12
11.
Electronics/Instruments
Cellular Telephones
– There are five 12-volt cigarette lighter type outlets for recharging your cellular
telephones, one on the main panel and one on the back of the table in the cockpit. Ther remaining three
are located in each stateroom, directly adjacent to the 110-volt outlet. Also, since we have an inverter
you can charge using a normal 110-volt charger. Cell phone coverage is good in Friday Harbor and Roche
Harbor. It is spotty elsewhere.
Chart Plotter/Radar
–
We have a large-screen color chart plotter installed at the helm. It is integrated
with the radar. The “Navigation Instruments” breaker must be on at the electrical panel power the unit.
The unit will power up on its own and you have the option of turning the unit on and off via the red power
button at the unit.
Please be gentle with the red power button, as we are on our third power button.
They are fragile.
Fortunately, they don’t require much effort. Note that it will default to whichever screen
it was on prior to powering down. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the various displays and
menus prior to starting your trip. The manual for the chart plotter is in the chart table pedestal.
To turn on the radar, the “Radar” breaker must be on at the electrical panel to power the unit. Please only
use radar when needed, as they are fragile and expensive to repair. When powered on, the chart plotter
will communicate with the radar and be ready to display the data it receives, depending on the chart
plotter page that is active. Be sure to turn the radar off again when you no longer need it. Due to the
capacitors in the radar, the red status light on the electrical panel goes out slowly.
The scanner takes time to warm up so it will look like nothing is happening – be patient
.
We recommend that in addition to using your PRIMARY navigation aids – namely, the Maptech
waterproof chart book or the roll charts (with the most active “killer rocks” marked in red) – up in the
cockpit while underway, you also utilize the chartplotter for added safety. It helps you to see if you are
where you think you are on the chart book or paper charts. The best way to stay off the rocks is by
knowing where you are at all times. And the primary role of the chart plotter is to verify that you are
where you think you are.
You should have little need of the radar except for the highly unlikely event that you are suddenly
enveloped by fog, which is rare in this area. The fog that we’ve encountered in the islands usually forms
in the wee hours of the morning and burns off by mid-day. So if it’s a little soupy after breakfast, we put
on an extra pot of coffee until it lifts. Never depart from a safe location into the fog! To do so, even with
radar, would be contrary to prudent seamanship. FYI – Fog becomes “reduced visibility” when you can
see ¼ mile (about 4 football fields) in all directions. It is safe to proceed CAREFULLY in reduced visibility
using your radar to “see” beyond the haze, but be sure to look up from the screen about every 10 seconds
and use your eyes to scan the horizon forward, behind, and side to side. A motoryacht, tanker or freighter
traveling at 20 knots takes only 39 seconds to travel ¼ mile! You need to see these fast-moving vessels
sooner-rather-than-later so you can prepare, if indicated, to quickly take evasive action to avoid an
impending collision.
Depth Sounder
–
The digital depth sounder will not give accurate readings beyond 400’.
It is designed
for use in shallow waters. In deeper water, the sensitivity on the unit increases as the transducer tries to
get some reading back. Consequently, when you are in deep water false readings caused by currents,
changes in water temperature, fish, etc are common. These false reading often report very shallow water
so knowing you are in deep water is important. The depth showing on the sounder is being measured
from the transducer (about 18” under true water level) so the water under the boat is really a bit deeper
than the reading. But we strongly recommend leaving 10-12 feet of water under the boat at all times
(noted exception is Bellingham’s harbor at low tide – it gets down to about 8 feet).
We suggest using the depth sounder mainly as an aid to navigation in shallow water. However, the key to
avoiding rocks is not the depth sounder – but knowing where you are on the chart at all times. ROCKS
ARE THE SINGLE BIGGEST NAVIGATIONAL AND SAFETY HAZARD IN THE ISLANDS – BUT THEY ARE ALL
