To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.

Team Red Cruising

Boat Show Takeaways

In no particular order.

The Foldaway. The idea is to replace the transom ladder with a foldaway that hangs from the toe rail between the lifeline gates.

ECH2O Tec Watermaker. We're looking specifically at the belt-driven, modular unit. We can put the pressure vessel in the hanging lockers. The control panel can be put behind the companion ladder or in the galley.

A FilterBoss FPM 60 Fuel Polishing Module. This is essential for working with the central fuel tank. If we recommission this tank, we need to use the polisher to transfer fuel to the starboard saddle tank. We can also simply polish fuel periodically from either tank.

A NavPod RMX 4800 to hold a new BMG Zeus Touch chart plotter.

Did I mention the B&G instruments? I'm (currently) set on the following:

  • A Zeus 9″ chart plotter. (Our current plotter is 5″)

  • A new wind instrument.

  • A new depth/speed/temp traducer.

This will replace the failing DMI instruments. It allows me to put in an NMEA 2000 backbone. Once this works, I can look at

  • A Triton Pilot Display

  • The Computer, Compass, and Rudder Position Reference.

This will replace the Benmar control head. I think that the high-current B&G computer allows us to keep the rugged hydraulics and merely replace the control. I think there's a linear position sensor that clamps onto the hydraulic ram.

This allows the existing Standard Horizon CP180i to move down to the nav station. The Triton display will allow us to see autopilot details that the Standard Horizon can't show.

As a weird side-note, the old chart plotter is about 5″×7″×2″. It seems to have some kind of VESA/FDMI MIS-B standard M4 screws that small flat panel TV's have. I doubt the holes fit the 75mm or 100mm standards. The wires (and a bracket) pop out the back, so most TV backing plates won't work without 1.5″ thick standoffs.

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DSC02704.jpg

The old chart plotter is much thicker than any tablet, so a simple tablet mount won't work, either. As part of this upgrade, I think I'll have to make some kind of backing plate out of Starboard to fit a tablet-sized (and thickness) bracket. I don't want to cut a giant hole in the nav station. I will put the Triton display in the hole occupied by the existing wind-speed display.

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DSC03129.jpg

When we pull out the DMI instruments, we'll have four big instrument holes to fill on the forward edge of the cockpit. I might try to actually glass over the holes. It involves putting a backing plate behind each them, carefully grinding them to be conical, then taping over the hole with several layers of wetted-out fabric to create a solid structure. I'd then have to sand it all fair and apply a layer of gelcoat (or maybe just paint) that more-or-less matches the existing cockpit.

Or, I could get a piece of teak-veneer plywood and screw it over the holes.