Starting with the first step of the new instruments setup – taking them out of the elements and moving them on the inside. When it’s all done, the relevant info, including the charts, will be on the iPad.
Moved instruments in prep for iPad
Time to stop sailing blind. Instruments!
One of the goals for 2025 is to get the instruments story figured out. My current situation is that I have a Raymarine mast-top wind transducer, a depth sounder with knot meter (that is not installed), and a i70s multicolor display. The motor came with its own monochrome display that shows state of charge, draw, and RPMs.
What I’d like to be able to see:
- Temperature indoor and outdoor as well as water temp
- Barometric pressure – current & historical
- Humidity indoor
- Wind speed & direction, both true and apparent.
- Depth
- Position, on charts
- Speed over water and ground
- Heading
- Date & time
- Battery state of charge, current draw by engine & house, estimated time/distance remaining
- Engine/prop RPMs
For many of the above I’ll need to get new sensors. Raymarine is on a SeaTalk NG bus but I’d like to have N2K bus, bridged over to SeaTalk. I’d also like to see all that on an iPad, preferably over WiFi or Bluetooth instead of a cable.
Here is what I’m planning to put in place:
All the stuff in red is something I’d need to buy. Most is just connectors.
And that, in theory, would give me all the data I need (and more):
The only question mark is how to interface the engine to the NEMA2000 network. I reached out to Electric Yacht and they currently don’t have anything to offer. That said, there seems to be a good example I could follow. It’s so great to have people smarter than me share their knowledge (and code!)
This will be a fun learning experience!