This is the Navagear article that was featured over at MadMariner back in May.

Cruisers are unusually fortunate when it comes to astronomical opportunities. We enjoy dark skies and quiet evenings with few distractions. If we’re sailing offshore, we’ll stand watches through the night. Add in a clear sky, and you’ve got all the ingredients you need for some great stargazing.

Some of the original stargazers were mariners, of course. Nautical astronomy is a specialized discipline in its own right, complete with precise predictions and complicated mathematics, all aimed at determining a vessel’s position. Although I’ve dabbled with celestial navigation, that’s not really what I’m driving at here.

I’m talking about “stargazing,” pure and simple. When you’re cruising, amateur astronomy makes for great entertainment. While sailing from Honolulu to Seattle, we used the masthead windex to steer. For two hours every night, I stared at the windex, reclining athwartships across the back of the cockpit, steering with one hand and one foot. I got to watch, and watch, and just watch some more, the darkest skies imaginable, and I learned a lot.

[NASA image: The constellation Orion and other star formations are visible to the naked-eye.]

Mostly, I learned that the sky is really very busy. There is an awful lot going on up there, much of which we either can’t see (because we live in light-polluted human settlements) or just never bother to examine. For example, the movement of satellites and shooting stars punctuate the night at regular intervals. There are also a vast multitude of (apparently) stationary objects. And don’t forget the rich band of the Milky Way. But even if you never go offshore, and are never underway at night, you’ll encounter stargazing opportunities on your boat that would be the envy of your city-bound astronomical brethren.

NO GEAR REQUIRED

Navagear is all about gear and gadgets, so two weeks from now in “Astronomy 102″ I’ll discuss several kinds of astronomy tools, some of which you may already have aboard your boat. But to get started, you don’t need a thing. In fact, it’s better if you don’t start out fiddling with gear. If you can begin to explore the heavens with your naked eyes and a bit of patience, you’ll get a lot more out of the experience when you do start augmenting it with powerful tools.

Amateur astronomy doesn’t really require any equipment at all. Mostly, you need time: time to allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness, and time to watch whatever might be going on up there. Whether aboard your boat or ashore, you’ll want to find a comfortable position, reclined or semi-reclined so you don’t get a sore neck. Obviously, turn off or move away from all light sources. And dress warmly, because your body won’t be generating much heat as it scans the heavens.

It’s not quite as simple as stepping outside, looking upward, seeing something wonderful and then returning your attention to terrestrial affairs. It takes time.

Believe it or not, even if your eyes are fully dark-adjusted, you’ll see more at the end of your “session” than you did at the beginning, because while you were are there, your brain is learning how to look at the sky.

THE TRAINED EYE

I’m absolutely serious when I say you have to learn how to look at the sky.

I know, it sounds bizarre, but a view of the sky is not something that can be comprehended by the human brain in a single glance. A neuroscientist specializing in visual cognition could give a full, scientific explanation, but I’ll have to resort to an analogy: remember those “Magic Eye” posters from the 1990s? If you stared at the pattern and sort of let your eyes relax, all of a sudden you could see the hidden 3D image.

Looking at the sky is like that, except that progress is more gradual; it isn’t all-or-nothing. As you do it more, your eye-brain system begins to sort, filter, spot patterns and notice irregularities within your visual field.

So set a goal: Spend 30 minutes looking at the sky – it takes about that long for your night vision to develop fully. Don’t work at it. Just relax and look. Let your eyes wander to whatever draws your attention.

Don’t be surprised if you really are tired at the end of 30 minutes. While your conscious mind has been relaxed, slightly bored, or free-associating like mad, your visual cognition centers have been working overtime trying to make sense of this unfamiliar data stream.

With the right equipment, resources, and techniques at your disposal, you can make simple “gee-whiz” stargazing an even more rewarding experience. Amateur astronomers can geek out about gear and technology with at least as much intensity as boaters, so don’t worry, there will be plenty to discuss before we’re done. Stay tuned – and keep watching the skies!

Redmond, WA, – Rose Point Navigation Systems has released a new line of digital radar products that can be used with the company’s Coastal Explorer and Rose Point ECS navigation systems. The new radar units range in size from a small footprint 4 KW dome to a 25 KW open array.

PC based radar has many benefits over traditional radar. Many users install the software at a primary navigation station and then clone the screen on a separate, sometimes exterior, screen at a second helm station. “There’s nothing quite as nice as having a large sunlight readable screen at the helm” said Jeff Hummel, Director of Sales and Marketing at Rose Point. “The low cost of large waterproof screens has made this possible at a fraction of the expense of dedicated systems. Boaters like to have all of their information on a single screen to save space. Since they have chosen PC based navigation over a plotter, it is only natural that they would desire radar overlay as a key part of their system.”

Radar Overlay

Radar overlay combines the two most powerful navigation techniques available; a GPS based chart plotter and Radar Navigation. Users quickly and easily gain better situational awareness and increased navigational confidence by correlating radar images representing buoys, AIS targets, aids to navigation, and land features with their real world position on a chart.

Users can easily identify position and/or heading errors by comparing the radar overlaid image with the chart. Users can choose from a variety of radar display options to suit their needs. The radar image can be displayed semi-transparently on top of the chart, or it can be displayed in a split window with or without a chart background. Radar controls for typical settings like gain, range and sea state (STC) are accessed through buttons available in Cruise Mode. The software includes traditional radar features like Variable Range Markers (VRM), Electronic Bearing Lines (EBL), and Guard Zones, which are optionally displayed on the screen.

Coastal Explorer and Rose Point ECS also support radar in a stand alone window. “Boaters often ask if they can view a traditional, old style, radar screen using a separate display connected to the computer.” Said Hummel. “This feature is supported, provided that the computer has a dual screen output.”

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Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner! It discusses a few of the small custom fabrication projects I’ve recently dared to DIY, or should that be “DIM” (”do it myself”)?

I don’t claim to be any sort of workshop prodigy, but I love being able to work up solutions on my own, and each project gives me a little more confidence for the next one. Well, each successful project, anyway!

RLW at Boat Bits recently had this to say:

Now I’m as much of a “guy” to go all silly and drool over a seriously fine tool or piece of gear… Let’s take a look at the Boye Boat knives as an example. Incredible steel and workmanship and design that is really pretty awesome. The cobalt steel blades are as rust free as you can get… But the price of $360 (though on sale for $270 at the moment) is simply a lot of money for something that really does not work any better than the Gerber folder I have been using for three years now which is still rust free and sharp enough to shave with. The fact that I only paid $18 bucks for it makes me wonder just how needful the cobalt way more money stuff is in the whole “real world” scheme of things.

All that said the Boye knives are some kind of wonderful, but it brings up the whole need/want thing on boats and if you ask yourself Do I really need to spend $270 on a sheath knife (Boye does make a folder for $99 (on sale) or will that Gerber (or Buck or whatever) for $20-25 work just as well? [Read more...]

Navagear knows exactly how you feel! We’re faced with this all the time. I recently had a chance to try some $180 sunglasses designed specifically for sailors. I was pretty excited, since I usually buy <$20 sunglasses and wear them until I break or lose them.

I was shocked, SHOCKED to discover that these fancy expensive high-end French sunglasses included an array of absolutely atrocious optical anomalies and aberrations. They were unusable, in my opinion, inducing a headache after about 15 minutes. Thanks, but I’ll stick with my $20 bicycling glasses.

Navagear often promotes products from manufacturers in our own backyard: the northwestern United States and western Canada. So we’re thrilled to see a Seattle-based manufacturer with an ambitious and innovative new shore power offering.

At the same time, though, I wonder what sort of an uphill battle the folks at SmartPlug are prepared for. It’s going be be difficult to carve out even a tiny chunk of market-share when every boat and every marina already has the conventional alternative installed.

The benefits would need to be overwhelming and incontrovertible.

Are they? You be the judge:

Anyway, on with the press release!
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The harsh marine environment can cause problems with even the highest quality shorepower systems.  Shorepower failure is one of the leading causes of boat fires.  Regular maintenance of cords and outlets is needed to keep them in good condition, providing dependable electrical components.

When not in use, a plug should be stored in a dry area, free of moisture and chemical agents.  If stored outside, boaters should keep the plug end of the cord face down.  This helps prevent intrusion of moisture into the plug body and internal electrical components.  When unplugged, owners shouldn’t throw the plug end onto the dock or any other hard surface to avoid cracking and damage.

Electrical contacts must always be dry and clean.  Owners should check boatside and dockside plugs and receptacles weekly for scorching, discoloration, melted plastic and visible corrosion.  If any are spotted, cord use should be discontinued immediately to avoid fire or electrocution.

To increase protection from these dangers, SmartPlug Systems has designed a new and patented shorepower system.  Featuring advanced safety features, SmartPlug is currently available in a 30 amp plug and inlet with a 50 amp model in development.

When a plug is in use, it must be securely locked into place.  It’s also important to not apply undue strain or force on an electrical pin.

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A great post by Mario Vittone over at gCaptain. I’m sure they won’t mind me spreading the word here at Navagear, too. This is really valuable information.

Imagine, if you can, the confluence of events that would have to take place to leave you with marine flares being your primary method of signaling distress. The number of devices that have to fail or become unavailable to you is amazing. Your radios, GMDSS, SARTS, ERPIRBs, any number of SATCOM devices all have to be down (or gone) for pyrotechnics to be the best option. The things are the ultimate litmus test for a bad day at sea; i.e. If you ever find yourself launching a flare and you are not practicing, you are definitely having one. If you find yourself reading the directions on the label then things are much, much worse.

Perhaps because the use of pyrotechnics in an emergency is so rare, there are a lot of misconceptions about the devices, their practicality, and how to best use these “last ditch” signals.  Here are some things all mariners should consider before pulling the trigger (or pulling the lanyard, or lever, or…):

WHO IS WATCHING

Even high flying SOLAS parachute flares of the 1,000 feet variety with burn times of approximately 40 seconds have limits.  Without getting into things like “apparent horizon” and “refraction” – at their peak they can be seen 36-37 miles away at the most, and then only for a brief moment.  They may cast a nice red glow beyond that, but not for very long.  The point is that it pays to know how far you are from other ships and what their approximate bearing was before all things went bad.  If another ship was 38 miles away but steaming in your direction, waiting an hour in the lifeboat before launching the flare might be a good idea.  If the nearest ship was 30 miles away and showing you their stern – you may just want to save those flare. If you ran into trouble fifteen miles off Atlantic City in the Spring I’d say signal away, their will be dozens of reports of the flare within minutes. Always think about who might be able to see your signal before launching.

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I try not to get too excited about products I haven’t seen in person. But long-time readers will remember my attempt to overhaul my (dead) Sprint 400 windlass. Replacement was the only option, it turned out, so I covered the hole in my foredeck and went cruising.

That was last August, and I’m embarrassed to say that the foredeck still has that funny piece of plastic bolted to it. Imagine my delight to discover a compact, high-quality windlass with all the features I want.

Let’s see what the press release tells us…

Now, boaters can enjoy the water more and spend less time figuring out their marine equipment. Rated as the number one automatic rope/chain windlass in its class by an independent test report, Maxwell America’s Freedom Series offers simple mounting, saving boaters time and money.

Featuring easy two piece installation, the Freedom Series allows users to retrofit without disassembly of the windlass. The topworks can be fully dismantled by utilizing the handle provided and a screwdriver. No special tools are required.

Editor’s note: This is a HUGE benefit to me. Take a look at my attempts to overhaul the old one (here and here). Boaters need to face the fact that it’s a windlass, and you’ll need to get inside it some day.

A unique spacer tube design allows installation through almost any deck thickness. Alternative gearbox/motor positions accommodate virtually all mounting situations.

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Remember Accon Marine flush-mount tie-downs? Come on, folks, it was just last week! This thing:

Anyway, I heard from Erica Ring at Accon, and here’s what she had to say:

To answer your questions:

Yes, it is more like one big hole and four smaller screw holes.  The easiest way to install would be to use a hole saw for the big hole and drop the tie down in to mark the other 4 holes.

The sealing cup is to prevent water from getting behind the tie down.  It just drops into the hole and is secured along with the tie down by the four screws.

I hope this clears things up.  If not, please let me know and I will try to clarify

Got it. Thanks, Erica!

Did you ever wish the boat in front of you had a set of brake lights? It may sound silly, but actually, I’ve had this experience several times.

So I wonder if this is a good idea or not. The trouble, as I see it, is that an intermittent amber light at the stern has no universally understood meaning. Or if it does, I’m not aware of it. Any thoughts from our talented readers?

On with the press release!

Waterways can be dangerous, especially when cruising around other boats that can suddenly decelerate without warning, possibly leading to a damaging collision. Creating a safer recreational environment, Powersport Innovations introduces the Safety Alert System for outboard motors. An amber LED light mounted on the outboard motor alerts other boaters that the craft is decelerating.
 
Helping to avoid injuries, costly repairs and downtime due to an accident, the patented Safety Alert System features a microprocessor-controlled G force sensor. As a boat decelerates, this module provides power to the LED to alert surrounding boaters to take timely corrective action.

“The Safety Alert System helps make boating safer and in the end more fun,” said Powersport Innovations CEO Paul Grzebielucha. “There’s no better cause for our company to be associated with than helping increase safety on the water.”

Completely water- and vibration-proof, the Safety Alert System is designed to withstand harsh marine conditions. With an extremely low voltage draw of only 170 milliamps, boaters won’t have to worry about battery drain. It comes with all necessary wiring.

The kit includes a high-intensity LED that mounts on the dash, lighting up simultaneously when the outboard motor LED is lit. Further increasing safety, this system doubles as a flashing distress signal, alerting others when boaters are in need of assistance. The Safety Alert System for outboard motors is also imperative when night time cruising or docking.

The Safety Alert System comes with a three-year unconditional replacement warranty. This patented system is available as an OEM or aftermarket retail product and has a suggested retail price of $238.95.

Navagear tends to focus on recreational mariners, but we’ve also got a keen interest in professional maritime vessel operations.

That’s a fancy way of saying we like big ships.

Anyway, I’m always surprised at how seldom I see PFDs being worn aboard both recreational and commercial vessels. What are these people thinking? Have they ever tried swimming in Puget Sound?

Hold on, here’s a professional mariner wearing a PFD. Good going, Captain Rodriguez!

When I was a kid, nobody wore seat belts, but now virtually everybody does. I’m hoping to see a similar trend with PFDs. It helps that PFDs have become a lot more comfortable than they used to be.

Over two years ago, I took my wife down to Fisheries Supply, and she tried on every PFD in the place. She found the Mustang MD3183 automatic inflatable to be most comfortable. Our kids wear the Mustang “Lil Legends” youth PFDs, because I appreciate the extra safety features they include, such as a crotch strap and the flotation collar with grab strap. In short, we’re an all-Mustang-equipped family, when it comes to PFDs.

So I don’t mind one bit being a “shill” for Mustang, and republishing a Mustang press release with little more than a preamble. I’ve never received a payment or a free product sample from Mustang, by the way. They’re just good folks with a great line of products.

So let’s see what they’re up to when it comes to targeting the professional market…

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