I know a lot of the high-end electronics that are being presented here require power. Lot's of it. So every time I come across an article or how-to-guide helping you to make sure this power is available, I will post it here. BoatFix.com explains battery system wiring hookups. Next to that, there is also a Google Groups discussion on 'wiring questions.'
"Below you will find information on marine battery system wiring hookups. We do not claim to be experts in all fields. Nor can we promise to be correct on all issues. Nor can we address the content of these pages. But, I hope you will find this page useful. We want to thank the technical service department of Guest Corp., for their technical assistance with this page. We recommend that if you are not fluent with electrical systems, you get assistance from a trained individual."
A company called Marine Robotic Vessels (MRV) International has developed the Ghost Guard. This brilliantly named vessel (an Unmanned Surface Vessel or USV) uses some technologies that will hopefully be available to all of us very soon. It will give 'push-button sailing' a whole different meaning...
So what's next? The boating equivalent of DARPA's Grand Challenge for autonomous ground vehicles?
"Almost any hull can be configured by MRVI as a Ghost Guard� to function as an affordable method of mounting water-borne surveillance in all weathers and by day and night. The heart of the Ghost Guard system is MRVI's new generation software, which comprises remote command and control, navigation, route planning/re-planning, event and crisis management, full onboard diagnostics and dial-up diagnostics. COTS-sourced integrated systems, including camera and vision systems, will provide surveillance that could not be mounted in any other way. Using a launch and recovery system, Ghost Guard can be deployed, operated and recovered from vessels underway." Click here to download the Ghost Guard video (62MB, .avi).
Now here's a great way of generating electricity. Forget about solar, wind or generators. The waste you flush down the toilet could one day power your equipment on board. And...."even better, the device breaks down the harmful organic matter as it generates the electricity, so it does the job of a sewage-treatment plant at the same time. Penn State's microbial fuel cell (MFC) harnesses chemical techniques similar to those the body uses to break down food - but diverts the electrons liberated in the reactions to produce electrical energy."
But, don't get to enthousiastic to soon since this system would produce only 51 kilowatts on the waste from 100,000 people....
The BBC is running a story on the advances of in-car entertainment. It's not difficult to see how all of this can be applied to yachts as well. Especially the smaller, multi-cabin, boats will benefit from the economies of scale that are being realized in the automotive industry. It's not difficult, nor very expensive (Amazon), to create a personalized entertainment set-up in every cabin. And in the cockpit or saloon as well for that matter. In case you don't feel like any roof-mounted displays, why not use Sony's new wireless Air Board (LF-X1) which is for sale as of last Friday.
One other nice feature that is discussed by the BBC article is voice-control over all these entertainment devices. Again, the development in the automotive sector will create a precedent for yachting. Voice-control can not only be applied to entertainment, but to navigation as well, even more since PC technology is making a strong entry into the maritime environment.
"We're also building in 20GB hard drives Now you can take your home movies, and potentially other DVDS, record them onto a disc, record them onto a unit and keep them in the car. Now you don't actually have to bring in the DVD or the discs."
"A lot of it is voice-controlled and voice-interactive as well, the navigation systems, for example. But voice technology is far from perfect, and a screen can also be a life-saver. A rear view mirror can be connected to a video camera on the back bumper, or simply show an image of the backseat, obviously of potential use for baby monitoring."
This product has been around for a while, but you might have missed it. And that's a shame because keeping the boat free of barnacles and growth is typically a high-maintenance job requiring yearly haul-outs and headaches. And all you need to prevent this is a sound.
"Barnaclean utilizes electronic resonators that emit low-frequency sonic waves to create a micro-thin layer of rapidly moving water over the hull, drive system or running gear. This movement makes it difficult for fouling organisms to attach themselves. To further protect, the low frequency mimics a predatory sound, creating a hostile environment for foulants."
The Marine Maintenance Magazine features a how-to guide on keeping your drinks and food cold on board by correctly servicing your refrigerator. Lot's of tips and tricks that will save you money and frustration by preventing that things will fail to work...
"Most marine refrigeration systems are ignored until they fail. Provided foods remain cold and it's making ice, there's no great urgency for you to inspect the refrigeration system when there are so many other maintenance jobs calling your attention. Often systems are buried in a locker or under a berth - "out of sight, out of mind." The day will arrive, probably during a heat wave, when you open the icebox lid and are greeted with the nauseating smell of spoiled food. This might have been prevented had you added refrigeration to your maintenance log."
We talk a lot about wireless communications on board, but let's also look at some of the other cords that can be removed. Start with the vacuum cleaner.
"Take a cord out of your boating life with DeWalt's DC500. The cordless/corded DC500 is a fully-loaded vacuum cleaner designed for industrial-strength jobs. It can run on optional 12-, 14.4- or 18-volt batteries, and is compact enough to use around those hard-to-reach spots on-deck. The DC500 handles heavy-duty debris with its 2-gallon filter"
LED lights are making an entrance everywhere, replacing 'traditional' lighting technologies. They have many advantages, that can be even more relevant with boating requirements in mind.
"LEDs create powerful illumination using very small amounts of energy, and last much longer than standard bulbs. Innovative Lighting harnesses this power in its new line of Two-Mile LED Navigation Sidelights, rated for powerboats up to 65.6'. Innovative Lighting's LED Combination Deck Mount, Sidelight Deck Mount and Vertical Mount Sidelights operate using a 9-16 volt DC system and provide 50,000 hours of service life. The combination unit uses just 1 watt of energy, while the single sidelights use only 1/2-watt."
How often did you have a bad night of sleep because you were worried about your whether or not your anchor would stay in position? After finding that ideal spot, a boater just wants to drop the anchor and forget about it. Deep Blue Marine's Anchor Alert, engineered by Ascend Marine, offers boaters peace of mind through a new wireless anchor monitoring system.
"Unlike GPS units that can sound annoying false alarms from boat swing, Anchor Alert only signals a warning if the anchor moves. A GPS system sounds an anchor alarm if a boat travels farther than a specified distance. To avoid recurring false alarms, boaters often have to adjust this setting every few hours due to wind or tide changes. The only way to accurately gauge anchor movement is by attaching a movement detection device, such as Anchor Alert's transponder, to the anchor point."
A BoatOhio reader (Don Hagan) recently discovered that the answer to boating problems is not always found in electronics...
"OK, I admit it.... I am a gadget junkie. I purchase Palm Pilots, a new cell phone each year, laptops, stereos, digital cameras, watches... anything new and improved. When I bought my Siren 17 sailboat, I had a new and wonderful reason to purchase gadgets. Stereo system, trolling motor, electrical panel; the one item I really wanted was a knotmeter, so that I can tell how good (or lousy) a sailor I am becoming. A search of the available products left me confused and concerned. Most of the electronic knotmeters required "through-the hull" transducers. To me, this meant a hole in the hull, and a possible leak! What's a gadget guy to do?"
I know a lot of the high-end electronics that are being presented here require power. Lot's of it. So every time I come across an article or how-to-guide helping you to make sure this power is available, I will post it here. BoatFix.com explains battery system wiring hookups. Next to that, there is also a Google Groups discussion on 'wiring questions.'
A company called Marine Robotic Vessels (MRV) International has 
"Almost any hull can be configured by MRVI as a Ghost Guard� to function as an affordable method of mounting water-borne surveillance in all weathers and by day and night. The heart of the Ghost Guard system is MRVI's new generation software, which comprises remote command and control, navigation, route planning/re-planning, event and crisis management, full onboard diagnostics and dial-up diagnostics. COTS-sourced integrated systems, including camera and vision systems, will provide surveillance that could not be mounted in any other way. Using a launch and recovery system, Ghost Guard can be deployed, operated and recovered from vessels underway." Click 
Now here's a great way of generating electricity. Forget about solar, wind or generators. The waste you flush down the toilet could one day power your equipment on board. And...."even better, the device breaks down the harmful organic matter as it generates the electricity, so it does the job of a sewage-treatment plant at the same time. Penn State's microbial fuel cell (MFC) harnesses chemical techniques similar to those the body uses to break down food - but diverts the electrons liberated in the reactions to produce electrical energy."
One other nice feature that is discussed by the BBC article is voice-control over all these entertainment devices. Again, the development in the automotive sector will create a precedent for yachting. Voice-control can not only be applied to entertainment, but to navigation as well, even more since PC technology is making a strong entry into the maritime environment.
This product has been around for a while, but you might have missed it. And that's a shame because keeping the boat free of barnacles and growth is typically a 
The Marine Maintenance Magazine 
We talk a lot about wireless communications on board, but let's also look at some of the other cords that can be removed. 
LED lights are making an 
How often did you have a bad night of sleep because you were worried about your whether or not your anchor would stay in position? After finding that ideal spot, a boater just wants to drop the anchor and forget about it. Deep Blue Marine's Anchor Alert, engineered by Ascend Marine, offers boaters peace of mind through a new wireless anchor 
"OK, I admit it.... I am a gadget junkie. I purchase Palm Pilots, a new cell phone each year, laptops, stereos, digital cameras, watches... anything new and improved. When I bought my Siren 17 sailboat, I had a new and wonderful reason to purchase gadgets. Stereo system, trolling motor, electrical panel; the one item I really wanted was a knotmeter, so that I can tell how good (or lousy) a sailor I am becoming. A search of the available products left me confused and concerned. Most of the electronic knotmeters required "through-the hull" transducers. To me, this meant a hole in the hull, and a possible leak! What's a gadget guy to do?"