What instruments are useful?

[Scott T-Bird]

NancyD that is pretty awesome and a great idea. It would be nice if it could communicate with my existing displays. The wind instument can communicate in NMEA 2000 or 0183 and the speed in NMEA 0183, whatever that means. I haven't bothered to see if the Datamarine speed could communicate with the Simrad wind to give me true wind speed and angle but I haven't really found it necessary.

I looked on Simrad to see if they have anything similar but their combo unit does not seem to be nearly as advanced. The AIS feature looks like it would be the icing on the cake. Not that I need it on Lake Hopatcong! And on my 27' boat, it all may be overkill. But maybe someday soon it would be useful ....

I like that you can make it an all-in-one display for all kinds of cool functions and still use the speed, depth and wind displays as I do now.

I didn't price that one out yet ... sounds expensive!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

JK, your suggestion is practical and a good idea. I have no use for VHF on Lake Hopatcong, but it will be needed in the future.

I love the way Shelby just has to hear the word 'boat' mentioned and she is at the door waiting to go. She doesn't need any encouragment, that's for sure. The folks at Lee's Park generally tolerate that I let her race down the pier to be the first one jumping on (when it's a quiet day and not many people around). She's like a black dart.

 

[Forrest15112]

It sounds like you don't really need any more data instruments. How about a beer tap?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Yeah, but how do you keep a crowd away from your boat? ...

 

[mcrow33]

You don't, you charge two bucks a glass and help pay for the slip.

 

[caguy]

Scotty, why not speakers? I installed a three inch water proof speaker on mine to fill the hole and it worked out well, except on the starboard side where the compass is located. Your compass on the pedestal is far enough away it will not be affected.
In regards to JK's concerns about turning down the radio to hear the VHS, my stereo has a mute wire that I believe senses the vhs speaker and will mute the radio when the VHS is running. I haven't hooked that feature up yet but it should work (another Xmas vacation project.)

 

[Bill Roosa]

A count down/up timer for racing???

 

[higgs]

I wonder what purpose a rudder angle indicator serves. It seems to me that one can tell by the king spoke on the wheel or by the tiller.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Thanks all ...

great suggestions ... beer tap it is. NOT! I would lean towards a performance related item for racing such as the clock Bill mentions except that for the time being, it would just be wishful thinking. We don't have any racing organization for cruising sailboats that I'm aware of. LHYC focuses strictly on one-designs. Sue is just not that interested either. I'll save the spot for future consideration.

 

[Stretch]

For the Wife;
Round mirror !
Beer holder

For Scott;
Level Gauge[is the boat heeling or is it just me?]
Engine temp or water temp.[or beer temp]
A Chicago Blackhawks sticker !
Cheers

 

[Bill Roosa]

Normally the rudder angle is an input for the autopilot so it can tell how it is doing when it moves the rudder and to provide a helmsman override feature so the AP knows when the helmsman has taken over in an emergency and should stop trying to con the boat.
I agree with you Higgs, a marker on the wheel at center and +- 3 degrees of rudder is much cheaper and does the same thing.