Old Gear & Misc

I Need Garmin Bluechart Bahamas DataCard

2011-12-02T02:36:15Z

We have a Garmin GPSMap 176C which has taken us from SW FL to Cartagena & back. Now we want to cruise the Exumas/Bahamas and find that we can't buy a Bahamas DataCard because Garmin stopped supporting the format. The GPS was fairly popular at the time, I'm hoping someone might have one they want to sell. I'm not looking for the combo DataCard with SE FL and the Bahamas, we have that one, but it's pretty general. I'm looking specifically for the Bahamas DataCard. Let me know if you have one you want to sell.

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong place to post this question. I checked earlier forum & blog posts but didn't see anything applicable.

Cheers! Jan

commutercruiser.com

Panbo Forum via IE

2011-07-27T18:10:00Z

I am having a problem viewing the forum using IE 8.0, had to switch to firefox. Anyone else experience the same ?

Portable generator not charging systems

2011-06-05T16:43:05Z

Hello all,

I have a brand new Honda EU2000i charger that I want to use as a charging generator while on the hook. I filled her up with oil and gas, plugged in the 30A shorepower cord that I had just disconnected from my dockside service and . . . . Nothing.

The "shorepower" indicator on my onboard panel did not light up like it does when connected to shorepower.
I tested the standard 110v outlets on the generator by plugging in a hairdryer. It worked fine. I did not have a way to test the 30A socket.
I've got a Xantrex Freedom Marine 25A charger and Link 1000 monitor. There was no indication of shore power on the monitor panel. The analog amperage gauge on my panel did not show any incoming charge.
I checked the breaker where my shorepower connection plugs into the boat and it was fine. I unplugged from the generator and back into dockside service and it was fine.

The rated output on the generator is around 16A. Is there a "minimum" current that is required to "trigger" the Xantrex and/or its monitor? Any suggestions? I must be missing something.

Replacing an RL70 radar/plotter?

2011-05-11T18:45:39Z

{This is from a sailor who watched my SevenSeas Radar webinar, and I'm posting it here because others may have suggestions -- Ben}

I have no experience with radar. My wife and I just purchased a 44' sailboat that has a Raymarine RL70 color chartplotter with radar with a radome. In watching your class, the ability to overlay the radar image on the chart seemed extraordinarily helpful. Also, the color return images looked great. We are planning to sail from the Chesapeake to Maine in August and then to the Caribbean in November. We are planning to add AIS, but in looking at the options we have found that it cannot be displayed on the RL70. We have given some thought to upgrading to something like the Raymarine C120W with digital radar which would allow us to overlay the radar, charts and AIS. I am hoping that you might give me your thoughts on this considering the total cost would be about $5,000 (ouch). Everything else on the boat is Raymarine. We have never sailed to Maine or on the open Ocean by ourselves although we have bareboated and sailed with others. The fog in Maine looks especially challenging. I have also consider the AIS watchmate or something to link AIS to an ipad or computer, but then I would have radar on a separate screen without a chart. Any thoughts you might care to share would be appreciated. I know sailors have lived without these tools for generations, but there is something to be said if the improvement in safety and lower anxiety would be significant.

-- Mark

Update: In playing with the RL70C plus, I did find where it does overlay the radar on the chart so I was wrong about that comment. To a novice, the RL70C radar looks pretty good and it's data is enlarged on my cockpit L1250 repeater. I am leaning toward just adding the AIS Watchmate which would give me a redundant GPS and send its AIS data to an ipad with a chart. I look forward to your response.

Hinckley Halo TV Antenna

2011-05-10T16:08:52Z

I'm installing an LCD TV on my boat 7 have heard about Hinckley Halo antennas, but can't find much info. From what I have been able to find out, they appear to be a 15' metal ring, maybe aluminum, mounted at the mast head. Any info on how to make , or where to buy one would be appreciated.

Difference between fresh and salt water

2011-05-02T20:04:29Z

Both my depthsounders, Raymarine tri-data, and Garmin 440s, are calibrated for salt water. Can anyone tell me if I need to add a correction factor if I am in fresh

Rick R

Skanti Service info

2011-03-20T22:19:57Z

I have an elderly Skanti TRP-2000-GB HF SSB transceiver. I am struggling to find a service manual or even a circuit diagram. The set was also sold under the Sailor and GE badges, amongst others, does anyone know the Sailor model number?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

John

jomac_uk@hotmail.com

2-Wire Transducers

2011-01-28T05:53:04Z

I have an Airmar B744V Triducer designed for Raymarine's A- and E-series displays and would like to connect it into an ST40/60+/70 (or anything else for that matter) instrument system. Trouble is, the speed sensor is 2-wire and most instruments and interfaces on the market today will accept 3-wire speed inputs only.

Anyone know a way to interface this transducer into an instrument system?? N2K, 0183, Raymarine, Garmin, Furuno.. not fussed - I just want it to work.

Thanks!

Sat Phones

2011-01-17T15:11:38Z

Any updates on the latest advice on satellite phones, preferred models, service experience, rates and charges?

inverter rf interference

2010-06-08T18:12:03Z

Your comments on hf radio inverter generated interference would be most appreciated.

On my 75 tonne steel bucket, I have an 32VDC 2500 Watt sealed Outback which performs flawlessly and silently.

On my Brewer 43 a Magnum 12VDC 2800+/- Watt (their largest) renders all HF communication impossible and will not start a 1/2HP holding plate hermetic fridge compressor (which the Outback starts, via extension cord, without a blink while running other systems as well).

Fortunately Tekris, the Magnum vendor, has offered a 100% refund.

Checking the web on ham radio, boating, and green energy sites I find contradictory and non conclusive (mis)information. The spec sheets tend to be misleading. What earthly good is a surge current rating limited to one millisecond? (Magnum).

My grandfater said that there were three kinds of liars -- liars, damned liars, and seed catalogues. To this I add a fourth category, electronics and computers.

My strong inclination is to try Outback based on my very limited experiences.

Thoughts?

Lenny has a mystery problem

2010-04-19T14:46:10Z

Has anyone ever heard of the very strange problem that Lenny Rudow just emailed to some of us so-called 'experts'?

"I have encountered a completely bizarre electrical/electronics problem on my boat which has left me scratching my head, and I'm hoping one of y'all will have some idea of what the heck is going on, and take a moment to help me out. When I turn on the battery switch which provides power to my fuse panel, anything which has a five-amp fuse is powerless. Everything with any other size fuse works just fine. If I remove the five amp fuse then plug it back in, the unit works. If I turn the battery switch off and back on after doing so, the units with five amp fuses are dead again... until I remove then replace the fuses. The fuses aren't blown and don't have to be switched, just pulled then reinserted. Units with three amp fuses work just fine. Units with 10 amp fuses work just fine. It's only those with five amp fuses. If I swap out a five amp for a 10 amp on any of these, the unit fires right up. Go back to five amps, and... you get the picture. This is a new one to me, and I'm about ready to rip out the whole dang fuse panel, rewire, and replace it. I'd go ahead and do it but at this point curiosity is driving me crazy... any ideas, guys?"

Measuring AC & DC leaks

2010-03-23T20:46:37Z

I was just asked how to measure if there's any AC or DC power leaking from a boat into salt water. Is it as easy as turning everything off, putting the negative side of a multimeter on the engine block with positive to a steel cable or chain overboard, then turning things on?

Garmin Ends CD-ROM Chart Updates

2010-03-13T04:52:12Z

On page 5 of Practical Sailor it says that Garmin CD ROM Chart Updates have ended.

Ouch? The Garmin 60C and GPSMAP 76CS maps cannot be updated, or is there some work around with other cartography? In addition to these almost like new handhelds being my backup (all three gps, route, and way points) they have been ideal when I charter boats that have no charplotters.

1) Some work around, perhaps also works with Garmin MapSource ?

2) Does Garmin offer free upgrade to the last version of now outdated cartography, so the 60C and 76CS is useful for some considerable additional period of time ?

Northstar 6000i problems

2010-03-09T07:05:28Z

Hi have a Northstar 6000i and upon powering up i have the following problems any help appreciated.

1/ Makes me enter the serial #everytime before doing checks?
2/ NG and NONVOL comes up failed test.Push clear to continue
3/ Wont save settings such as feet to meters and brightness control.

Otherwise works fine.

Northstar 6000i problems

2010-03-09T07:05:23Z

Hi have a Northstar 6000i and upon powering up i have the following problems any help appreciated.

1/ Makes me enter the serial #everytime before doing checks?
2/ NG and NONVOL comes up failed test.Push clear to continue
3/ Wont save settings such as feet to meters and brightness control.

Otherwise works fine.