Josh Assing wrote in message . ..
Knotlog- really useful or does the reading off the GPS suffice?
This gives you speed over water, gps will not; it will give you speed over
surface (if tide is coming in; and you're doing 1 knott on the gps, you may be
doing 6 over water)

Handheld VHF- useful or not?
VERY -- Frequently; I cannot get below to my fixed mount; or if I'm in my dingy
calling to my boat -- and it's always a good backup.

Electronic masthead windmeter (I'd like one but am doubtful about its
robustness)- useful or not?
depends on how much you need to know wha the wind is doing -- I'd say if you do
bay sailing, aren't a racer,a nd have sailed for years w/o it; you can live w/o
it.

Radar- Takes too much power I think for a sailboat.
If you sail fog or high traffic area at night -- very useful.. you just need to
adjust your battery banks...

Lazy jacks- (I am sure I can make my own) but really useful or not?
If you raise & lower your main a lot in a day; then it is; if you don't I think
it's "one more thing" to break -- I adhear to KISS on my boat -- I don't hve
roller furling, I do have a twin head foil...


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OK, I'll reluctantly forgo the windmeter. Will get the GPS, hand held
VHF and maybe the knotlog. At least the knotlog will fill the space
left by the old one that has never worked for the 12 yrs I have owned
my boat. I have always had a permanently mounted compass and hand
compass (ok, 2 hand compasses). GPS chart plotters seem sorta silly
since I imagine its hard to get a good overview of your entire area
and planned course. Besides, I just like the excercise in trig in
plotting my position (normally use hand compass, knotstik towed spd
indicator, and paper charts to do coastal nav, till now, DR and Loran
out of sight of any marks). I suspected the lazy jacks were not
really worthwhile which is why I never made them. As far as Radar and
battery banks, I have two batteries, a 25 watt solar panel and no
access to shore power for charging although the diesel does a good job
of that. I do have an old Autohelm autopilot that I love for
loooooooong trips. My sailing is primarily coastal cruising.

DBO