth with trend arrow (e.g. is it shallowing or getting deeper)
------------
- SOG
- STW
--------------
- COG
- Steer + distance to course
----------------
- TWS
- TWD

3. Anchorage
- TWS
- TWD
- Configurable alarm for significant wind increase over time?
--------------------
- Swing in 2 dimensions w/configurable alarms
- Port/Stbd from set point (e.g. am I about to pull my anchor out due to a wind shift or sailing at anchor)
- Aft of set point (e.g. am I dragging anchor)

 

[rgranger]

Interesting question. I guess I'm wondering what the value of a display with its own sensors would be when most/all of that data is already being output by other sensors on the boat? Seems like unnecessary duplication - and cost. School me though - what's the thought process there?

Auto polars would SERIOUSLY make me consider buying it.

As for the display, I like the organization Davidasailor26 applied. I'll leave off racing since I don't participate in that activity and have no informed opinion there. I'm thinking through what information I most often need when looking forward - since you specified the display location as near the base of the mast. It is an area that gets an awful lot of stare time - especially in tense moments. I'd definitely want to be able to configure the display to repeat data already in the boat network for different situations, so configurability would be important (single function displays are an anachronism at this point). I also like a display that can flash between at least two different sets of information alternately if desired - this helps with clutter (too much info on the display at one time that verges on too small to read):

1. Cruising in open area
- Depth with trend arrow (e.g. is it shallowing or getting deeper)


2. Cruising in "restricted" area (e.g. channel)
- Depth with trend arrow (e.g. is it shallowing or getting deeper)

Yeah! This is what I was attempting (but maybe failed) to get at with my idea to have depth alarms that are color coded by weather or not you are heading "uphill" or "downhill" relative to the bottom. But a simple trend line "arrow" would probably be better and easier to understand and maybe even provide positional information if you have a sonar chart. Maybe the arrow could have multiple positions to indicate the rate of change of the depth.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Also, while anchored - Show distance the boat has drifted from the point where I first anchored. And flash/alarm if distance exceeds a threshold. Maybe automatically adjust the threshold based on changes in wind direction.

 

[capta]

I've not seen the mast displays on any cruising boats, but they are on almost every serious racing boat I've seen. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I always thought they were for the trimmers rather than the helmsman, who should have a good MFD at the helm. In that case, I'd ask my trimmers what they'd like to see on the mast displays.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I'd like it to say "NO WAKE *******!!" for all those inconsiderate motor boaters

 

[rgranger]

I'd like it to say "NO WAKE *******!!" for all those inconsiderate motor boaters

Yeah... the guy who runs right up to your boat to tell you how beautiful your boat is... then cuts in front of your bow. That Guy! He is my favorite.