Ruach

Upgrading to a color chartplotter/radar display is going to take a lot more money and effort than I thought.

You would think that there would be some product support for a not so old chartplotter.  You would be wrong.  Not only is the unit currently on the boat no longer made, but the color alternative is no longer available either.  And the raydome on the boat only works with the chartplotter/radar display that is on the boat.

So what I’m faced with is an upgrade of both the display and NavPod mounting gear ($2100) and the raydome ($1000), along with at least two days labor ($1500). Plus the insidious “incidentals”.

All this gets me is a screen that is slightly larger, and in color.  There is no added functionality beyond a future ability to add a digital fishfinder.  My $5000 would only get me a color display vs. black and white.

I just don’t see it. 

The estimate just came in for a bow thruster on Ruach.  $7,500.  Ouch! 

Guess I’ll have to learn to drive the friggin boat.  Not that I can’t find something else on which to spend that money – hmmmm… color chartplotter.

Boats are funny things, there’s always something else on which you can spend your money. 

When we bought Ruach possible add-on’s included a bow thruster and color chart plotter.  Because it’s never as simple as it sounds, both projects will run over $5k.  So it’s one at a time.

What comes first?  Well, the bow thruster seemed like a priority. Currently there isn’t one.  

The grey scale chart plotter that is on the boat works, although the declination is off a bit.  The fluxgate compass seems to be improperly installed.  Start up the engine and the readings tip off by 20 degrees.  Not good.  Makes the autopilot useless.  Then there’s the wind instrument.  The only part of that thing that makes any sense is the speed.  I guess “color GPS” is a misstatement.  It should read “new electronics”.

So… I had my mechanic take a look and work up a quote for the thruster.  That was in September, still no quote.  You have to have patience if you are going to deal with anyone in the Marine industry.

Given the late date, and my thinking and rethinking of the electronics situation, I may forget about the thruster this year and go with the electronics.

Trouble with that is, it’s like any other computerized gear.  There’s always a great new feature coming out… next quarter.

Larry Robertie