How Old Are Your Electronics

[Tayana42]

All of these were on the boat when I bought it in 2000. I think they are original to 1989. All still work.
Si-Tex radar
Si-Tex Nav Add 9000
Si-Tex chart plotter
B&G network Data
Depth sounder
Speed and log
Wind speed and direction
Ritchie binnacle compass 5"
Robertson AP 300 Autopilot

For navigation I mostly use a 2017 iPad with iNavX.

[Hoodsail]

Fusion stereo sounds amazing...tower speakers are mounted below and when cranked can easily be heard in the cockpit.... went a bit overboard with the M400/4 amp, as i only have 2 channels currently. the fusion AV650 allows me to connect my sony Walkman (mp3 player) to system so can play recorded music. Fusion radio has so-so reception...but that could be my antenna....

[gmakhs]

19 years old except the autopilot ev100 2 years old already replaced 2 times in warranty

[MJH]

I don't have to have the latest electronics but they have to work. As my boat celebrates its 40th birthday this year there have been many upgrades between the three owners she has had. Since I have owner the boat for 12 years now most of the electronics are 15+ years old with a few exceptions.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Hoodsail

Fusion stereo sounds amazing...tower speakers are mounted below and when cranked can easily be heard in the cockpit.... went a bit overboard with the M400/4 amp, as i only have 2 channels currently. the fusion AV650 allows me to connect my sony Walkman (mp3 player) to system so can play recorded music. Fusion radio has so-so reception...but that could be my antenna....

Thanks. Seems like I've been hearing much positive chatter about Fusion stereos over the past few years but didn't know what the fuss was all about. I think they may be more expensive than say the Sony's, but I'll probably need to be looking into it soon. Mine is pretty ancient and the speakers are shot. Want something I can plug or Bluetooth my phone, etc. into for music.

[Kenomac]

The 62 has brand new electronics including digital radar and Raymarine chartplotters. The 53 had 18 year old Furuno and Raytheon electronics with the only items working properly being the radar and depth sounder, everything else was functionally obsolete. So beginning earlier today, all electronics on the 53 are being replaced with new Raymarine digital radar and chartplotters.

Would anyone like to buy a working 18 year old Furuno analog 24 inch radar unit?

[dcstrng]

Thanks to sailerboy for starting this line of chatter… Our stuff is older, basic and sparse (handhelds except for depth-finder and VHF), but am thinking about some simple upgrades (no more than $1200-$1500 I hope) and am trying to see what folks have used and enjoyed longevity. Radar is out, but tablet based navigation looks attractive and maybe a new VHF with AIS. Trying to keep enough in our gray-haired budget for a SSB if we actually get gone one day soon; but in keeping with the poll our stuff is mostly in the 10-20 year range and all still working after a fashion.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Would anyone like to buy a working 18 year old Furuno analog 24 inch radar unit?

I'd be tempted Ken (depending on the model) for parts, but I just put what was probably too much money into refurbishing my own old 24" Furuno, and I think if it needs any more substantial work it could be time to replace. I doubt you'll have much trouble selling it though. I see quite a few on eBay it seems, and I've been told they were state-of-the-art in their day.

[Alita49DS]

The major problem that I have experienced with my over 10 year old ST60 Raymarine instruments has been with Seatalk. Last year two of the instruments (repeaters) died and the result was that nothing then worked. Including the autopilot. I can tell you that hand steering from Gibraltar to Altea is not fun. In Altea Pedro the Raymarine chap diagnosed the duff two instruments and bypassed them by joining the Seatalk cable. The others then worked as did the ST6001 steering. My Garmin 751xs plotter and the AIS fortunately never stopped working.

I sourced two more ST60 replacements on eBay. Raymarine do not make them anymore. All is now functioning but I have my concerns about Seatalk. Is NMEA2000 as vulnerable to failure? Be grateful for answers to that one.

[David M]

Many different ages.

[Ozziediver]

10-15

[nwdiver]

Wind direction and speed old analog, depth 20 year old digital.......chartplotter, VHF, radar, auto pilot and AIS 3 years they replaced 20 year old tech.....


Charts from the 40s to 90s.......except the coast of Chile some of them are from the Beagle surveys......

[River Cruiser]

Comar AIS is 2 years old, Si-Tex radar 6 years, Standard Horizon cp590 mfd is 5 years, the cp500 and cp300I are 10 years old. The 2 Standard Horizon GX-2150 vhf are 5 years old. The lowrence depth finder with repeater is 30 years old. All of it works as it should so isn’t in danger of being replaced.

[billgewater]

When longevity becomes really short, it translates into poor reliability and then safety concerns.
When warranties are really so mired in small print that they become near valueless then we have a problem.

You would think that there would be a lot of background consumer knowledge about reliability versus cost, but I guess advertising budgets swamp all that. We indirectly pay for that advertising as well.
Maybe we are expecting too much from modern electronics, particularly in such a harsh environment. Also nearly all the devices are coupled to transducers which may be mechanical or not - another source of problems.
Being a full time pessimist, I have stuck with OPEN CPN with CM93 charts and I run them on a couple of laptops in case one fails. I use a very old Coursemaster 250 Autopilot (ancient Australian model) and I have discovered it's only apparent failing (the motor drive power transistors which died when the 12 VDC regulator failed and fed it 17 VDC). I now carry a spare set of drive transistors. The marine Gods dictate that if you carry a spare then you will never have any further problems.
My depth sounder screen died but I still have the original (1978) 200 khz transducer. 0ver 40 years afloat I have run aground twice, but in both cases it was simply because I ignored clearly available data. Fortunately only with a damaged ego.
So I guess that being conservative regarding changes is probably the best way to go. However, if it's More Shiny Toys the Better, then the playing field is yours.
I was also somewhat perplexed to discover that no one seems to understand semaphore flag signals anymore. Had to buy one of those new fangled radio things.
I also take directions from the wife, irrespective of what any instruments imply. It is my best fallback safety procedure.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by Alita49DS

The major problem that I have experienced with my over 10 year old ST60 Raymarine instruments has been with Seatalk. Last year two of the instruments (repeaters) died and the result was that nothing then worked. Including the autopilot. I can tell you that hand steering from Gibraltar to Altea is not fun. In Altea Pedro the Raymarine chap diagnosed the duff two instruments and bypassed them by joining the Seatalk cable. The others then worked as did the ST6001 steering. My Garmin 751xs plotter and the AIS fortunately never stopped working.

I sourced two more ST60 replacements on eBay. Raymarine do not make them anymore. All is now functioning but I have my concerns about Seatalk. Is NMEA2000 as vulnerable to failure? Be grateful for answers to that one.

Both are similar, in that provided you understand how they are connected on your boat it is simple to isolate the broken parts and continue without them. The fact that your autopilot still worked even when two other devices had failed is a good example of that. It applies both to seatalk and to seatalk ng (nmea2000) although the connection and isolation is different in the two systems.