Let's spend $960 on electronics

rpwillia · Apr 1, 2010

Get a combo unit

You need depth, speed, ... Get a Humminbird 383 or a Garmin 440 or one of those that has a fish finding function along with a chartplotter (GPS is part of that). Then you have it all in one package.

catsailor · Apr 1, 2010

I had a Stiletto 27 - similar draft - and I would save the money.

zjtr10 said:
Hello everyone. I'm a newbie that bought a Mac 26S that has no working instruments. I had an unexpected windfall of $960 cash last week and would like your input on which instruments are needed for day sailing and later some gulf coast overnight trips. I have a handheld VHF radio and a mounted VHF radio inside the cabin so let's assume I have a least 1 working radio.

I think I need a depth gauge, speedometer, GPS and ??? I don't need the top of the line stuff but lets go for something nice that will last a few years and not give me lots of grief.

I do automation and electrical work for a living so the installation should not be a problem.
I just don't know what's needed or what's junk. Warm weather is finally showing up here in West Texas so I am ready to get this show on the road with your input.

Looking forward to your thoughts and advice.

A hand-held GPS with a nice bracket will give you speed, location and adequate charts, and depth you don't need. If you do want depth, I went with a simple fish finder - I like them better anyway. Your nav needs simply aren't those of a larger boat.

I seldom turned them on day sailing; I only used the sounder when I was checking inlets for my guidebook project and mostly used the GPS at night.

Save the $$$ for something more important or a future boat. A simple tiller pilot would be a much more useful toy - I used that every time I single-handed, which was often.

Just an opinion.

Ross · Apr 1, 2010

Re: I had a Stiletto 27 - similar draft - and I would save the money.

Maybe a magnetic compass?

Ray Bowles · Apr 1, 2010

I agree with "catsailor"

I trailer sail boats in the same size range of yours. Depth isn't as important as on bigger boats as you know when you are in the shallows. That is usually the nature of trailer sailing. A GPS (handheld) will give you all you need unless you are racing. Then a good large knot meter and good large compass are nice.
The GPS and holder will take care of your needs and leave some for dock lines, sheaves, shackles and can holders.

RECESS · Apr 1, 2010

Delete post, I was thinking of the wrong Odessa.

David in Sandusky · Apr 2, 2010

Handheld GPS & depth guage

That all we have on our 27 footer. Depth because there are nasty rocks that can gouge your hull at any depth, and it's good to know an accurate depth when anchoring. Also, there are times navigating around a point when it's better to follow a line of depth than a GPS course between waypoints. I'd make the GPS a hand-held color charting model to take best advantage of the technology.

catsailor · Apr 2, 2010

And of course, what Ross said.

Ross said:
Maybe a magnetic compass?

Just assumed that.

catsailor · Apr 2, 2010

You're right about rocks of course...

David in Sandusky said:
That all we have on our 27 footer. Depth because there are nasty rocks that can gouge your hull at any depth, and it's good to know an accurate depth when anchoring. Also, there are times navigating around a point when it's better to follow a line of depth than a GPS course between waypoints. I'd make the GPS a hand-held color charting model to take best advantage of the technology.

... but along the Gulf coast we are talking bottomless mud, like the Chesapeake, I think.

For anchoring, my usual depth gauge was my boat hook. Actually, really thin water has other tells (color, shape of waves, configuration of shoreline) and I seldom needed to check.

seadaddler · Apr 2, 2010

What Model Handhelded

What model and to be honest depth is always good to have,the rest the handheld will give you everything else.
I would wait and do some sailing and use your boat for awhile than you will find out what you really wish you had on the boat.
You seem to have the important stuff.
Nick

Brian Schwerdt · Apr 2, 2010

seadaddler said:
I would wait and do some sailing and use your boat for awhile than you will find out what you really wish you had on the boat.

I second this. I made the mistake of going out and buying all sorts of goodies last year for my boat, before even sailing it. Half that stuff is still in my garage, while I had to go out and buy things I hadn't thought of.

Go, sail and enjoy your boat. You'll know what you really need.

Bill Roosa · Apr 2, 2010

Decisions, decisions!

Gosh, If I was trying to do those kinds of things in a boat like that I'd be spending my money on paper nav charts (required by the USCG BTW), a windex, The Annapolis book of Seamanship (so I can read the navigational marks and lights shown on the charts I just bought and the ships lights so I don't have a collision at night), and ground tackle (don't know if you are set up in that area or not)
The USCG will insist that you have paper charts unless you have an certified(system and installation) navigation computer (big bucks, you are not going to have one). I would note that the round the world racers take numerous GPS units with them when they go. They usually show up with no working GPS at the end of the trip. Nuf said

FWIW, my advice to the neophite sailor
learn how to navigate without GPS both day and night. Learn how to set the sails with only a windex/tell-tails. Invest in safety stuff first then the nice to have stuff. The charts, compass, engine, ground tackle, standing and running rigging, PDF/harness/tether/jack lines, VHF, safety signals, and sails are much more important than GPS, depth, wind instriments, chart plotters, bimini, cooking gear, or a bigger head.
Ground tackle will allow you to sleep at night. There is nothing more stress inducing than a dragging anchor on a lee shore. Course you will have a story to tell afterward.

catsailor · Apr 2, 2010

Smart guy! Since I started sailing before these things...

Bill Roosa said:
Gosh, If I was trying to do those kinds of things in a boat like that I'd be spending my money on paper nav charts (required by the USCG BTW), a windex, The Annapolis book of Seamanship (so I can read the navigational marks and lights shown on the charts I just bought and the ships lights so I don't have a collision at night), and ground tackle (don't know if you are set up in that area or not)
The USCG will insist that you have paper charts unless you have an certified(system and installation) navigation computer (big bucks, you are not going to have one). I would note that the round the world racers take numerous GPS units with them when they go. They usually show up with no working GPS at the end of the trip. Nuf said

FWIW, my advice to the neophite sailor
learn how to navigate without GPS both day and night. Learn how to set the sails with only a windex/tell-tails. Invest in safety stuff first then the nice to have stuff. The charts, compass, engine, ground tackle, standing and running rigging, PDF/harness/tether/jack lines, VHF, safety signals, and sails are much more important than GPS, depth, wind instriments, chart plotters, bimini, cooking gear, or a bigger head.
Ground tackle will allow you to sleep at night. There is nothing more stress inducing than a dragging anchor on a lee shore. Course you will have a story to tell afterward.

were invented (or common), I don't miss them. Even if he is from "Herrington Harbour", just off Herring Bay

. Just teasing - I'm just up the creek.

txtowman · Apr 2, 2010

welcome to the world of sailing.
every lake I go to has a shallow spot.

lake brownwood - sunken island and a rock in goat island pass. NOTE: 35' mast height limit on brownwood. there is a power line across a main channel
lake possum kingdom - shallow spot around every bend
lake belton - sunken road

now lets talk clear lake, galveston bay

clear lake is only 4 feet deep in many places, as shallow as 3 feet in others

galveston bay has some shallow spots too.

this being said they are all fantastic areas for sailing.

If I remember correctly your draft is 15 inches with your centerboard up, and 6'5" with it down.

let me know when your going to any of these areas I would love to have another boat around.

Sid

Ross · Apr 2, 2010

txtowman said:
welcome to the world of sailing.
every lake I go to has a shallow spot.

lake brownwood - sunken island and a rock in goat island pass. NOTE: 35' mast height limit on brownwood. there is a power line across a main channel
lake possum kingdom - shallow spot around every bend
lake belton - sunken road

now lets talk clear lake, galveston bay

clear lake is only 4 feet deep in many places, as shallow as 3 feet in others

galveston bay has some shallow spots too.

this being said they are all fantastic areas for sailing.

If I remember correctly your draft is 15 inches with your centerboard up, and 6'5" with it down.

let me know when your going to any of these areas I would love to have another boat around.

Sid

I consider a fish finder/depth sounder essential equipment on the chesapeake bay. My slip has 7 feet mean low water, 200 feet west the water is 60 feet deep, 800 feet west it is shoal with vegatation showing at low tide. 1500 feet west it is 30 feet deep for a quarter mile. I like to anchor in about ten feet at low tide but there are places where a hundred feet of rode wouldn't put the anchor on the bottom. There are bars to extend 2-3 miles from land with 15-50 feet of water on each side of them . Running onto the bottom on the chesapeake is part of sailing on the chesapeake.

Tom Spohn · Apr 2, 2010

I had two Macs in the past. The best setup was a small Garmin hooked up to a paddle wheel off the transom for speed and a depth sounder mounted in the bilge between the balast tanks. I used a simple wind vane for apparent wind direction but missed not having wind speed indicated. Had I kept the boat I would have added a small radar as it gets very foggy up here--especially in the shipping lanes!

Sumner · Apr 2, 2010

txtowman said:
...........If I remember correctly your draft is 15 inches with your centerboard up, and 6'5" with it down........Sid

We just started sailing last year and were on very deep lakes, but they do tend to still get shallow near shore

and we did still manage to hit bottom a couple times. The Mac does have a 6 foot draft with the board down and it will swing up if you hit something (the S will), but still it is really nice to know the depth and like was mentioned it sure helps while anchoring. We wouldn't want to be without the depth finder especially since you will probably be sailing in thinner water than the bigger boats. The Mac will float in 15 inches of water, but you still need the board down a little to maneuver especially if using the outboard.

You can get just a depth finder like the.......

.... Humminbird 170 for under $100. It won't have speed, but your GPS will. I'd buy a used Garmin Map 76S. We just got one off of e-bay for a backup of our other one for $85 and it appears new. So now we are at about $200. Buy the paper charts for your area.

This will give you depth, location and speed (GPS). Then as the others said, sail and see what else you really need.

If you are going to anchor out nights spend the money on good anchor gear. We now have the Danforth that came with the boat, a Fortress FX-11, a 22 lb. claw anchor and now a 25 lb. Manson Supreme. Our rodes are 30 feet of chain and good 3 twist line. We anchor every night and these items are one of the most important items on the boat. Might be a good place to put some of that money if you plan on much anchoring and or anchoring at all as it only takes one bad night to be devastating.

Good luck and have fun with the Mac, we love ours,

Sum

Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID

Our Mac Pages

Mac Links

Sumner · Apr 2, 2010

One thing I would add is if you have channels and such to deal with download either SeaClear II or Open CPN (both free) and the free NOAA charts for your area. Plan some routes in and out and download the waypoints into the hand held GPS and then when out sail or motor from waypoint to waypoint using the GPS and then the printed charts once out.

Once you've sailed some you can decide if you need a better chartplotter and you will still have the Map76 for a backup (good idea).

Sum

ndaoway · Apr 3, 2010

It all depends on where you sail and what kind of sailing you do. In my trailer sailer on the inland lake, the only thing I need is some kind of speed indicator--GPS. Of course, that is not really necessary, just nice. On our cruiser, in which we do coastal cruising and spend time in the Bahamas, some kind of depth sounder is crucial. The first couple of years, we made do with a hand held GPS for speed and location. That is certainly adequate when used in conjunction with paper charts. Now, the Garmin chartplotter, interfaced with a depth sounder is the cat's meow.