What's your "blank slate" new electronics system configuration look like?

[jasn]

I was looking at the Furuno website and I noticed that they have a "Recommended System Configuration" section where you pick the type of boat, size, and they present a recommendation for an all Furuno new electronics system configuration. Using the information presented there for a 30ft to 50ft sailboat, I tried to list the major components needed for this system configuration below. Feel free to add comments about the list I came up with.

So if you had a blank slate, what would be your new electronics system configuration, provided it include networked multi-function display, instruments, radar and autopilot. Can be the same manufacturer or different. Just curious what electronics people would put into their sailboat nowadays if they were starting with nothing.

Thanks,

Jason

All Furuno - Example System Configuration

Mast
===

Radar
------
DRS2D 19" Radome Radar Sensor

GP-330B GPS/WAAS Receiver Antenna

Cockpit
=====

Multi-Function Display (One of)
----------------------------------
MFD8 8.4" NavNet 3D Multi-Function Display
MFD12 12.1" NavNet 3D Multi-Function Display
TZT9 9" NavNet Multi-Function Touch Screen Display
TZT14 14" NavNet Multi-Function Touch Screen Display

Autopilot
----------
[NAVPILOT-711 NAVpilot High-Performance Universal Autopilot Package]

FAP-7011 Control Unit for NAVpilot 711 (assume 711C?)
FAP-7002 Processor Unit for NAVpilot 700 Series
FAP-6112 Rudder Reference Unit for NAVpilot
PG-700 NMEA 2000 Rate Compensated Heading Sensor

PUMPLA11-12 Type I Linear AP Actuator

Instruments
-------------
[FI50DSW F150 Depth/Speed/Wind Package]

FI-501 Wind Display
FI-503 Digital Display
FI-5001L Wind sensor
DST-800PSF Thru-hull transducer

FI-504 Multi Display

Chart Table
=======

Multi-Function Display (One of)
----------------------------------
MFD8 8.4" NavNet 3D Multi-Function Display
MFD12 12.1" NavNet 3D Multi-Function Display
TZT9 9" NavNet Multi-Function Touch Screen Display
TZT14 14" NavNet Multi-Function Touch Screen Display

Instruments
-------------
RD-33 4.3" Remote Display
FI-501 Wind Display

Radio
------
FM-4000 VHF Marine Radiotelephone

FA-30 Automatic Identification System (AIS) Receiver

Networking
-------------
HUB-101 Dedicated Interswitch Hub
FI-5002 NMEA 2000 Junction Box
Cabling, etc.

[jasn]

Here's an all Raymarine - Example System Configuration

Mast
===
E92130 RD418D Digital Radar

Cockpit
=====

Multi-Function Display (One of)
----------------------------------
T70040 e95 Multifunction Display w/US Coastal Charts
(any e & c Series Multifunction Display)

Autopilot
----------
[T70158 Raymarine EV-200 Sail Linear Drive Evolution Autopilot Package]

EV-1 Sensor Core
p70 Autopilot Control Head
ACU-200 Actuator Control Unit
Type 1 Short Linear 12V drive

E15024 S100 Wireless SeaTalk autopilot remote control

Instruments
-------------
[i70 Sailing System Pack, Wind, Depth, Speed]

E22172 i70 Multifunction Instrument
E70010 iTC-5 Instrument Transducer Converter
A22154 DST800 Transducer
E22078 Short Arm Windvane Transducer with 30m cable

Chart Table
===========

Multi-Function Display (One of)
----------------------------------
T70040 e95 Multifunction Display w/US Coastal Charts
(any e & c Series Multifunction Display)

Radio
------
E70088 Ray260 Modular VHF Radio w/Integrated AIS
E70161 SR150 SiriusXM Weather and Satellite Radio Receiver

Networking
------------
A80007 HS5 SeaTalkhs Network Switch
Cabling, etc.

[CharlzO]

Well, not sure exactly how close I fit the bill, but I'm starting out with exactly nothing in my Ex26, so I'm just starting to build up that clean slate. Since I'm doing mostly lake sailing for the next two years before I think about anything larger, I've gone with the basics:

Standard Horizon CPN700i Multifunctional Chartplotter
Standard Horizon GX2200 Fixed VHF GPS/AIS Radio
Standard Horizon FF525 Fishfinder Black Box w in-hull Transducer

(The only reason for the FF is for the hookup to the 700i for that transducer; if it was plug & play, I wouldn't bother since I don't fish much)

I will be adding auto-pilot in a few years, but as I'm not needing it now, I haven't even looked.

My decision to go with SH, was basically... well, I saw the radio come out, and thought that was pretty nifty all in one package, and relatively inexpensive, considering. Even though my brother has gotten me a handheld, I couldn't pass up the chance to get this as a fixed, and leave the handheld for backup/off-boat duty. Then, I figured since I was going to want a depth-finder of sorts (damn near-5' draft...), I started looking at other gadgets.. and what started out as $100 hummingbird viewing, got sidetracked by my love of gadgets. The fact that the 700i and GX2200 can hook together for shared GPS data, the AIS on the screen, etc. was what kind of sealed that for me. And I can always transplant it into the next down the road, if I choose to.

My brother's words: "Dude, it's a 26 foot boat on a lake..really?"

But we're planning on a few weeks on Ontario in a couple years, at which point I'll be adding the Autopilot of whatever variety tickles me, and possibly more goodies at that point.

Edit: How did I overlook adding the wind display mid-summer? That's in the plans this year, but I'm not sure what I'll use for a sensor just yet. My thought-process goes all over the place, so..who knows lol

[rebel heart]

I honestly haven't gotten into the electronics craze. We've put a few thousand miles on with paper charts and basic electronic instrumentation (gps, depth, ais displayed on the radio).

I would probably like to upgrade my radar but it seems like a hassle and it's hard to justify the cost and the new ones aren't that much better than old ones.

[David_Old_Jersey]

My feeling is that the next big leap will be head up style displays, possibly via something like Google glasses.....you get all the electronic info plus the mk 1 eyeball!

[PeterSailor]

Google glasses or ReconJet, you will still be in need of good wind/speed/GPS/heading sensors, a main CPU and some backup display in case the glasses go overboard.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

My feeling is that the next big leap will be head up style displays, possibly via something like Google glasses.....you get all the electronic info plus the mk 1 eyeball!

DOJ...

I think you're right.... Pretty soon we'll be able to plot a waypoint, and we'll see a heads up video feed of our boat already hanging on it's destination tackle...

[Canibul]

I'm in sort of a strange mental place about this. We bought this old boat which was fairly well equipped when we got it, but with pretty old stuff for the most part. But it all worked on purchase day. And for a few weeks thereafter, until we got hit by lightning on the way home with our new toy. Fried every 12 volt system on board to some extent. Two laptops, GPS, SSB, fridge, alternators, solar controllers, radar, vhf, wind instruments, some lights, all smoked. We continued on from Chub Cay to Providenciales with paper Explorer charts, a handheld GPS receiver, and a temporary VHF radio with a little metal whip antenna clamped to a hand rail on the cabin roof.

Now I'm expecting an insurance settlement any moment now. The adjuster put in all the numbers about a week ago. As I understand insurance, if I don't replace what they're paying for, they'll reduce the insured value of the boat by that amount, which would lower my premiums, etc. I have mixed feelings. The claims adjuster was suggesting I consider something like the Garmin integrated system.

I question, for example, whether or not I want to bother replacing wind instruments. I'm not racing this old boat. I sail it depending upon where I am trying to get to, and pick the tack that puts me closest to my next destination. Knowing the true wind, relative wind, et. to a tenth of a degree doesn't matter in the slightest. In fact, a couple days after the lightning bolt, I found myself glancing up at the wind indicator vane on the mast and instantly getting what I wanted to know about the wind from a look at the vane. I can make one of those devices for about five bucks.

I want a Radar, and an AIS and a VHF and a GPS. And depth is critical for us sometimes, since we do like to get off into places that are not charted. But other than that, I'm not sure how much of the other fancy electronics I really need to get the boat from one island to another.

I expect to have a fairly substantial settlement check in hand shortly, and am a bit conflicted as to where to put that money.

[ozskipper]

Damn it I am going to sound old. But we rely too much on toys.

GPS
Depth
Wind
Speed
Compass
VHF

A plotter would be a luxury. I would prefer a nice laptop with Halo installed first yes Halo, so I am not "that" old!

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Damn it I am going to sound old. But we rely too much on toys.

GPS
Depth
Wind
Speed
Compass
VHF

A plotter would be a luxury. I would prefer a nice laptop with Halo installed first yes Halo, so I am not "that" old!

Yep you're right .... You do sound old. !!

Dace

[Sandero]

Electronics and integration have made huge gains in recent years. Amazing data is available to those who want it on a small yacht. But of course this is coming a a steep price. Gadgets cost, marine ones more, and marine electronics even more!

One doesn't need the sort of power that these innovations offer. But the information can be useful and make boating safer. Knowledge IS power and in this case to be safer.

But of course it's also fun and for those who like messing about on boats and gadgets all this stuff has immense appeal.

Shiva has her original core electronics from B&G working perfectly for 28yrs. I've added stand alone items over the years even replacing those with new better models... radar, loran, then GPS and then plotter, radar and MFD, them AIS and on it goes... VHF, then SSB...

It's all fun and I feel more secure with access to the data from these instruments. I hate to know how much I have spent over the years.

[Suijin]

If I were going with all new stuff I would probably go with the B&G Zeus system. Wind instruments over the companionway, big chartplotter on the wall of the rear cabin and one at the nav station and a small one at the helm. I'd add a Simrad 4G radar just for yuks.

The Zeus system has a very cool integration of wind data into the chartplotter display, and the whole system can be viewed/controlled on an iphone/android/ipad app.

That said, last generation Garmin stuff gets me where I want to go with minimal fuss, so it won't get replaced until it has to.

All of the current kit from the various big boys like Garmin, Simrad, Furuno, Raymarine, and B&G is all robust and plenty reliable, for the most part. I think the best way to shop for this stuff is to think about how you use your boat, the common tasks you do and where you do them from, and then find the system with the best GUI and collection of features that meet your needs. I've used plenty of systems where the GUI was confounding, or it could not do one specific thing that drove me nuts, or doing something I commonly do required too many button presses.

Some systems will probably surprise you with some particularly elegant presentation of data, or make common tasks easy and second nature. That's why it pays to play with the full range of them instead of relying on specs, price, and ease of installation. You only pay once and you only install once, but you use the damn thing every day, so find a system that works on that level.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Damn it I am going to sound old. But we rely too much on toys.

GPS
Depth
Wind
Speed
Compass
VHF

A plotter would be a luxury. I would prefer a nice laptop with Halo installed first yes Halo, so I am not "that" old!

It is all relevant. A few years back, you would be the young one and some old guy would be chastising you for those toys and listing:
sextant
chronometer
piece of yarn
lead line
wood chips
mechanical compass
crystal vhf with just the basic 5 tuned crystals

A few years from now, some old guy is going to chastise someone wondering which "toy" HUD and drone control systems to get and listing integrated MFD's and solid state sensors and transducers as the "basics".

Mark

[jasn]

Thanks to everyone who's playing along in this "window shopping" thread..

Originally Posted by Canibul

The claims adjuster was suggesting I consider something like the Garmin integrated system.

I can definitely understand your reticence of re-equipping your electronics after what you've gone through.. Having said that, what actual components might actually be part of a new, (killer?), "integrated Garmin system".

Jason

[Canuck_123]

@Jasn - Purely out of curiosity, did you price out any of those all-new packages from Furuno & Raymarine?