I love Google Analytics. It provides a lot of information about website performance. It’s fun to see a graph of Navagear’s growth since we relaunched the site about three years ago, for instance:

Besides those big numbers (visits, pageviews, etc.), though, one of my favorite Analytics feature is the Content Overview. I especially like to see the top content. What pages are people looking at?

As you would expect, the Navagear home page gets the most traffic. Surprisingly, though, it only constituted 15.4% of page views during 2009. A lot of Navagear traffic is generated by search engines. As a result, a lot of site visitors never bother with the home page; they just jump right to the page they want.

Apparently, 7.5% of Navagear visitors are absolutely nutty about refilling disposable propane cylinders! It’s also interesting to see that a few posts from 2007 are still getting a lot of views.

Here are the top 24 Navagear posts for 2009, according to Google Analytics:

[AND the links have been fixed now! —Tim]

/2008/04/refill-disposable-propane-cylinders/
/2009/02/hobie-mirage-pro-angler/
/2007/04/ugrib-weather-data-for-free/
/2007/01/torqeedo-electric-outboard-motors/
/2007/02/totally-free-navigation-software/
/2007/02/the-simplest-electric-motor-system-yet/
/2007/07/should-your-next-repower-be-electric/
/2008/07/anchor-rode-rope-to-chain-splice/
/2009/08/how-to-refill-disposable-propane-cylinders/
/2008/05/the-best-margarita-recipe-ever/
/2007/02/building-a-better-crab-trap/
/2008/05/tide-tables-for-mobile-devices/
/2007/06/sailflowcom-the-ultimate-weather-site-for-boaters/
/2009/07/structurescan-sonar-for-lowrance-high-definition-systems/
/2009/04/vessel-tracking-system-roundup/
/2009/07/navionics-iphone-app-going-gangbusters/
/2009/01/jolly-good-folding-crab-shrimp-traps/
/2008/05/the-best-navigation-software/
/2009/02/feathercraft-baylee-on-the-water-test-report/
/2007/03/another-clever-folding-crab-trap/
/2008/04/stupid-propane-tank-tricks/
/2009/05/keep-eggs-fresh-without-refrigeration/
/2008/02/nauticraft-pedal-powered-boats/
/2007/02/wind-turbine-powered-sailboat/

Happy Birthday to my blog,
Happy Birthday to my blog,
Happy Birthday Puget Sound Maritime,
Happy Birthday to my blog!

It was just one year ago (tomorrow, actually) that I posted this at Navagear.com:

Announcing A New Blog: Puget Sound Maritime

If you read Navagear regularly, you already know that I don’t stick to “gear and gadgets” exclusively. Sometimes, I stray into territory I find interesting, hoping that some of my readers share my enthusiasm.

For over a year, I’ve tried to strike a balance between relevant, on-topic gear and gadgets posts and fascinating, off-topic regional maritime stories. A lot of the great stories I’ve encountered were so far off-topic that I was obliged not to include them on Navagear at all. It’s been a bit of a struggle.

One year later, Navagear’s still growing, and Puget Sound Maritime has grown from no readers at all to several thousand. It’s difficult to know how many people are reading; I don’t have figures for RSS subscribers, for instance.

What I do know is that over the past year, over 26,000 “absolute unique visitors” have loaded over 58,000 pages from the site itself. I have a small, dedicated group of truly devoted readers (Hi mom!). Seriously, over 300 people have visited the site over 200 times during the year, and another 1,100 have visited between 100 and 200 times.

Financially, Puget Sound Maritime isn’t earning anything to speak of. Puget Sound Maritime is purely a labor of love, at this point.

Perhaps I’m spoiled, though: Navagear’s gear and gadgets focus dovetails extremely well with the ad-supported blogging model, so it has been a money maker for a long time. Don’t ask me to work out my hourly rate for Navagear, though—I don’t want to know!

Anyway, I wanted to acknowledge the anniversary of PSM’s launch, and invite readers who are only aware of Navagear to stop by for a visit at PSM, and vice-versa.

It seems everybody’s hopping onboard the iPhone app bandwagon. This could be fun to play around with for recreational “shipspotters,” but it might provide genuinely useful information for some professional mariners, as well.

Of course, we should all remember that “the prudent mariner will not rely solely on any single iPhone applet.”

Anyway, on with the announcement from our friends at gCaptain:

gCaptain.com has teamed up with the good folks at Maritime Information Systems (MIS), the leading US provider of vessel tracking solutions to the maritime industry, to bring you gTrax, Vessel Tracking For The iPhone.

gTrax harnesses MIS’s network of redundant secure, Automatic Identification System (AIS), antennas to gather information directly from commercial ships and boats underway in the harbor. Once processed through MIS’s server, the information is pushed out to your iPhone and the location of each ship is plotted on the app’s built in Google map.

The vessel’s location is just the start. Each ship is color coded according to its speed and oriented by course giving you an accurate "heads-up" view of the marine traffic around you. Clicking on the vessel brings additional information including the ship’s destination, job function, navigational status and more.

Advanced sorting capabilities allow you to sort by the vessel’s name and function. For example, if you want to find the exact location of a ferry, you can select to view only "Passenger" vessels. If you know the name of a specific ferry, simply type it in and the map will automatically center on the vessel’s current location.

You can sort ships by type including:
  – Cargo of Tanker (Large Commercials Ships)
  – Passenger (Ferry’s & Cruise Ships)
  – Law Enforcement (Coast Guard & Police)
  – Oil Spill Response
  – Fishing Boats
  – Plus 14 other categories.

In addition the app tracks Super-yachts, sailing ships and pleasure boats equipped with AIS-B transmitters.

Whether you are a boater in the harbor, commuter that relies on local ferries, manager of a JIT supply chain or simply enjoy watching ships from the window of your office or home, this application will give you specific details on the movement of ships around you.

Locations currently supported include:
  – San Francisco, CA
  – New York City, NY
  – Baltimore, MD
  – Beaumont, TX
  – Boston, MA
  – The Great Lakes
  – Miami
  – Seattle, WA
  – Shanghai, China
  – Tampa, FL

**WARNING – GTRAX IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES**

The purchase of gTrax for $4.99 gives you once daily updates on the location of vessels throughout supported harbors. Up-to-the minute tracking of vessels requires a monthly subscription of $9.99 per month for each location supported. The addition of up-to-the minute tracking is an option you will be able to subscribe to from within the app, no additional application or download will need to be purchased.

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED

Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner. This time, I talk about several little storage tricks and "just right" gadgets that help make storage and housekeeping easier.

It may not sound sexy, but that’s the point: Sometimes the most important breakthroughs are the ones you immediately forget about, because they make life a little bit better, and you never even consider going back to the old way.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Holidays!

[It’s another MadMariner feature from a couple weeks back. —Tim]

I first heard about the SmartPlug back in June, and I’ll admit I was somewhat skeptical. Why would anyone bother "reinventing the wheel" when it comes to shorepower cable connector standards? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

I have changed my mind. In fact, I have converted my boat to SmartPlug. I don’t anticipate I’ll have any trouble at any of the marinas or destinations I visit, despite the fact that my boat’s shorepower inlet is, for the moment, almost unique. How can I be so confident? Well, let me explain.

The manufacturer claims that "SmartPlug is a revolutionary shore power system designed to replace the outdated and problematic twist lock standard in use today. It’s intuitive to use and provides greater protection against loose connections and corrosion—the leading causes of shore power failure and fires."

After taking a close look at my existing shorepower cable and connections, and comparing them to what I saw when I visited the SmartPlug headquarters in Seattle, I was a convert. Especially when I saw several samples of charred melted twist-lock connectors…yikes!

I’m not on the SmartPlug payroll or anything, either; I was genuinely impressed. You don’t have to take my word for it, though: handle a SmartPlug at your local marine store, or track one down at your regional boat show, and you’ll see what I mean. This is one serious piece of engineering.

WHY BOTHER?

As I wrote when I first heard about this product, "I still think the SmartPlug folks have got one hell of an uphill battle ahead of them, trying to break into a market already saturated with a pre-installed standard."

Ken Smith, President of SmartPlug, acknowledges the challenge. However, it turns out that my understanding of SmartPlug’s current product offering was incomplete. During my visit, I learned that a boater could upgrade to SmartPlug on the boat side of the power cord, and keep the conventional twist-lock plug on the dockside end. As the website says, "Protect your boat NOW…even if your marina hasn’t yet upgraded!"

I didn’t get it before, and my suspicion is that a lot of potential customers also do not get this. They probably don’t appreciate that they can enjoy most of the benefits of the SmartPlug system even if the marina has not upgraded. Excessive heat aboard the boat could start a fire that might destroy the boat, while excessive heat at the dock’s shorepower pedestal, although plenty bad, isn’t nearly as likely to start a boat-destroying fire.

Shortly after my visit, I decided to upgrade the power connection aboard Two Lucky Fish, my C-Dory 22. I anticipate that I’ll enjoy the benefits SmartPlug claims, plus a couple of secondary benefits the marketing material doesn’t really emphasize: Ease of use for crewmembers, and ease of use for me in the dark.

With the old plug, I never felt comfortable asking other crewmembers to hook up the shorepower when we arrived at a destination, even our home slip. Those twist-lock connectors are a little tricky if you’re not familiar with them. I’ve had children, and even adults, give up and tell me they couldn’t figure it out. In the dark, it’s not uncommon to hear me cursing while I try to figure out which way to orient the twist-lock plug connecter.

In comparison, the SmartPlug is dead simple; it’s completely obvious how to plug it in, even in the dark. Also, it’s fairly intuitive to disconnect, even without somebody explaining that the socket lid locks into place on the plug, providing security in addition to the latches on either side of the plug body.

UPGRADING

Upgrading is easy, even if you’re not a boat electrician. There are no special tools required, other than a pair of wire strippers for 30-amp wire. Actually, I don’t possess such a wire stripper; I used a boxcutter, and that was fine.

I won’t describe every detail of the process; be sure to read the instructions. Obviously, disconnect your shorepower cord and turn everything off before you start! Once that’s done, the first step is to disconnect and remove your old twist-lock socket. Don’t panic, because if you have second thoughts, you can always reinstall it.

Test-fit the SmartPlug socket in the existing hole. Mine fit perfectly, but since my old inlet used three screws and the SmartPlug uses four, I had to drill new holes. No problem.

Secure the boat’s black, white, and green shorepower wires into the back of the SmartPlug inlet and tighten those color-coded screws. Then mount the socket into the existing hole, using the provided gasket to seal it up. You’ll have to purchase your own stainless #8-32 fasteners (bolts, nuts, and washers), and you can add polysulfide or silicone sealant if you feel it’s necessary, but I did not.

After you’ve got the socket installed on your boat, it’s time for the truly frightening, irreversible part of this operation. I have to admit that it was nerve-wracking taking a hacksaw to a perfectly good Marinco shorepower cable that retails for about $150.

Once you’ve cut the end off your current cable, you need to strip back 1 ½-inch of the exterior wire insulation (the thick yellow part) from the cable. Now it gets a little tricky. I recommend cleaning the first two feet of the outside of your old cable thoroughly before you start the next step; mine was kind of yucky. You need to force your cable into the SmartPlug plug housing and the rubber cord gasket.

This gasket fits quite tightly around the cord, so it will be necessary to use the clever plastic cone the SmartPlug folks have included in the kit. Add some dish soap as a lubricant, and "thread the needle." It will take some force, and some patience, but it does work. Once you’ve got it all the way through, push a little more through until about three inches of cable emerges out of the plug housing.

Now you need to strip the insulation from the three individual wires (which should be black, white, and green). The instructions say to strip ½-inch of insulation, but I was not happy with that. I ended up stripping about 5/8s of an inch back from the end, and it seemed fit together better.

See, you want the clear plastic "teeth" of the SmartPlug insert to engage with the thick yellow outer insulation of your shorepower cable. When I stripped a bit more insulation off the inner wires, more of the thick outer insulation was available for the plastic teeth to bite into. This is important because those teeth help hold the cable and the SmartPlug together.

At this point, you just work the housing down so it engages with the plug insert, and tighten the screws that hold it all together. Add the stick-on neoprene ring seal around the plug face, and you’re done. Just plug it in and turn on your shorepower breakers.

As with most DIY projects, you’ll encounter idiosyncrasies unique to your own situation. In my case, drilling four new holes in the boat and stripping a bit more insulation were the only aspects that didn’t go precisely "by the book," but you want to make sure you can roll back the conversion if you encounter some unforeseen obstacle. So wait until you’re certain the inlet can be installed before you chop the end of your current shorepower cable.

Good luck!

Deborah Bach over at Three Sheets Northwest has this helpful article:

Still wondering what to get your favorite boater for Christmas in a year when your budget’s about as tight as a rusty turnbuckle?

Fear not, fretful shopper. There are plenty of last-minute gift options for boaters that won’t sink you financially. And if you’re like many Americans, thrifty is in this holiday season.

U.S. households are expected to spend an average of $390 on Christmas gifts this holiday season, down from $418 last year, according to The Conference Board, a business research group. Northwest households plan to spend $343, the second lowest amount among regions nationwide, the group found.

In keeping with that new frugality, Three Sheets Northwest asked four local marine retailers for suggestions on gifts for boaters priced at $50 or less. They came up with practical options, with something to suit virtually any boater on your list. Their suggestions follow. (Wherever possible, we’ve included hyperlinks so you can view the item online).

Read more

When I first saw this press release, I started to chuckle; a press release for an ICE PICK?!? But I quickly changed my tune when I remembered that aboard my boat, the “ice pick” is both (1) a frequently used tool, and (2) a rusty old screwdriver! Suffice to say, it really sucks as an ice pick.

All of a sudden, a well-made, stainless steel ice pick started to sound like something to write home about. Or, as in my case, something to write about at Navagear. So here we are.

I’m going to share the press release with you, because it may be that YOU TOO need a stainless steel ice pick, but you hadn’t really given it any thought until now. Come to think of it, I’m not really sure why I haven’t replaced that crappy old screwdriver with a real ice pick before now…weird. Anyhoo, on with the press release…

It’s always a good idea to keep multi-purpose tools readily available. Beckson Marine’s Shipmate Stainless Steel Pick/Probe is capable of splitting the smallest ice pieces while also serving as the perfect hole starter. It’s also great when camping, fishing or even when serving cocktails at a party.

This stainless steel blade does not flex under normal use. Shipmate’s special handle design fits almost everyone’s hand size and is shaped to prevent accidental roll-off from counters and decks. The handle is constructed from unbreakable marine plastic, resulting in a lifetime of trouble-free service.

Each pick comes with a sheath to protect the blade during storage. It is also available in a gift box with a sheath, mounting clip and two screws for easy installations anywhere. All materials and components are manufactured in the USA. Prices for Beckson Marine’s Shipmate Stainless Steel Pick/Probe start at $13.25.

For over 50 years, Beckson has produced high-quality marine equipment and accessories. The company manufactures an extensive range of superior products, including pumps, ports, hatches, vents, deck plates, fasteners and hoses.

 
My friend Dan Richman has an excellent review of the Weems & Plath 4002 electronic barometer over at Three Sheets Northwest. Here’s an excerpt:

Watching the change in barometric pressure is a time-honored way to predict the weather.

Yet barometers don’t make that easy to do. Barographs, which chart those changes, are obviously far more useful. But traditionally they have been large, delicate mechanical devices unsuitable for anything except ships.

The Weems & Plath Electronic Barometer 4002 is a digital barometer with an LCD current-pressure display and a separate LCD barograph display. Retailing for $170 to $205, it’s an excellent weather instrument, ideal for home use and for consultation before a day sail. Yet it has numerous design shortcomings, and I’m not sure it’s weatherproof enough to be used on board. I do not recommend it as a timepiece, moon phase indicator, yacht-race timer or anything else it purports to be.

Read more

Time for another Navagear feature at MadMariner. This time, I explain why I’ve upgraded my shorepower cable to the new SmartPlug standard.

After this week’s $2-million, 3-vessel boat fire just across Lake Union from my boat, I’m feeling especially virtuous about my decision!

I’m going to admit it: I don’t understand this product. If I’m a boater considering a receive-only AIS unit, why would I prefer this unit to one without a display, that just sends the data onward to be displayed on my chartplotter?

I’m not being a smart-aleck! Well, OK, I’m not JUST being a smart aleck. I assume Vesper Marine put a lot of thought into this product before they developed it, so they must feel confident there is a market for it. I’m hoping some of my talented readers can help fill me in.

Anyway…on with the press release!

Vesper Marine, a leading manufacturer of innovative marine safety products, announced today its next-generation, all-in-one dedicated collision avoidance display, the AISWatchMate RX. Building on the success of its award-winning AISWatchMate that can be used with any external receiver or transponder, the AISWatchMate RX is the only standalone safety display system on the market with an internal parallel two-channel Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, providing unequalled sensitivity for identifying targets at greater range. Feature-rich, affordable and easy-to-use, the AISWatchMate RX proactively alerts boaters of potentially dangerous crossing situations to improve safety and provide a more worry-free, on-the-water experience.

Designed to equip boaters with the ultimate in collision avoidance peace of mind, the AISWatchMate RX delivers the timely and easy-to-process information boaters need to interpret potential hazards, and react accordingly. The device displays class A and class B vessel position; voyage data; navigation aids; AIS safety messages; meteorological and hydrographical information, where available including real-time wind, current and tidal data; and is capable of tracking other friends on the water. Building on the AISWatchMate’s unique filtering process that eliminates screen clutter and false alarms, the AISWatchMate RX includes additional filtering capable of removing non-converging vessels and employs a powerful proprietary target prioritization algorithm allowing it to plot crossing situations and clearly illustrate target vessels that pose the greatest collision risk. Once identified, the system automatically displays crucial target information for potentially dangerous vessels including name and call sign to aid in rapid inter-vessel communication. Selectable boating profiles allow users to easily switch between pre-defined filter and alarm settings, without complicated set up, to best meet their current situational needs including: in harbor, near shore and offshore. In addition, the AISWatchMate RX displays GPS navigational data including course, speed, heading and satellite status, expanding the device’s functionality as a second-station GPS display at the helm or anywhere else throughout a vessel where critical information is required.

“Our AISWatchMate RX is an exciting addition to our AISWatchMate product line, offering a sophisticated collision avoidance system in a simple and easy to install package,” said Jeff Robbins, co-founder, Vesper Marine. “Gone are the days of complex set up and concerns over proper operation. By eliminating the need for a separate black box receiver, users simply plug in a VHF antenna and connect the unit to a GPS device and they’re up and running. Whether making passage or simply spending the day in a busy harbor or coastal area, boaters can enjoy their time on the water with the knowledge that the AISWatchMate RX is always on watch!”

The AISWatchMate RX receives on both AIS frequencies simultaneously from all broadcasting vessels in range, and has a reception sensitivity of -115 dBm. Housed in a flush mountable casing that is 8.9-inches wide, 5.3-inches high and 3-inches deep, the device boasts an uncluttered, easy-to-read 5-inch daylight viewable grayscale LCD (320×240 pixel) screen with adjustable backlighting. A straightforward user interface allows all display features to be controlled via four clearly–labeled, backlit buttons for easy access during both day and nighttime use. Minimizing energy consumption, the low-power system features a 10-32 VDC power supply and uses less than 3-watts of power. The AISWatchMate RX has an operating temperature range of 32- to 158-degrees Fahrenheit, is waterproof to the IP67 standard and protected by a one-year limited warranty.

Pricing and Availability:
The Vesper Marine AISWatchMate RX has a suggested retail price of US $700, and can be purchased from authorized Vesper Marine dealers and distributors throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on the AISWatchMate RX, the award-winning AISWatchMate, or to learn more about Vesper Marine and its entire product line, please visit www.vespermarine.com.