Todd Huss wrote me an email about a new product he is developing, allowing secure wireless access to navigation information anywhere on a boat. He warns me not to expect it to be cheap at launch, but have a look for yourself at their website.
"The Marine Wireless Navigation Server enables secure wireless access (802.11b 128bit WEP encryption) to navigation information anywhere on a vessel. Any number of navigation clients (handhelds, laptops, weatherproof tablet PC's) can wirelessly access data from Seatalk or NMEA enabled navigation devices such as GPS, radar, wind, depth, autopilot, and speed. Using the included virtual serial port software will enable your existing navigation applications (e.g. The Capn, Nobeltec, Raytech Navigator, SeaClear, etc...) to work wirelessly so you can navigate from the nav station, your bunk, or in the cockpit!"
Someone on Yahoo Group's World-Cruising mailing-list asked whether it is really necessary to have a 'marine grade' car stereo. Here are some of the replies to that question.
S/V Aquarius says: "we have a 40 footer that we cruise 24/7. Bought a Pioneer car stereo (XM ready) from Crutchfield with no external or added amp (draws too much power). Have ADS bookshelf speakers (great sound) that have been on board 15 years and still going strong...five years on another boat before that."
David B adds to that: "the real problem is with speakers. It's worth getting some marinized speakers (if you're putting speakers in the cockpit)....and to install them so you can screw in a deckplate or cover when the spray starts to fly, not to mention getting pooped or something. Speaker holes are very big and can let in a lot of water!"
And, again, Mike from S/V Aquarius sums it up: "in my estimation, marine stereos for cruisers are either overkill or a marketing triumph over technology!"
Oh, and Bryan Genez makes a comment that I have seen many times before: "FWIW, I installed a new stereo last year because I wanted satellite radio capability. I've since subscribed to Sirius, and am delighted. Almost completely eliminates the need for CDs."
New marine communications methods allow for new life styles. Here is a perfect example of that. Jonathan Selby is sailing the world over, sometimes single-handedly, but still is an active co-owner of Xaxero Marine Software.
"Today we sailed through the mind-bending Lemaire Channel that separates Booth Island from the Antarctic Peninsula. The staggering, crazy shapes of beached icebergs dominate the landscape, and the particularly nasty email I got from a disgruntled customer fades to insignificance. Working out of a briefcase is the norm for many of us, but the freedom of modern communications allows us to take this to extremes � in my case, to the limits of where cruising is possible and the Antarctic Peninsula."
The DIY newsletter (free subscription) helps you make sure your AC will work once the summer starts...
"Spring weather in many regions may not require the use of your boat's air conditioning unit but by mid-summer you'll be glad you have this amenity. An hour spent maintaining the AC now will ensure it pumps out cold air when needed. Check your service manual and follow the procedures below."
Good question posed to Ben Ellison for his monthly Q&A session on marine electronics. I too wish the answer could be different...
"I�m starting to spec a 45-foot custom boat and want it to have a �future-proof� electronics networking backbone. Should I go with NMEA 2000 or Ethernet?"... ...As we say in Maine, �You can�t get there from here!� The confusing truth is that a single, universal networking protocol and hardware standard for marine electronics has not yet appeared and probably never will."
An article on TeleSea, the company that provides Wi-Fi within 30 miles of the (US) coast. Still pretty expensive I must say, and it's primarily being used by commercial ships at this moment. But expect prices to drop so we can all use our Vonage subscription 30 miles offshore...
"For a one-time installation cost of $7500 and $500 per month, TeleSea installs an omnidirectional antenna and transmitter relay node onto a boat and provides Internet access via the company's wireless network along the coast. The relay node turns the boat into a floating Wi-Fi hot spot, so no additional wiring is necessary. With an additional piece of hardware, Wheat's system also has the capability to forward voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone calls onto the telephone network."
Good article by Ben Ellison on "how the mess of gadgets and wires pictured above is actually one sensible system for getting the most out of marine cellular." In this June 2004 column for Power & Motoryacht he talks about the actual performance of gear from, a.o., CellSocket, Shakespeare and Digital Antenna.
"I can tell you that Digital�s gear really works. I often saw 5- to 10-dBm improvements just by attaching my phone to the antenna, another 10 to 15 by adding the amplifier, which also seemed to flatten signal fluctuations. I was the strange guy repeatedly calling my own office answering machine from the boat (and pickup truck, as I also had a 3-dB car antenna) last season. I�d find a marginal reception area and then place separate calls with the cell alone and with the bidirectional booster attached. I could hear the difference both ways, first in my machine�s outgoing message and then when I got home on the messages I left."
Ocean Navigator has a very short, but also very positive, review of a book called 'HF Radio E-Mail for 'Idi-Yachts'', written by Marti Brown. It's a guide for setting up and using wireless e-mail through ham/marine SSB radio.
"The book offers the information simply, assumes limited knowledge on the part of the reader without being overly simplistic. Chapters include discussion of HF equipment, both ham and single-sideband radios and modem choices; rigging an HF radio in a sailboat; a discussion of various service providers and their offerings; a valuable chapter that describes how to make all your communications gear work together; and discussions on HF operation. The book�s CD-ROM includes related articles, software programs and samples of data sounds encountered in HF comms."
Humminbird's SmartCast Fish Finder Watch has been out for a while, and I've written about it before. But here is another link to it since a new weblog called Wrist Dreams has found out about it as well. They also highlight some other watches for marine use.
"The sensor reads water depth up to 100' with a 90� sonar beam to find the sport where fish hide. All controls are operated from the one-touch wrist unit, including the fish proximity alarm, sensitivity level, depth range, and fish identifier. The remote sensor provides 400 hours of continuous usage, and automatically shuts off after it is removed from water to conserve battery life." (Humminbird's Smartcast at Amazon.com)
MotorBoating has a short review on ComNav's new small-boat autopilot. Read about it here.
"ComNav has introduced a small-boat autopilot that delivers features found on its larger units. Compatible with NAV interface input and NMEA 0183 heading output data, the new ComNav 1500 Autopilot�s drive draws a maximum of 25 amps. Its easy-to-read, five-button control head has a high-contrast LCD display, measures 4.3" x 4.3" x 1" and has adjustable backlighting."
Todd Huss wrote me an email about a new product he is developing, allowing secure wireless access to navigation information anywhere on a boat. He warns me not to expect it to be cheap at launch, but have a look for yourself at their website.
Someone on Yahoo Group's 
David B adds to that: "the real problem is with speakers. It's worth getting some marinized speakers (if you're putting speakers in the cockpit)....and to install them so you can screw in a deckplate or cover when the spray starts to fly, not to mention getting pooped or something. Speaker holes are very big and can let in a lot of water!"
"Today we sailed through the mind-bending Lemaire Channel that separates Booth Island from the Antarctic Peninsula. The staggering, crazy shapes of beached icebergs dominate the landscape, and the particularly nasty email I got from a disgruntled customer fades to insignificance. Working out of a briefcase is the norm for many of us, but the freedom of modern communications allows us to take this to extremes � in my case, to the limits of where cruising is possible and the Antarctic Peninsula."
The 
"I�m starting to spec a 45-foot custom boat and want it to have a �future-proof� electronics networking backbone. Should I go with NMEA 2000 or Ethernet?"... ...As we say in Maine, �You can�t get there from here!� The confusing truth is that a single, universal networking protocol and hardware standard for marine electronics has not yet appeared and probably never will."
An 
"I can tell you that Digital�s gear really works. I often saw 5- to 10-dBm improvements just by attaching my phone to the antenna, another 10 to 15 by adding the amplifier, which also seemed to flatten signal fluctuations. I was the strange guy repeatedly calling my own office answering machine from the boat (and pickup truck, as I also had a 3-dB car antenna) last season. I�d find a marginal reception area and then place separate calls with the cell alone and with the bidirectional booster attached. I could hear the difference both ways, first in my machine�s outgoing message and then when I got home on the messages I left."
Ocean Navigator has a very short, but also very positive, 
Humminbird's SmartCast Fish Finder Watch has been out for a while, and I've written about it 
MotorBoating has a short review on ComNav's new small-boat autopilot. Read about it