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...


---
Remove x's to send.

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...


---
Remove x's to send.


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

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.


Sounds reasonable enough, if you are sailing in a never-foggy area.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a


"Wanting to meet a writer because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like pate."
Margaret Atwood

Or coastal cruising at night.

Leanne


"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...


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.


Sounds reasonable enough, if you are sailing in a never-foggy
area.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC
J36 Gjo/a


"Wanting to meet a writer because you like his work is like
wanting to meet a duck because you like pate."
Margaret Atwood

Or coastal cruising at night.

Leanne


"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...


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.


Sounds reasonable enough, if you are sailing in a never-foggy
area.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC
J36 Gjo/a


"Wanting to meet a writer because you like his work is like
wanting to meet a duck because you like pate."
Margaret Atwood

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.


Sounds reasonable enough, if you are sailing in a never-foggy area.



Rodney Myrvaagnes NYC J36 Gjo/a


"Wanting to meet a writer because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like pate."
Margaret Atwood

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...


---
Remove x's to send.


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

In article ,
(Parallax) wrote:

I would like input from other ppl on what gadgets really
make sailing better and what ones are simply a techno-pain in the ass.

For example: GPS is a necessity but I will keep my paper charts and
hand compass. Depthsounder is necessary. Permanently mounted VHF
necessary.

So:

Knotlog- really useful or does the reading off the GPS suffice?

More useful than GPS for determining whether you are trimming correctly.
They read pretty much instantly. In combination with the GPS, will give
you at least a rough estimation of current. (properly interfaced, I
believe the GPS can figure it out pretty accurately.) I still count ours
as more valuable than the GPS, which is usually also on.

Handheld VHF- useful or not?

Very. The next best would be a fixed VHF with remote controls & channel
display on the handset. We often monitor two channels at once and
scanning between two, particularly if one is 16, is not as effective.

A remote speaker (the larger the better) in the cockpit really improves
clarity.

Electronic masthead windmeter (I'd like one but am doubtful about its
robustness)- useful or not?

Nice toy. Seem to be lightning attractors.

Radar- Takes too much power I think for a sailboat.

Vital in some areas; handy in others; almost useless to us. I think we
could have effectively used ours twice in probably 1000 days on the
water. Then again, friends' units gave us timely warning of approaching
squall lines that could have wreaked havoc to our rafted boats.

Lazy jacks- (I am sure I can make my own) but really useful or not?

More hassle than they're worth on a boat under about 40'.

Any other useful things?

Autopilot. Ours allows me to actually enjoy 16 hour travel days. Many
days I'll sail at 2-4 knots under sail, or hoist the chute, with Otto
doing the steering. Without that help, I would probably fire up the iron
genny.

Permanently mounted compass. The handheld has its uses, but nothing
beats being able to see your course at a glance.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On 24 Jan 2004 09:18:25 -0800, (Parallax)
wrote:


Knotlog- really useful or does the reading off the GPS suffice?

Yes, GPSes are cheap enough to have one for the boat and another for
the crash box. The boat one is mounted in a bendy suction cup thingie
that runs a 12 V fused line to ship's power, because they eat AA batts
for breakfast. The bendy mount thing, instead of being suctioned to
the bridgedeck or the bulkhead (too much motion for that on my boat)
is lashed to an old gooseneck lamp extender that pivots into the
companionway. When I need it, I deploy it so that I can read it from
where I sit or stand at the tiller. When I don't, I fold the gooseneck
back onto its mount and lash it down tidily. Works for me and is dead
cheap.


Handheld VHF- useful or not?

Yes. I use the submersible Standard Horizon 260S I got a few years ago
much more than I use the base unit, because when I want to gam with
nearly vessels, it's right there, with its lanyard clipped via a light
carbiner (the $1.50 type used for keys and such) to a hard point in
the cockpit. I checked out remote speakers and channel-display mics
for the base unit, but they cost just as much as the handheld, and
couldn't go with me in the Zodiac when the wind was too calm for
sailing and I wanted to bomb around the Island.

Electronic masthead windmeter (I'd like one but am doubtful about its
robustness)- useful or not?

I like it but they are expensive and delicate if you pull your mast
every year like me. Upon reflection I would just buy a handheld,
although my refurbished ElectroMarine analog meters look extremely
salty in the cockpit at night. I have apparent wind direction, wind
speed and a knotmeter.

If I raced my boat I would want them more, but I mostly cruise AS IF
I'm racing (I race on other boats...far cheaper and less stressful!)

Radar- Takes too much power I think for a sailboat.

This is utterly dependant I think on your location, your style of
sailing and your ability to keep watch. For a daysailer in familiar
waters not prone to fog, it's a frill, but a nice one. In areas of
sudden weather changes, heavy commercial traffic or offshore passages,
it's a lifesaver. I am thinking particularly of the proximity alarms
that can be rigged to give you time to change course if Big
Undermanned Tankers are closing on your position.

Lazy jacks- (I am sure I can make my own) but really useful or not?

If you single-hand, sure, but not necessary. And yes, it's pretty
simple to rig your own for under $100 and a little time drilling and
riveting.


Any other useful things?

A Koolatron with a blanket over it (except for the exhaust fan) is
easier than ice or a fridge on board. Take off, load from the home
fridge or beer store, take aboard, plug into the 12 V and enjoy...
They draw about three amps.

Other useful stuff: engine alarms (oil pressure, water temp.);
bulletproof bilge pump setup (no chance of dry cycling); manual
windlass (if you anchor out a lot), a headlamp with three or four
bright LEDs (*VERY* handy at night or deep in the sail locker looking
for a dropped tool)l those dollar-store closet dome lights powered by
four AA batteries (use in lockers, nav station, engine
compartment--bright enough to see by but dim enough not to wake the
boat); a propane/gas sniffer with a solenoid cutoff, a CO detector.

R.

On 24 Jan 2004 09:18:25 -0800,
Parallax wrote:
After many yrs of being a cheapskate sailor sailing without the
expensive gadgets thayt many other ppl have, I now find myself able to
afford to buy some of the gadgets I used to shun. All those yrs of
making do without has colored my thought processes so I naturally
avoid gadgetry. However, my recent installation of roller furling
really made sailing easier so I am reconsidering my attitude toward
gadgets. I would like input from other ppl on what gadgets really
make sailing better and what ones are simply a techno-pain in the ass.

For example: GPS is a necessity but I will keep my paper charts and
hand compass. Depthsounder is necessary. Permanently mounted VHF
necessary.

So:

Knotlog- really useful or does the reading off the GPS suffice?

GPS offers you speed, knotlog says speed through the water, both are
useful.

Handheld VHF- useful or not?

Absolutely! one of our dockmates was on his way back from Canada, when
(as near as he can figure out) his diesel stove caught fire (it had been
shut offm but was still hot) and the boat burned to the waterline. He
couldn't get into the cabin for the smoke, so he bailed with what he had
in the cockpit. He credits the handheld VHF with saving his life. Not
only was he able to call for assistance, but he vectored the Canadian
coast guard boat to him in the water, since the dink had gone away.

He now has 2 handheld flares in the cockpit as well.


Electronic masthead windmeter (I'd like one but am doubtful about its
robustness)- useful or not?
Radar- Takes too much power I think for a sailboat.
Lazy jacks- (I am sure I can make my own) but really useful or not?
Any other useful things?

--
Jim Richardson http://www.eskimo.com/~warlock
Dash Dash Space