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Apr/May 2016 – Garmin NMEA 2000 Instrumentation Installation

Over the winter we bought a new Garmin NMEA 2000 system.

The first piece was a Garmin GWS-10/GMI-10 system

While on the hard, we mounted a new masthead with our new Garmin NMEA 2000 GWS-10 wind system and dropped the NMEA 2000 cable down the mast.


New masthead assembled


New masthead installed

After launch we installed a thru-deck connector at the base of the mast to bring the NMEA 2000 cable inside the boat. It is a 12 pin connector. 5 pins for the NMEA 2000 cable and 4 for the mast lights. The steaming light and the anchor light.


New 12 pin connector installed

Also, while on the hard, we removed an old depth transducer and installed a new Garmin NMEA 2000 Intelliducer. Using a level with an angle finder we found the location on the hull where the Intelliducer was to be mounted was on a 18 degree angle. So we bought the Intelliducer suitable for use with a 13 to 24 degree range.


New Intelliducer


Intelliducer installed

One of our other winter projects was to remove the fuel tank to give it a good cleaning. While out, we decided to add a resistive sender unit (WEMA KUS SSL) to measure fuel level and used a Garmin NMEA 2000 GFL adapter to interface it NMEA 2000 system.


New WEMA KUS SSL fuel level sensor


New WEMA KUS SSL fuel level sensor installed on the fuel tank

After reviewing our options, we decided to mount the NMEA 2000 backbone “tee” connectors under the starboard quarter berth. They would be centrally located to the devices, close to the electrical panel and easily accessible.


NMEA 2000 backbone installed under the quarter berth

We mounted the GMI-10 multi-functional display on the starboard side


GMI-10

We mounted the GPSMAP 421 on a swing arm. When in use it swings out in the companionway, then for storage it folds up out of the way against the cabin wall and can be operated easily from inside the cabin.


GPSMAP 421


GPSMAP 421 stowed in the cabin on the swing arm.

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23-May-2016, First sail of the season and first drone flight off the boat

I took a half day of vacation and met up at the marina with my brother, my daughter and her boy friend for the first sail of the season.

Before heading out we stopped at the fuel dock to top off the fuel tank and calibrate the new fuel level system.

Winds were variable to say the least. Before we departed they had dropped to about 4 knots so we got the genoa ready. Once we were out and had put the mainsail up the winds rose to about 15 knots. So, we did a sail change taking down the genoa and put up the work jib. Shortly afterwards the wind dropped again to the 5-6 knot range and once again we did a sail change putting the genoa back up. We sailed with the genoa for the rest of the afternoon.

We all had a great afternoon sailing.

With the lighter winds I decided to try flying my drone off the boat for the first time. It was a bit hair-raising to say the least. Flying on land is not to bad, but off the boat with the wind going one way and me on a moving target (the boat) going another made it a bit more difficult.

Controlling the drone is pretty straight forward. The front of the drone has the camera on it. Push the joystick forward and the drone flies forward, push it to the left and it flies to the left and so on. Once I launched the drone though it took off, being pushed by the wind across the boat, from the starboard side to the port side. I quickly lost orientation and it took a while before I got it properly orientated again. It has red lights on the back end to help you know what its orientation is, but I couldn’t see the color of the light during the bright daylight.

The video from my first drone flight off the boat is quite erratic as I tried to regain orientation.

I did manage to get a couple decent frame grabs from the video though.

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5-May-2016, In the water!

“Thanks Dad” was put in the water and we brought her from the boat yard to the marina. This is the earliest we have been able to launch her. Last year we didn’t launch until 27-June and the earliest ever before was 20-May.