Need Advice on a Nav System

[Jerry Snider]

Hi everyone, I purchased an Island cottage as a surprise for my family, It needs alot of repairs and I ordered a small barge built to transport stuff back and forth. I was wondering, is there a way to install a nav system on it to get it to go back and forth without a person? It just needs to land on the beach on each side about 400m distance.

[S/V_Surya]

Yeah but it will cost from $2000-$4000.

[Jerry Snider]

eep, well it would be a great help, besides I can use it for as long as I own the cottage. Do you have any links?

[S/V_Surya]

I don't know much about your barge but here are the basics. At the very least you need a mechanical or other device to steer the boat. You need autopilot like a comnav 1420 to know which direction to go and to move the steering device. You a need gps computer to tell the barge comnav 1420 where it is and what course to head.
You could use seaclear software with GPS mouse on a laptop as the navcomputer.
You still need to start the motor and have someone on shore to turn it off.

[S/V_Surya]

There are probably better and cheaper options come to think of it. Go to a hobby store maybe the things they use to remote contol planes or boats could be adapted to your barge.

[Cotemar]

Would need a voice recorder, so when it hit another boat it could say sorry as it motors away.
Maybe add an Epirb, so it can blip a MOB to notify the Coast Guard of a collision on the water.
May want to clear this with the Coast Guard first.

Do not want it to get mistaken for one of these.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/15/100-foot-long-narco-sub-found-in-colombia/?hpt=T2

[S/V_Surya]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Would need a voice recorder, so when it hit another boat it could say sorry as it motors away.
Maybe add an Epirb, so it can blip a MOB to notify the Coast Guard of a collision on the water.
May want to clear this with the Coast Guard first.

Do not want it to get mistaken for one of these.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/15...lombia/?hpt=T2

Hey, its only 400 yards he can shout or hold up a placard.

[capngeo]

If you're only going 400 yards in a straight line, why not wire guide it?

[goboatingnow]

Chain ferry ?

[Cotemar]

400 yards no worries.
The OP stated "about 400m distance"

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

400 yards no worries.
The OP stated "about 400m distance"

So 437.44532 yards?

[JeePete]

a motorized chain or cable guidance system would be easiest (assuming it's a straight shot).

How big is this barge? Is this fresh or salt (tidal)? Does it load/unload from bow and stern (if it distinguishes these two) or does the same "end" of the barge always need to face land? Could you push/pull with a boat? Could you add a trnsom somehow and hang an outboard?

Who owns the land where it "docks" on the mainland? Is there boat traffic in between the island and mainland?

Just trying to get a better picture of the equation.....

[osirissail]

The chain or rope guide system will all work - but - you are installing a "ferry" system across "somebody's" stretch of water. So permits, licenses and inspections from the local authorities who own/regulate that piece of water will be necessary.