What Do You Have on Your Boat that You Love?

[wreckchick]

VHF radio, chartplotter, paper chart and a nice bottom machine are absolutes. The cd player is a nice addition as well! If was reoutfitting a boat right now, I'd add an EPIRB and probably get a radio that also transmits the gps coordinates with all broadcasts to make locating the boat in an emergency faster.

Obviously you have all the necessary safety equipment, save a dive stuff, first aid kit and I'd recommend an oxygen kit that will give you all the delivery options in case you have someone unresponsive. When you're getting an O2 bottle, make sure you have enough to get from wherever you're likely to be to the most probable meeting spot for emergency services in adverse conditions.

Congrats on the boat and have fun!

Rachel

 

[wreckedinri]

All very good and appropriate ideas, I'll second the Solar Shower!

Also, be sure to interface the GPS with your VHF radio to take full advantage of your radio's DSC capabilities. If you operate in areas of shipping and/or limited visibility, a radar reflector placed as high as practicable is a good idea on a vessel of your size.

Good Luck and Have Fun with the new boat,

Capt. Dennis

 

[Darnold9999]

GPS hooked to a laptop with electronic charts. I use Nobeltec but there are others.

Portable waterproof VHF radio in addition to the built in one.

Not a fan of the dive ladders mentioned (I have a 4 step ladder) - they don't get far enough into the water for the weight of the gear we wear up here. I can get out of the water, but it is a significant struggle to get onto that first step. A custom ladder is in my future.

Furnace - probably too much for a boat that size, but it is nice to get in out of the cold apres dive.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

probably get a radio that also transmits the gps coordinates with all broadcasts to make locating the boat in an emergency faster.

I don't believe there are any VHF radios that send position with ALL broadcasts.
Have you got an example?

There are lots of radios that will send a digital distress signal (including position) when you
press and hold the red button. And there are some that can respond to a "position
request" from another radios (most of those can be setup to either "always respond" or
"ask your permission" (latter is popular with fishers).

 

[wreckchick]

The CG in Key West told me that there are ways to get the GPS coordinates from some VHF radios for position information. I'm guessing that's the 'position request' you're referencing in your post. It's not something I've researched extensively since I'm sadly boat-free.

R

 

[ItsBruce]

I would suggest going to the local hardware store and buying a toilet ring for $2. Take the wax off the plastic and put the wax in a ziploc bag. Dispose of the plastic. You'd be amazed at what kinds of leaks the wax will seal, particularly if used in conjunction with either (1) a tapered wooden plug (for broken through-hull fittings) or (2) anything that can be used as a backing (for all other holes). I don't actually carry the wax on my boat. I carry it in my seabag and dive bag so that I have it even on other peoples' boats. It has kept at least one boat from serious distress.

I'd also recommend a Solar Shower. I even have one mounted on my van.

And, if you want to be real extravagant, I'd go with a digital compass, probably Sailcomp. It is a delight to steer to a course with one.

 

[wreckedinri]

The CG in Key West told me that there are ways to get the GPS coordinates from some VHF radios for position information. I'm guessing that's the 'position request' you're referencing in your post. It's not something I've researched extensively since I'm sadly boat-free.

R

From Boatsafe.com:

Digital Selective Calling Radios

Digital Selective Calling (DSC) radio is the latest in marine radio technology. Digital Selective Calling is part of a global upgrade in maritime distress communications. Satellite and digital technology used for several years on commercial ships is now available to the recreational boater. DSC radios allow boaters to make ship-to-ship private calls and the DSC distress channel is currently being monitored by commercial ships.

Since 1996 recreational boaters were no longer required to have a ship's station license issued by the FCC in order to operate a VHF radio. The new DSC radios however have to be registered to work properly in emergency situations. They are also encoded with a unique nine digit FCC identification number that allows the ship-to-ship calling feature. This unique number called a Maritime Mobile Service Identity or MMSI, is much like your cell phone number. Once the radio is registered with the FCC, that information and your boat's information is entered in the US Coast Guard's national distress database.

The major advantage of the DSC radio is its ability to send an automatic "mayday" that identifies the vessel and also, when connected to a LORAN or GPS, can send the vessels location. The DSC radio operates much like an EPIRB that sends encoded "maydays" directly to satellites. The DSC radio will also continue sending the emergency signal if the skipper is disabled.

Another feature of the DSC radio is the ability to place private ship-to-ship calls to other vessels equipped with DSC radio. Basically if you know the MMSI number of the radio you are calling only that vessel will receive you message. Just like using your cell phone.

Although commercial ships over 300 tons are now required to monitor the DSC Radio reserved Channel 70 for distress calls, the US Coast Guard is still monitoring Channel 16. As the Coast Guard updates and upgrades there equipment, they should be monitoring DSC Channel 70 in many areas by 2002-3 and be fully functional and compliant by 2005-6. The USCG's equipment up grade will include:

DSC capability to send or receive calls on channel 70

Eliminate the 65 gaps in current VHF coverage in the US
Provide direction finding capability to trace a garbled radio signal to within 25 miles
Provide playback of VHF voice or digital calls
Provide automatic tracking of USCG ships and aircraft on search and rescue missions
There have been recent incidences where commercial ships have picked up the "mayday" calls on Channel 70 and relayed them to the USCG.

The DSC radio feature is part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). This system was put in place by international treaty in 1988 and all seagoing nations including the US will be GMDSS compliant by 2005-6.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

The major advantage of the DSC radio is its ability to send an automatic "mayday" that identifies the vessel and also, when connected to a LORAN or GPS, can send the vessels location. The DSC radio operates much like an EPIRB that sends encoded "maydays" directly to satellites. The DSC radio will also continue sending the emergency signal if the skipper is disabled.

Another feature of the DSC radio is the ability to place private ship-to-ship calls to other vessels equipped with DSC radio. Basically if you know the MMSI number of the radio you are calling only that vessel will receive you message. Just like using your cell phone.

Paragraph 1 in the quote: The operative word is "CAN". Position only gets sent if:

1. Somebody presses and holds the red digital MAYDAY button.

or

2. Somebody sends a "postion request" to your MMSI (like a phone number) AND either
a. You have told your radio to respond to any and all position requests. or,
b. You radio asks you if it's OK to respond to THIS position requests and you say yes.

Paragraph 2: Those calls aren't all that private. All that's hidden (and only a little bit)
is what sets up the call. Once you come up on the working frequency, anybody who
is monitoring the working freq will hear the call. (However, it's still really handy, just
not secure at all).


And connecting the GPS to the radio can be a bit problematic. I've got a masters
degree in electical engineering and 35 years in the computer biz, and it still took
the better part of an afternoon to get it working. And it hasn't gotten any better,
except that help is easier to find. When radios and GPS start doing NMEA2000, it should
get easier.

 

[dannobee]

Everybody mentioned some great things. GPS and depth sounders are great. Even my little inflatable has a Lowrance LMS 337C with a Navionics chip.

What do you have for an anchor/rode setup? Give yourself plenty of chain on the anchor and enough line for plenty of scope for your usual dive spots.

If you're going out in the ocean (say, over 10 miles or so out), you should have things like extra gas and a compass. It wouldn't be a bad idea to take charts of the area in case the GPS fails and the chit hits the fan. You should have the usual things like tools, extra plugs, oil, gear oil, prop (with extra nut and cotter pin) stored in a little bucket or similar container in the tow vehicle.

There's a saying about boats on the open seas; two is one and one is none. Have an extra battery and two bilge pumps. Those, along with your extra gasoline, will save you from 95% of all Vessel Assist calls.

Oh, and take a Coast Guard class or two. It might save your life, or at least grief from your wife.

Have fun. It's a blast being able to dive when and where you want. The scooter guys will have nothing on you.

 

[Darnold9999]

Agree with the two is one and one is none. Have twins in my current boat and would not be in a boat in these waters without two methods of propulsion. Twins, sail - power, outboard - kicker something/anything as a backup. Had an engine fail halfway between San Juan Island and Victoria at dusk on my second boat - a fuel problem. Managed to get it going again, but was a VERY illuminating experience.

Weather can come up in a hurry around here and being in a boat that can't get out of the way or at least point into it is a very scary experience.

Be careful with chain - if you don't have a winch it is possible to have too much chain. You know it is too much if you have it all out with the anchor not touching the bottom and you can't lift it