Motor Boating Magazine takes a look at one of the ships participating in the Nordhavn Atlantic Rally, a high-seas adventure from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., to Gibraltar. There's a lot of electronics stuff on board this ship... Here are some of the highlights:
-�It�s the autopilot that�s the most important thing,� he says. And for autopilots, Kinney selected two Furuno NavPilot 500s and added a SC 60 GPS satellite compass."
-"The first display supports Furuno�s 1953C chartplotter with a powerful 12-kW radar for 72-mile range and 1.2-degree horizontal beam width for accurate target separation."
-"The second chartplotter, an 1833C, uses a smaller radar with dome antenna that will pump out 4-kW of power for a range of about 36 miles"
-"Called NT-Link, this is a little sister to C-MAP�s rugged commercial product, only it�s coupled with the NT recreational cartography. One notable feature of NT-Link is its ability to handle online chart updates."
-"But the real heart of the navigation package is Furuno�s NavNet system, which allows for multiple sensor displays on three different display screens�the two 10.4" monitors in the pilothouse and an additional 7" remote display on the bridge."
A lot has been said already about the slow migration from NMEA 0183 towards NMEA 2000. And of the resulting proprietary solutions introduced by most manufacturers. Here's a short introduction to Simrad's SimNet.
The all new SIMRAD Intelligent Marine NETwork replaces NMEA 0183 as our product interconnection system and is our internal data control and sharing network. By being compatible with the NMEA 2000 interfacing standard, it opens up a new world of network options. Owners and captains will now have the utmost flexibility in choosing the very best, most suitable component for their electronics package.
I was talking about having problems with watching and securing my own boat the other day. Here's another solution for those of you with similar problems (and a GSM cellphone...).
"The Harbormaster Mark II is a new remote wireless monitoring security system that checks a vacant boat's vital systems and on-board conditions. The system uses a GSM based network to send data about the boat to a central server, enabling the boat owner to be able to check their craft at any time via the World Wide Web, mobile phone, text message, fax or email."
Interesting discussion over at the BoaterEd Forums. Scotty, working for Standard Horizon says "...we currently are not planning to implement the NMEA 2000 into our systems simple because most marine electronics companies are not using that system." Now if everybody in the industry keeps using this argument, we won't get anywhere.
Les Hall: "Raymarine's C80 is about $1,500 with a 8.4" screen. To it's credit, it does have a NMEA 2000 port. However, for the same amount of money, I can get a 15" laptop with a 15" screen, a USB GPS antenna, charting software, street mapping software and a 2.6 GIGAhertz processor. The point is that the good folks who make this stuff need to start thinking a little more about the consumer by standardizing on some common features. Even the NMEA 0183 connections require hand wiring."
Garmin, a relative newcomer in this market, has launched two brand-new radars. With the introduction of these products, and a new networking system, Garmin now has an extensive line of marine electronics.
"Most of the radar units offered by other networking companies use Koden products, but Garmin is entering the market with its own sensors. They are part of a new networking system that�s based on Garmin�s very popular GPS/chartplotter technology. The network employs the widely used Ethernet system, which allows easy interface for specified plug-and-play sensors, including fishfinders, weather receivers and satellite radio systems."
The early adopters of marine electronics can be found in the competitive fishing scene. Here's a story on a guy who outfitted his boat to the fullest extend. Like the article says: "he'll be at the helm of a boat with a control panel that resembles the Starship Enterprise"
"An impressive array of electronics -- everything from a laptop computer and wireless monitors to color sonar, a Lowrance LCX-104C, and global positioning system technology -- covers the dashboard of Samson's 20-foot Crestliner walleye fishing machine. As technological trappings go, not even Mr. Spock or Capt. Kirk could claim bragging rights over Samson."
Raymarine finally launched RayTech 5.0 last week. I've written about it before.
"It is easier to enter waypoints and build routes with this latest release. RayTechRNS' new 3D Rolling Road display allows for more intuitive navigation. Among the benefits of this high performance, lightning fast redraw chartplotting package is the capability of merging chart layers with live radar data, and overlaying weather and satellite image data."
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!"
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."
Like I said before, security is a hot issue. Besides Motor Boat & Yachting's special feature on this topic, Yachting World has one as well in their June 2004 issue. So if you can't get enough...
"The modern way to protect your boat is to use the latest remote technology to keep an eye on it for you. Mike Kopman reports on alarms, tracking devices and electric fences"
-�It�s the autopilot that�s the most important thing,� he says. And for autopilots, Kinney selected two Furuno NavPilot 500s and added a SC 60 GPS satellite compass."
A lot has been said already about the slow migration from NMEA 0183 towards NMEA 2000. And of the resulting proprietary solutions introduced by most manufacturers. Here's a short 
I was 
Interesting 
Garmin, a relative newcomer in this market, has launched two brand-new radars. With the 
The early adopters of marine electronics can be found in the competitive fishing scene. Here's a story on a guy who outfitted his boat to the fullest extend. Like the 
Raymarine finally 
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 
"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."
Like I said