Island Time

Sure Tim, you can do that. LOTS of drag though - many alternators require several HP to provide good power output - so it's like running your 2HP outboard backwards while sailing!! There are boats around with fixed props that have alts off the driveshaft as well - just put in neutral, and let the prop turn it - BUT make sure your gearbox and stuffing box/shaft seal are ok with that. Flexible panels are pretty good - and despite not being quite as good output as the solid ones of the same vintage, they often tolerate partial shading a LOT better - read the specs for whatever you are conside

Nice!

Hi Farrari, This was a sunny day, but about 9am, The pic was posted to show the boost to charge that a MPPT controller can give. My panels are flat on the bimini, (in fact one sloped slightly away from the sun, one slightly toward the sun at this time of day on the marina berth) The sun angle is not good at 9am this time of year. So far the setup has produced an average of 360w/hrs per day, which is not bad, but a bit lower than I had hoped. However it has rained and been cloudy a lot lately. I've not yet seen the max amp supply it can currently give (I've not been on the boat in the middl

Yeah Clipper, that would be an excellent result. I think its unlikely though,

CG I don't agree at all. He is an Americas cup professional sailor. He could be a minion at ETNZ in difficult employment with bosses who (at least it seems from the outside) who shafted him, OR he could run a different team, where, if it wins, will crown his career. Easy choice. "Team NZ" is just a name, it is not a NZ team, and has not been for some time...

Erice, the shore stations have to have the reception gear. A DSC radio that can receive the signal over the radio, and transmit it via the NMEA stream to the plotters. ALL the shore stations must have this gear before they can publicly state it is supported. NZ rescue services don't currently have it, and monitoring it is a 24/7 expense. It is not the tech thats the issue, it's the $. By the way, many "DSC" radios only receive, and won't transmit the data over NMEA, so are no good for the "on plotter" setup. Read the specs carefully if buying, read your manual if you already have the set

True. No shore stations. My boat, virtually all the commercial international ships, and many offshore yachts will see a distress icon appear on our plotters, as well as alarms... IMO it is worth it!!

I thought some might be interested in this. Here is a pic of my solar control panel the other morning. There are two 140w panels in series, producing the voltage on the left, and the associated amperage. The middle one is what is going into the batts. As you can see the MPPT controller is doing its stuff - reducing the volts to suit my batt, and uping the amps;

Fair enough, each to their own KM! It's just with a good AP, most people do their navigating and planning below... In about a week, when the Navico marketing guys come back from the sanctuary cove boat show, There will be a unit available for demos at the Navico Office in Albany if anyone is interested. 1st stock available in about 2 weeks... Matt

Steve, it can, but it is a RECEIVE ONLY. If super budget is your choice, then I can do an Asian AIS transponder (Both SEE and BE SEEN) for less than $500 NZD. This has NMEA0183 output and will interface to anything that can accept AIS data. I really don't recommend these units though. The best unit on the market is made here in NZ - The Vesper Marine units. Twice the price plus a bit (around $1200) but way better features, NZ language, efficient support, meets all international standards, has Wifi, NMEA 0183 and NMEA2000, so provides a much longer useful life. If you buy the wrong transducer,

Thanks Rats, best of luck to him!

Unfortunately KM, I'd have to agree. The treatment I have seen of locals by some cruisers is embarrassing! Other countries are not like home, things are often done differently. Time schedules can be a fantasy. If it was the same as home, why go? Fortunately MOST cruisers have some respect for the countries and people they visit. People are people everywhere.

If you have a metal boat an external antenna can be used. AIS compatible - you must ad a transceiver or receiver (lthough why you would currently use a receiver only now is beyond me!) - will display all current AIS items, including ATONs and SARTs. KM, in your case, I'd expect it to be installed below, and you can use your tablet in a cover and mount in the cockpit. On the tablet App, pinch to zoom does not work, you have a + and - button at the bottom of the screen instead....

OK, first gen Zeus. Should be on sw version 2.0-46.1.139-28533-r1. Different screen control (and different screen!) than the new one and the Vulcan. The demo of the new screen in the wet that I saw was pretty impressive... oh, Willow, if you need the SW update instructions, they are here http://www.bandg.com/Documents/software/Zeus_Touch_Upgrade_instructions.pdf You'll need a SD card or USB drive - no wifi on your model sorry

Hi Willow, is your Zeus an original or a Zeus 11? I'm not certain if the new software for the touch is applicable to the first Zeus. Either way, if your have not done a firmware update in the last 6 months, you should do one. There have been some good improvements that you can get with a simple firmware update. On the subject of the updates - the Zeus 11 and the Vulcan have wifi included. Give them an internet connection (hotspot on yr phone?) and they will update themselves like your tablets and cellphones can do. Easy! It will be an update that ads the startline feature described above.

Yes, internal GPS, - It comes with a high speed 10Hz Internal GPS antenna ensuring pinpoint position accuracy.. Further specs here http://www.bandg.com/en-US/Products/Vulcan-7/ Matt

Provided that your hands are not actually dripping onto the screen, this one works well in the wet. Shake off the drops, and away you go. That is what it is meant for! Even the Zeus 11 models are all touch screen now that the interface works well - the older models have both touch and buttons, but due to the interface improvements this is deemed no longer required...

Kevin, no comparison to most apps on andriod. They do not (normally) interface with the boats instruments, nor control them or an AP.No laylines, no recording of wind history/direction to get you on the right side of the shifts etc. They have no provision for Polars or boat performance configuration, and they don't speak NMEA2000. Of course the Andriod app for control of the Vulcan itself has exactly the same features as the Vulcan unit, but you cannot control the AP. The andriod or apple apps only provide chart plotting. It is the Sailsteer and the Startline functions the set this system

B&G have released the Vulcan. It is a small (7") plotter designed for sailing boats. It has really great features. including Sailsteer (laylines etc), wifi screen clone to Apple or Andriod, Autopilot control, and more. Even better its $1300!! It is not meant for larger (say 35 ft + ) boats. No networking, and No radar or other overlays (weather etc). For that you need the Zeus 11. Oh, and the Vulcan, I'm told, will soon include "Startline" - currently only available on the top of the range H5000 systems as used in the Volvo etc. Startline will allow you to "ping" the start boat and pin, a

I reckon 25ltr containers are verging on too heavy if you have to move them far. 20ltr is better. Mast steps are great, but Fwd Sonar is better than someone up the rig for coral. Works in all lights, cloudy water etc. B&G's one is about $1500, so not that expensive. Yes, you can manage without one - most do - but it does make it easier! Absolutely Chart Plotter at the helm - once you have had one, you won't go back!

Bradz, congrats, great first keeler!! With a partner that is keen, a lifetime of sailing is possible. Don't let her go!

You can do it with the OB. Tie the dingy alongside (or between the hulls aon a cat? ), set the motor straight ahead, cord to the kill switch. Use the cat rudders to steer. It will work ok if it is calm, but of course you have limited maneuverability, and no reverse! It's way better than trying to tow it!

BP, the answer is sometimes. Often if no wind there is sun. If no sun there is wind. The windgens come into their own in the tradewind zones, and work 24 7. So it depends. Solar is great, silent, and can be powerful if you have enough panels. If I had to have only one, I guess it would be solar, but both is best!

AC, I've had flexible solar panels on Island Time for about 15 years, mounted direct to the canvas Bimini. It's these that I'm replacing, as their output had dropped to an unacceptable level, and they are now old tech. I did add an additional stainless support tube through the middle of the bimini to prevent sagging and support the original panels. It has worked fine with no issues at all, for many years, so same again this time. Just been down to the boat today to look at the output. Only one panel mounted so far, and we are appraoching the shortest day now, so a less than ideal sun angle

Just wide velcro to the canvas. Velcro glued to the panel, sewed to the canvas. As they are only 3mm thick, virtually no windage. You can use the little round locks with the drop lock like on manu dodgers as well/instead if you want...