[Rhodes22-list] Speaking of instruments....

[Wally Buck]

Ben,

Glad the install was a success. Sailing on a river requires to much tacking 
so my "auto pilot" is a line that runs from one stern cleat, to the tiller 
with two or three wraps, then on to the other stern cleat. I slide forward 
to lock tiller. It is not perfect but can give me enough time to use the aft 
mens room or get fresh cold one.

Wally


>From: Ben Schultz <BenS at ApproSystems.com>
>Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Speaking of instruments....
>Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 17:27:58 -0500
>
>Diligent readers will recall that I also installed the Autohelm autopilot
>this winter.
>
>Saturday, I had the first chance to sail for several hours with A.P. at the
>helm.  It did a great job of holding a steady course in ~15 kt. winds and
>choppy water.  I do find that I'm having trouble not having to hold the
>tiller.  When the course and winds are steady, what does one do with the
>hands?  I know that the popular answer is that you head for the galley and
>mix rum drinks, but that only took a few minutes.
>
>I did get in a little magazine reading, but the degree of heel was too high
>for pacing the deck.  Besides, the admiral was snoozing, and I couldn't
>shake the fear that I would go overboard, and watch Velvet Elvis sail away
>without me.  Wouldn't that teach her to nap - she would find herself 60-8
>miles out in the middle of nowhere without knowing where the heck I went!
>
>At any rate, it was a great sailing day.  Nice wind, not a cloud in the 
>sky,
>and temps in the mid-70's, and low to moderate humidity.  There were lots 
>of
>other boats near by (but not too close) to provide a little visual
>stimulation.  It was even clear enough to see the New Orleans skyline 25
>miles across the lake.  Louisiana humidity usually makes the city invisible
>from that far away.
>
>I certainly won't count on 12 years of bulletproof performance!  That's
>incredible, but it's nice to know that it's possible.  I'm certain that 
>I've
>never had any piece of electronics last that long.  Even televisions and
>radios wear out for me fater than that, and they have no moving parts.
>
>Fair winds,
>Ben
>Velvet Elvis
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>From: 	Roger Pihlaja [mailto:cen09402 at centurytel.net]
>Sent:	Tuesday, April 15, 2003 08:50
>To:	The Rhodes 22 mail list
>Subject:	Re: [Rhodes22-list] Looking for advice
>
>Hi Alice,
>
>I have the Autohelm ST-50 (Now Raytheon ST-60) tridata instrument.  The
>tridata includes a knotmeter, mileage log, water temperature, & depth
>sounder all in one display package.  I also have an Autohelm autopilot.  I
>like the Autohelm series because of their proprietary "seatalk"
>communications bus, which allows all the instruments in the system to share
>information.  You may not care about having an integrated instrument 
>package
>now, but you might in the future.  This is good equipment.  Mine have been
>bulletproof for over 12 years & counting.
>
>In my opinion, a knotlog, depth sounder, & ship's compass are the minimum
>complement of instruments your boat needs if you are going to take out of
>sight of land.  The water temperature function  came with the tridata
>package.  I wouldn't have bought it separately; but, it has turned out to 
>be
>surprisingly useful: for fishing, as a comfort gauge for swimming, & as an
>indicator of when you have crossed into & out of currents.
>
>What ever brand of depth sounder you get, make certain it has an adjustable
>depth alarm.  That way you don't have to stare at it all the time.  It will
>alarm when the water depth gets less than the setpoint.  This function is
>also useful as an anchor alarm to detect if the boat is dragging its anchor
>while you are sleeping.  Most digital depth sounders have at least one
>adjustable depth alarm.
>
>Another useful function on a depth sounder is an adjustable offset.  An
>adjustable offset allows you to compensate for the difference in vertical
>height between the depth sounder transducer and the deepest part of the
>boat - usually the keel.  For example, I have my depth sounder setup to
>indicate the water depth under the keel.  This function is very useful,
>because in a stressful situation, you don't have to keep remembering to
>subtract 20" from the water depth reading to know when your solid shoal
>draft keel is going to touch.  Most digital depth sounders have an
>adjustable offset function.
>
>Some depth sounders are equipped with a "forward looking" function.  This
>function is derived by keeping track of the last several depth readings and
>extrapolating the trend forward in front of the boat.  In theory, this can
>give you an early warning of a shallow area ahead.  In my opinion, this
>function is of very limited utility in real world sailing situations.  I
>certainly wouldn't pay extra in order to get it.
>
>Finally, whatever brand of depth sounder you purchase, pay very close
>attention to the installation instructions especially re the location of 
>the
>SONAR transducer.  The transducer can only transmit & receive its SONAR
>signals in a relatively narrow cone.  If you mount the transducer on a
>sloped part of the hull - like say the sharp V up near the bow; then, it 
>may
>lose the bottom return echo signal when the boat is heeled over on one
>sailing tack or the other.  The transducer must also be in bubble-free
>water.  I have my depth sounder transducer mounted approximately amidships
>on the starboard side in front of the ice box.  It is mounted as far 
>inboard
>as the shoal draft keel permits.  I installed a 6" ID Beckson screw-in deck
>plate in my cabin sole to permit inspection & maintenance of the backside 
>of
>the transducer.  The other preferred depth sounder transducer location is 
>in
>the lazarette compartment as far forward as possible & several inches to
>starboard of the centerline.  You want to be as far forward as possible & 
>on
>the starboard side of the lazarette compartment to keep the transducer in
>bubble-free water.  There are several sources of bubbles which may cause
>problems for the transducer in this location: the cockpit drain, the
>outboard motor exhaust when running in reverse, & waves slamming into the
>transom when running before a following sea.  You also don't want to mount
>the transducer so close to the centerline that it causes a structural
>weakness between the cockpit drain thru hull & the thru hull penetration 
>for
>the transducer - keep them several inches apart.  If you mount the depth
>sounder transducer in the lazarette compartment; then I would also 
>fabricate
>some sort of guard or cover to protect the backside of the transducer &
>cable from being damaged by shifting cargo.  That's another favorable point
>for the amidships mounting location - there's nothing rattling around under
>the cabin sole that might damage the backside of the transducer or the
>cable.
>
>Good luck!
>
>Roger Pihlaja
>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <AMICW at aol.com>
>To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 7:14 AM
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Looking for advice
>
>
> > Hi folks!  Hope to get delivery on my R22 soon and I'm considering a 
>depth
> > finder.  I know, from past emails, that many, including Stan, think this
>is
> > not needed however, I'll be sailing on the Chesapeake and would feel a 
>bit
> > safer with it.  For those who have (or want) one, what depth finder 
>would
>you
> > recommend (don't need fishfinder - I do that on my own with a fishing
>pole).
> > Thanks.
> > Alice
> >
> >
>
>
>
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