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cg354733 · 28-04-2021, 11:12

Essentially I am looking for a black box/edr similar to those found in automobiles and would be practical for recreational watercrafts (boats, jet skis, etc.). I was wondering if there are any systems commercially available to record data in the event of a boating accident?? And if so, how do you download/analyze the data??

I am only familiar with AIS receivers as a form of data retrieval, but are there any systems which record such data as:

vehicle speed
steering input
vehicle position history
vehicle usage (driving/idle/engine off)
diagnostic codes

ohdrinkboy · 28-04-2021, 12:49

The vast majority of vessels do not have the data you are asking about....much less have it recorded and available to a database.

cg354733 · 28-04-2021, 13:14

I'm curious, is it that vessels are just not equipped with these devices? Are they available for aftermarket; perhaps for performance logging?

I am surprised that the maritime standards are so far behind automobiles in that regard - EDRs have been in vehicles for decades!

**skipmac** · 28-04-2021, 13:48

I do believe there are devices like this for megayachts and could probably be adapted for smaller boats but have not seen anything off the shelf targeted for the recreational boater market.

It wouldn't be that difficult to put one together out of off the shelf parts. There are several companies that make interfaces to an NMEA2000 net work and a variety of sensors that will detect engine temp. water. and more. GPS data should already be on the network.

With all that in place should not be too difficult to add a data logger to save target information from the network.

**skipmac** · 28-04-2021, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg354733

I am surprised that the maritime standards are so far behind automobiles in that regard - EDRs have been in vehicles for decades!

Totally a matter of scale. How many millions of cars vs thousands of boats? Also with boats they only make 5-10-20 of a certain model. Some of the bigger production boats might have dozens of one model. Cars most models are made in the tens of thousands.

cg354733 · 28-04-2021, 14:03

I have seen the Maretron VDR100 as a viable option as its interconnected with NMEA2000 network - that is to say that the vessel is even equipped with such a network.

It looks like unless you have all of the necessary electronics with useful data being recorded and connected to a network, there's not much else available as far as an "event data recorder" goes.

And even then the data is volatile and recording is not being triggered by a single "crash-like" event, just being looped constantly until overwritten.

**Jim Cate** · 28-04-2021, 14:24

I'm curious as to why one would want such a device on board a private vessel? I know that I have no such desire.

Jim

**skipmac** · 28-04-2021, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg354733

I have seen the Maretron VDR100 as a viable option as its interconnected with NMEA2000 network - that is to say that the vessel is even equipped with such a network.

It looks like unless you have all of the necessary electronics with useful data being recorded and connected to a network, there's not much else available as far as an "event data recorder" goes.

And even then the data is volatile and recording is not being triggered by a single "crash-like" event, just being looped constantly until overwritten.

Well that looks like exactly what the OP requested. Just add a selection of sensors to the network and you're good.

mglonnro · 29-04-2021, 05:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by cg354733

Essentially I am looking for a black box/edr similar to those found in automobiles and would be practical for recreational watercrafts (boats, jet skis, etc.). I was wondering if there are any systems commercially available to record data in the event of a boating accident?? And if so, how do you download/analyze the data??

I am only familiar with AIS receivers as a form of data retrieval, but are there any systems which record such data as:

vehicle speed
steering input
vehicle position history
vehicle usage (driving/idle/engine off)
diagnostic codes

As long as the stuff gets reported on the NMEA2000 network, there are several solutions. For engine data, some engines can be connected to the N2K without much mystery, others need interface boxes.

A simple way of recording everything:
https://www.yachtd.com/products/recorder.html

As a hobby project, I'm working on a Raspberry PI version that not only records the data, but tries to upload it constantly to the cloud as well:
https://charlotte.lc

And if you go down the Raspberry route there is Canboat, SignalK and other mature projects that will probably do want you want.

cg354733 · 29-04-2021, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I'm curious as to why one would want such a device on board a private vessel? I know that I have no such desire.

Jim

Firstly, I work in accident reconstruction so the possibility of EDR data in boats/personal watercrafts is of great interest to me. Seeing as boating accidents occur quite a bit in Florida, I'm looking for ways to interpret and analyze any data that I can find.

Secondly, I would think the owner may not have a desire for one, but why aren't the manufacturers or insurance companies (or even maritime orgs) looking into this data retrieval for safety standards, regulations, etc.?? This is how airbags/EDRs came to be in vehicles, after all.

Another reason may be for insurance defense in case of an accident you are able to clearly show "I gave way, here is the steering input" or "I was not going as fast as they claim". I guess you don't know you need it until it's too late.

Emouchet · 29-04-2021, 08:45

There are a few DigitalYacht AIS transponders with on board SD card memory. They can log in any information available, such as GPS position, calculated speed and bearing and more.