[C320-list] EV-100 install on early 320

[Bruce Heyman]

Hi Jack,
You are so right!  On our tall ships it is not unheard of for the displays to fail. Thankfully we have one in the nav and one at the helm.  In the future we are looking forward to having access to everything via onboard wireless networks.   
On our 320 I still have a couple of Garman 48s in the Nav along with a ton of AAA batteries, just in case.
I was on a zoom call Saturday morning with the Captain of a USCG 82' cutter and we got to discussing nautical charts.   She said while they still have them aboard, the USCG is clearly moving towards eliminating the requirement to carrying them aboard.   She didn't know when it would happen and expressed the opinion that she still likes keeping them updated during a mission as it is very easy to come on watch and come up to speed quickly by looking at the plots on the paper charts.
Bruce
Somerset, San Pedro (Port of Los Angeles)
PS.  My yarn on the shroud routinely catastrophically fails and needs to be replaced!

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Jack Brennan
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 10:28 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] EV-100 install on early 320

One thing to keep in mind when you’re putting together an array of instruments is that each system should be able to operate independently.

The networked multi-function devices being sold by Raymarine and others are cool in that you can operate everything from one screen. But, if you do so, what happens when that screen or the network fails? Suddenly, you don’t have anything – depth, autopilot, wind or chart plotter.

I have separate displays and wiring for my depth sounder and autopilot. My wind instruments are invulnerable – pieces of yarn tied to the shrouds! My chart plotter is OpenCPN on a tablet with a waterproof case if needed. 

The tablet  is locked into a mount that clamps onto the helm and plugs into a USB port. It can continue working for six or eight hours even if the entire electrical system goes down.

Another plus for OpenCPN is that it never goes obsolete. All of us have had bad experiences with instruments going out of production and losing support, making that expensive chart plotter or whatever essentially useless. With OpenCPN, you just download the latest charts from NOAA for free.

Not particularly high tech or state of the art, but it works and greatly reduces the possibility of suddenly going electronically blind. 

Jack Brennan
Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.


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