I Need Help . . . But Don't Even Know what I Need

[Mr B]

I will list what I have, and hope fully you can tell me what I do and dont need extra for navigation and communication while travelling from Fiji to Australia,

Please keep it very simple, as I am not a Geek, and all this navigation Jargon in here is well and truly over my head,

Standard Magnetic Compass,

Echo Sounder.

Garmin. GPS Map 182 C Chart Plotter, with 010-C 0192-00. Chart for the East Coast of Australia,

Furuno Radar.

VHF Radio (Uniden)

VHF Hand Held Portable Radio,

I will be doing a VHF course on Monday to get my VHF Certificate,

Ray Marine, ST 60 Tridata Instruments and ST 60 Wind and Close Hauled Wind Instruments.

Ray Marine ST 4000 Auto Pilot And Back up Kit,

The Lenovo Laptop Listed below has now got Windows 7 Ultimate installed on it,

Is there any GPS and Navigation Thingys that I can down load into it to aid me on the way home,

Or thingys I might need to put into it, or is the equiptment above all I need,

Strangely enough, I can navigate by the stars and the sun,

I put the piccys of the Nav station and the Dash so you can see what it has got and or if I left any thing out.

Please feel free to assist me in any way you can,

Thanks,
Brian,
PS; Keep it simple Folks,

[atoll]

gps dongle and chart software for laptop,some thing simple like cmap?
dedicated inverter for above.
ahand held vhf
spare hand held gps
none of the above essential,but useful as a back up

[conachair]

Echo Atol,
OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage and download / copy from a friendly cruiser the cm93 charts, with a gps input you have a chart plotter. 12v charger takes less power than the mains charger through an invertor.

Also with the laptop, buy one of these degen 1103 | eBay then with this software, JVComm32 - FAX SSTV RTTY SYNOP NAVTEX program you can get weatherfax offshore, schedule here .. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf

Finally, i wouldn't want to go offshore without an ais reciever, they don't cost much and massive bang for your buck.

And if you've got an money left, kindles are great


ps weatherfax and ais reciever would be high up my list on any boat heading offshore.

[boatman61]

If you got full chart coverage for the trip... with your list you've more than enuf...

[Boracay]

EPIRB?

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by Boracay

EPIRB?

Hahahahaha, Funny about that,
USA one is illegal on an Ozzie registered boat, So I rang up and ordered one, The one I asked for had been recalled 3 days after they got delivered to the shop, and all got sent back, So I got another one, So thats organized,
Lucky I did not buy it online, Phew,

The safety vests that I want cant be sent by plane, so I either get them in Fiji or wait till I get back to OZ,

They are the flat ones that inflate with water contact, Couple of Lanyards are still to be purchased,

Any thing else you might think of, feel free to add,
Thanks Brian,

[Boracay]

Harnesses and tethers.

We've got the Burke inflatable ones. I would expect the airline may carry them if you ask nicely.

For tethers I've gone with safety hooks and nylon three strand rope. I'll use bowlines to start, then weave in permanent eyes when I work out my lengths. With longer rope you can loop them round something strong and clip back onto the rope.

Backup GPS (car one may do).

Don't forget your favorite selection of music on an MP3 player...

[goboatingnow]

Check with your airline. Some allow them some don't

[Factor]

Dont go for auto inflate vests. In the highly unlikely scenario of an inversion they may inflate when you dont want them to. I have not had direct experience of this but friends have (bris to Gladstone a few years back) and one thing they learned was that auto inflate bests could be dangerous, of course there is always a down side and that is if you go overboard unconscious.

[mtembene]

With regards to self inflating life vests you can buy the vest and remove the cartridge before you head for fiji. Thebuy and install a new cartridge in fiji. Or just check it in your bag and take it with you. I know of people who flew to Fiji via the USA (The country with the most paranoid airport security personnel on the planet) with 7 complete vests. It can be done.