В about Spain, I mentioned the electronic navigation equipment of the yacht for sea passage. One of the readers said: “it is very interesting how this is done in a serious way, for walking on the sea.”
I will try to tell you what electrical equipment was on my yacht and how it was connected. The main idea of the yacht, in my opinion, is the maximum of modern technologies that are necessary for survival in the elements of nature. Such an element is a storm, strong wind, rain, cold, humidity, or all of these combined. Therefore, the yacht on the outside must be rough and strong enough to withstand the elements, and inside it must be comfortable for finding a person and managing and making the right decisions during the trials of nature.
This photo shows the top of the mast. Before the mast is installed on the yacht, which, as a rule, is already launched, everything necessary is installed on the ground on the mast and inside the mast.
Inside the mast, there are usually power cables for running lights on the top of the mast and an anchor signal, in the case of installing a VHF antenna - an antenna cable, a cable from a weather station. My mast had only a signal and navigation light, and the VHF and GPS antennas were located on the rails at the stern of the yacht. Also, active radar reflectors and radar antennas themselves with the corresponding cables inside the mast are installed on the masts.
Electrical power system
Above the spray hood (minitent above the entrance to the wheelhouse) or on the aft superstructure, solar panels are most often placed.
Batteries are located in the aft lockers under the cockpit seats. Recently, aviation lithium-iron-phosphate batteries (LiFePO4, LFP) have been popular among yachtsmen. They are very capacious and lightweight. Accordingly, there is a solar panel controller and a battery charging controller. There is also an inverter from 12 volts of the on-board power supply to 19 volts for connecting a laptop and cigarette lighter sockets like in a car.
There is a built-in 220 volt shore power system. It consists of thermal fuses, conventional sockets, and extension cords with universal plugs of two types, which are most popular on the yacht's mains connection columns in the marina (in the parking lot). There is a conventional electric battery charger from the shore power network.
On a stationary diesel engine, as a rule, an electric generator is installed. On older engine models, it is structurally combined with an electric engine starter.
Sometimes yachts are equipped with wind generators in case of cloudiness (solar panels are ineffective in such weather) or the absence or breakdown of a diesel generator.
Tools to help you navigate
The most important tool for a skipper is an echo sounder. This device in real time shows on the LCD screen the real distance from the false keel of the yacht to the bottom.
A Doppler hydroacoustic log or a forward-looking echo sounder can display not only the absolute speed of the boat relative to the ground, but also the features of the terrain in front of the bow of the yacht. This device is not available on all yachts. In particular, it can show fish, dolphins and whales directly below the yacht on the monitor screen.
Old yachts usually have an electromechanical log. In fact, just an impeller, the speed of which is counted using an electromagnetic sensor.
There is a magnetic compass with electric illumination.
A weather station including, among other equipment, an anemometer for measuring wind speed. The station allows you to record the direction of the wind at the moment, air pressure.
There is also a tool for emergency navigation through the stars - a sextant. But now a small number of yachtsmen know how to use it. Since this device has successfully replaced the GPS receiver. And instead of an emergency sextant, they take a spare hand-held GPS on batteries. The laptop will require a USB GPS. There is never too much GPS on a yacht 🙂
Radar is a device that shows obstacles within a radius of several thousand meters, but during bad weather with rain, its visibility leaves much to be desired. He also does not see oncoming ships behind a rock or cape.
More and more people are using AIS at sea. The automatic identification system is a digital device that exchanges coordinates and courses of ships within a radius of 3-4 miles over a radio channel, depending on the power of the transmitters. This device is devoid of the shortcomings of the radar, but only if all oncoming boats are equipped with a similar device. Which doesn't always happen. The captain can also de-energize this device.
Espot and EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), as well as a satellite phone, allow information about the position of the yacht to be sent to the rescue center or simply to the Internet via satellites far from the coast .
And finally, a very effective means of obtaining coordinates and weather forecast in the ocean is a VHF radio station. It is necessary to wait for the appearance of a passing vessel in the field of view and request the necessary information through the radio. Usually this is the weather forecast for the near future and the current coordinate.
about extreme situations
In the absence and breakdown of the ship's chronometer, you can also request the exact time via the radio. But in the presence of a charged modern mobile phone, almost no one has such a need.
A few words about the ship's chronometer. Usually this is a mechanical or quartz watch with an accurate course, placed in a waterproof container made of glass and copper. All this is designed for the case of a temporary stay of the device in the water, if, God forbid, the yacht turns over completely around its longitudinal axis (overkill). During an overkeel, modern yachts tend to lose the mast.
The easiest situation with the loss of stability of the yacht is broaching. When it would seem that the yacht, under the influence of waves and wind, completely put the mast on the water, but still, due to the ballast and balance of forces, it rises on an even keel.
Navigation devices and chartplotters
I love everything about the 2000 Euro chartplotter except the price. If you do not take into account expensive devices, then there are about a couple of options for how to equip a boat in the same way, but cheaper.
Option one is to buy a used waterproof and rugged Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 or similar tablet (). . And put a yacht navigation OSS program on this tablet and some old electronic nautical charts. Or, preferably, buy legally new cards of the region where you are making the transition. However, maps of the whole world but 10 years old are also useful to have at hand. The basic information there is still relevant for navigation.
There is an even cheaper option. New Risebury Pie 4 with OpenCPN (or this but a radiator, a battery and a blotter to adsorb condensate still have to be added.) - 100 euros (or , it has a socket for connecting the battery or Orange - very cheap).
The same protected (IP65 / NEMA4) monitor 200 euros (You can assemble a monitor with a touch that on the surface of the screen for 145 euros + kept and sealant waterproof). Cables and connectors protected from water from China - 30 euros.
The current weather forecast for 3 days in advance OpenCPN, if you have the plugin installed and connected to the Internet via WiFi, can download from the weather server. It is important to do this before leaving and only based on the weather forecast and other factors (readiness of the vessel and crew) to make decisions about the yacht's departure to the sea. The safety of the yacht in the ocean depends on this decision, taking into account all factors.
You can also build , based on a digital television reception module for 20 euros (called "dongles", "whistles" habr.com/post/149702 habr.com/post/373465), but the sensitivity of such a device and reliability will be doubtful. It is better to purchase a specialized device.
Connecting instruments to our navigation device
This is a typical diagram for connecting a Garmin fish finder (or any "slow" instrument) to a navigation system. It is clear that USB is used instead of DB-9 . Please note that all cables and connectors must be waterproof.
Simple electric autopilot
can be connected directly to OpenCPN like any other yacht tool. And it will keep the course strictly according to your laying. But it will be necessary to monitor the change in the wind.
In the event of a change in wind, the weather station will warn you like an alarm clock and you will need to re-tune the sails to another tack.
From one modern rechargeable battery charged during a sunny day from 2 solar panels, this device will work for about 8 hours. That will give you a chance to sleep. In a storm, a device of this class is unfortunately not strong enough to control the yacht. Therefore, you will need a partner, or you need to install a more powerful hydraulic device. As an option, put a mechanical wind thruster.
Microwave oven
This is a very useful device on a yacht. The fact is that during a thunderstorm you can hide all sensitive electronics (tablets, mobile phones, laptops) in the microwave. That guarantees the safety of your navigation devices in case of a direct lightning strike into the mast and an electric current discharge through the yacht's hull.
In addition, in the marina, in the parking lot, by connecting a microwave oven to a 220-volt network, you can cook food and quickly defrost food.
Source: habr.com