[Rhodes22-list] R22 Instrumentation

[budconnor at earthlink.net]

Pete,
   I read your posting on the 38' Carolina and both links on the accident.
Thanks for posting as your messages have not gone un-noticed.  I am
currently reading a book called Seaworthy which discribes both power and
sailboat mishaps.  I am amazed at how quick and easy it is to go from
a pleasant day on the water to tragedy.

-Bud Connor



-----Original Message-----
>From: Peter Thorn <pthorn at nc.rr.com>
>Sent: Feb 28, 2006 7:18 AM
>To: Rhodes 22 List Members <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] R22 Instrumentation
>
>Dave,
>
>Last week I posted a few articles about a new 38' Carolina Classic sport
>fisherman boat that sank recently while en route from Edenton to the Miami
>boat show.  It seems no one on the list took much notice, but this event has
>intrigued me since I first read about it.   It turns out the Captain was 78
>years old and evidently experienced.  His mate was 55 and not much was
>written about him.  Both died of hypothermia resulting from exposure to cold
>water when the new boat they were delivering sank in 18' of water, about 5
>miles from Oriental, NC  near Garbacon shoals.
>
>Last Friday I helped my buddy Lawrence deliver his Tanzer 26 from Oriental
>to New Bern to prepare for a race last Saturday.  As is our custom, we ate
>lunch at M&Ms Restaurant before departing  and happened to sit at the bar
>next to Captain Larry Walker (who teaches the Captain's courses in
>Oriental).  We engaged in a discussion about the accident -- it has been the
>talk of the town since it happened.
>
>Captain Walker made some excellent points I feel are worth sharing.  First,
>if the lost souls had contacted the Coast Guard, they would doubtless be
>alive today.  They only had 5 watt hand-held radios with them, which in 3-4'
>waves may not have been able to transmit that far.  The investigation
>revealed that other hand helds at that location could not raise the Coast
>Guard either.   VHF is line of sight and it was blowing 30 that day.   A
>fixed mount VHF on a sailboat is a big advantage worth acquiring: 25 watts
>of power and 30' of  antenna elevation.  The higher the antenna, the longer
>the range.
>
>Captain Walker strongly suggested an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating
>Radio Beacon).
>http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|344|302025|320637&id=99121 This
>is a small expensive device that sends a signal up to a satellite and on to
>the Coast Guard, telling them you need help.  You just throw it in the water
>and it automatically goes to work saving your life.  Don't buy an EPIRB
>without the built-in GPS feature.  The GPS EPIRB transmits the location of
>the EPIRB to the Coast Guard.  This can save lots of time they would
>otherwise waste on triangulation.  When hypothermia is involved minutes can
>be life and death.
>
>There are now fixed VHF sets available that connect with your GPS and have
>an emergency switch that will transmit your position to nearby vessels with
>similar equipment and to the Coast Guard.  (The Uniden UM 525 is one
>example, on sale now at Defender for $150.)  Evidently, Channel 70 is soon
>to be the new emergency channel and these are set up for that too.  These
>radios are much less expensive and for coastal sailing may be a reasonable
>compromise.  However, if the cockpit fills with water and the electrical
>system shorts out the radio may not be much good and you may wish for an
>EPIRB.
>
>If you are still deciding how to spend money on your new Rhodes, you might
>want to consider some of these equipment choices.  I hope you never have the
>need to use them.
>
>PT
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <DCLewis1 at aol.com>
>To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 12:12 AM
>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] R22 Instrumentation
>
>
>
>Folks,
>
>We are in the midst of trying to get our R22 equipped while it?s still at
>GBI and the matter of instrumentation has come up.   The purpose of  this
>Email
>is to solicit input regarding what works.
>
>Our current plan is to have a depth finder (Humminbird Mk17?) and bulkhead
>compass mounted on the exterior cabin wall.  Questions:
>- Both  instruments seem to me to be far from the tiller.  In your
>experience
>can  you meaningfully use instruments mounted on the cabin (I realize this
>may be a  function of your farsightedness, but any input is welcome.).   In
>particular, would a hand held compass be more useful than a bulkhead
>compass?
>If you like a bulkhead compass, any specific recommendations  regarding
>models
>and types?
>- If these instruments are mounted  on the exterior, how do you keep them
>from walking away?  Has anyone had a  problem in this regard?
>- I understand the Mk17 has a bezel that facilitates  mounting.  I also
>think
>the Mk17 has a 1 year warranty that the display  will be waterproof.  But
>for
>the long term, how do you keep the Humminbird  (or any other) depth
>finder/GPS display secured and out of the weather when the  boat?s secured?
>I haven?t
>identified a cap that would keep the sun and  precip off it and/or secure it
>- have I missed something?  I gather there  are a number of Humminbird users
>on the board, what do you do?  I believe  there are caps for bulkhead
>compasses, that protect them from the weather, and  provide some security,
>it that what
>you use?
>
>I?m inclined to use a hand held GPS, just because it will be closer to  me.
>Also, it will be easily secured and I can take it home to program way
>points
>etc.  The same GPS could act as a compass.  The alternative is  to use the
>Humminbird depth finder with a GPS driver - they make one - or  another
>bulkhead
>mounted GPS system.  The Humminbird will have a larger  display, but at the
>front of the cockpit.  Again, I?m not sure the  Humminbird can be secured or
>kept out of the weather, and I don?t think it will  be a simple matter to
>take it
>home to program a course, way points, etc.   Has anyone considered these
>trades and come to a decision as to the way to  proceed.  Better yet, does
>anyone
>have experience with hand held vice  bulkhead mounted GPS displays.
>
>Thanks for any input.
>
>Dave
>
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