FPB Series

A New Paradigm for Cruising

Design Objectives

FPB 64

FPB 83

FPB 83 On Deck

FPB 83 Interior

FPB 83 Systems

Passages

How Things Are Working Out

Electronics Decisions

Our basic aim is to provide for our navigational needs in as simple and foolproof a manner as possible. This is the same as we've done on our sailing designs. The one big difference under power is that we do not have to be concerned about electrical consumption underway - the twin diesels provide plenty of amps when they are turning.

But first, a few comments on our approach to this subject. We've found modern electronics to be highly reliable. With the exception of a lightning strike, if you provide for good ventilation, keep the connections dry, and have adequate voltage, then problems tend to be rare (after the initial breaking-in period). We only carry one of each item, except for autopilots (see below) and GPS (which are so inexpensive). And we still carry (and occasionally use) a sextant, time piece, and up-to-date Nautical Almanac (for sight reduction tables we've switched to the Navigator's Library).

As with most other purchase decisions, it is often as hard to know what one doesn't need in the way of electronics as what one does.

Of course, the choices made have to fit your own style of cruising. In our case, we cruise in some pretty isolated areas, where we must be self-sufficient in all manner of things, and where technicians are nonexistent. Since we cruise most of the time by ourselves, we want the boat to be easy to handle by either of us. We enjoy being at sea on long passages, even though this means standing watch on watch. The type of electronics we have, and how they are set up is critical to running the boat in a safe manner, and keeping fatigue at bay on long passages or when the weather is unpleasant. The correct gear, easily operated, reduces the work load on the watch stander, and in adverse conditions allows us to operate far more efficiently.

An additional factor is Father Time. As we get older, we don't have quite the stamina of our youth. If we are caught in a bad blow (or series of bad blows) for days on end, we may need all the help we can get to keep ourselves alert so we can make wise decisions.

Autopilots

Having looked at the marketplace, we saw no incentive to change from what we know to be bulletproof pilots that will steer the boat in the worst imaginable conditions. A pair of Will Hamm's AP-4 pilots are aboard.

We use the same 1/2HP, 24V DC hydraulic power packs we've employed for the past 17 years to actually turn the twin rudders. One power pack is used at a time, and each pump drives its own hydraulic cylinder. Hence, we have a totally redundant steering system.

The rest of the pilot gear is duplicated as well: Two compasses, two control heads, double rudder angle indicators and double junction boxes. The "lazy" (unused) gear is left unplugged, and set up so that any plug will reach either of the junction boxes. Should we need to change something, it is a matter of a minute or two.

For watchkeeping and maneuvering in close quarters, Will Hamm made us a special type of JOG steering control. This is a small knob, usable with thumb and forefinger, which controls the rudders. When the steering knob is pointing forward, it slips into a detent, engaging a microswitch, which switches the pilot to compass heading on the direction the boat is pointing at that moment. Move the knob to port or starboard and the rudder follows. This is similar to the remote controls with which we've steered for the last 150,000 or so miles (offshore and in port), with the addition of the detent to automatically switch to/from compass course (with the normal remote control you switch back and forth between power steering and pilot by hitting one of two buttons).

We wanted this revision for use in extreme weather. Our expectation is that in heavy going we'll normally head slowly into the waves. Most of the time the pilot will steer in compass mode and the only adjustment we'll need to make is boat speed. But occasionally waves from a different direction may make a rapid course change necessary. This may take both rudder and increased engine power. The one or two seconds saved by simply turning the knob (as opposed to first hitting a button and then turning a knob) could be the difference in taking a breaking sea just right, and something less pleasant. We'll have Will's "Storm Control" heavy weather circuit as well.

Will's gear is so powerful, and the boat so easy to steer, that for 98% of the last 16,000 miles we've had the autopilot set to minimum rudder gain, with the "Seat State" control set to an average of four degrees - both very "soft" settings. This gear is basically just idling.

A word about redundancy. The pilot system is essential to our comfort and watch keeping. Standing watch, with just two of us aboard, is not a problem, as long as the pilot works. But if it fails, then we are in for a long, tiring passage. Will's gear is highly reliable. In all of our wanderings with his gear doing the steering chores, we can only think of two times when there were glitches, and these were easily rectified. Still, it would only take a couple of days at sea, steering by hand watch on and watch off, after which we'd pay almost anything for a second pilot. Which is why we carry the spare system ready to go (a lesson learned the hard way with other equipment - before we met Will Hamm)

Radar

We consider radar to be our primary watchkeeping tool and (next to our WH Pilots) the most important electronics aboard. In this context, our main concern is the ability for the radar to pull weak targets out of sea clutter or rain. No other feature comes close in importance.

Several factors affect this. One is antenna size. Bigger is always better. On our sailboats we've been limited to a 4-foot (1.2m) antenna, due to windage, weight, and mast clearance, but we have the luxury of something larger with the FPB. Hence, our 6.5-foot (2m) antenna.

Next comes output power. Our sailboat radars are always a compromise between battery capacity and radar electrical consumption. So, we've used 3 or 4kw output sets. With the new boat, and all that DC-generating capacity running 24 hours a day, we've upped this to 12kw.

And then comes signal processing. There are vast differences in the capabilities from one set to another. The tough part is knowing the difference. Short of going to sea in inclement conditions, on a boat with a variety of RADARs, there is no objective way to evaluate signal processing. None of the magazines test RADARs this way, so it is hard to know what to chose. We asked a number of friends who sell all the major brands of gear what they suggest. The answer is the same as it has been for the last 25 years: Furuno.

The way we see it, there are two possible choices, both from Furuno. Most yachts fit their NavNet system. If we were to do this, we'd select their largest antenna with 12kw output power as mentioned. The resolution is SVGA, meaning a 12" (300mm) monitor is the maximum size that will work well (the standard NavNet monitors are quite a bit smaller). On a sailboat, with limited power, this is the way we'd go - probably with the standard NavNet display, which does not consume much power).

The set we've chosen is a small ship radar (and IMO approved) - the FAR-2117. Because it is intended for commercial use it has some powerful features, in addition to being easy to use.

The first thing which struck us was the keyboard. There are separate controls for virtually all the functions. Range and bearing markers each have their own knobs, as do all of the various tuning functions. The keyboard significantly speeds the learning curve and makes changing range, and adjusting for sea-clutter, rain and signal strength much faster (all of which is very important in difficult conditions). The keyboard is particularly valuable in rough weather where it can sometimes be difficult to use a trackball to control radar functions.

This model is what is called a black box system. The radar antenna is connected to a signal processing box. From the black box we have a small cable which goes to our flat panel display on the navigation desk - a high quality Samsung (model 910) 19" computer monitor. A second cable is also available for another monitor, perhaps at the flying bridge or in a stateroom, if that is desired.

The set comes equipped with a powerful, automatic ARPA system, which plots speed and heading of up to 100 targets, and calls out the closest point of approach. Great for collision avoidance, especially in busy areas. It is also AIS ready , so that when we add an AIS receiver, it will plot the AIS collision data. If there are AIS and radar targets of the same vessel, it will merge these into a single target..

Another feature is relative motion. Rather than having the boat fixed in the center of the screen and the targets moving by, you can opt to have the boat move while the fixed land masses stay in one position. This makes interpreting difficult situations a lot easier.

There's one other aspect of this radar that helps us to rationalize a little budget busting. The black box operates at SXVGA resolution. This means we can use a 19" (480mm) computer monitor and have very high definition images. This is of enormous help when working with sea clutter and in congested areas with lots of radar echoes. The larger, sharper images are easier for us to interpret. And we will be able to clearly see the radar display from anywhere in the saloon or galley.

So how does all of this work? The signal processing is indeed wonderful and we can pick out targets in heavy rain that we would have missed with our previous RADARs The set also does a great job of showing up small targets in sea clutter.The ARPA and AIS features are also powerful.

There are a series of manual tuning controls to enhance performance in different conditions. These do take some learning, but when you get control of them it turns this set into a remarkable watch-keeping tool.

Power consumption averages 15 amps at 27 volts.

Compass Data

Accurate vessel heading data is required a variety of needs. Most important, in order for the radar's collision avoidance system (ARPA) to work properly, it needs this data quickly updated. We went with the Furuno PG500R fluxgate compass. It also has a rate heading sensor (in reality, an electronic gyro) to speed up signal processing. This data, in NEMA format, goes to the radar as mentioned and to the laptop for use with calculations for set and drift ion the charting software.

The WH pilot also needs compass data, and for this we feel it best to use Will's dedicated units, but have a switch which also allows the use of the Furuno compass.

Weather

Our primary weather tool is a barometer, and for this we went back to the tried and true old-fashioned paper recording barograph (the same unit which has been in the family for the past 25 years). Next comes some form of long range forecast. We used several different methods of accessing the GFS model .grb files including Sat phone e-mail and SSB e-mail. But we also want to be able to download weather faxes from various official sources. Here we've gone back to Furuno, whose weather fax receivers we've used for years.

They now have a black box model (Fax 30) which connects to a portable computer (or to their NavNet system). For us, this sounded like an ideal solution, as it gets rid of special fax paper, allows electronic storage of the files, and makes for easy and fast printing, while maintaining the ease of channel selection to which we are used.

However, based on our experience with the Fax 30 we would not recommend it. There are a series of clunky software/hardware issues which we find irritating. Perhaps Furuno will address these in a software update. For now, we'd stay with a paper fax, or go with a receiver. demodulator, and PC.

Wind Data

After reviewing what's available, we ended up with B & G. We installed a H1000 system. This gives us true wind direction, as well as data on current set and drift, and depth (see below for more on depth sounders). It also gives data on apparent and true wind angles and speeds (not much use for these on an Unsailboat!).The H1000 is not as robust as the higher-end B & G systems we've used in the past, but we do not need need the polar and performance-related functions on a powerboat. The system performs well, but the current calculations left something to be desired.

Depth Sounder

We wrestled for some time with the type of depth sounder to fit. When we started cruising in the 70's, Intermezzo had a Furuno recording depth sounder which went to 200 fathoms and was theoretically great for navigation. The paper printout gave you some idea of the bottom condition. In our circumnavigation, we used it once, to confirm RDF bearings as we entered the Torres Straits from New Guinea. The rest of the time, our little digital unit was the primary depth tool. The newer depth sounders are of course much better at telling you what's under the boat. We thought hard about the advantages of being able (in theory) to tell the difference between a rocky and muddy bottom when anchoring. Then we talked to several experienced people who have these units aboard and all said "don't bother". So, we stayed with a relatively simple depth sounder, a part of of our B & G instrument system. This will display depth digitally, but no fancy pictures. Depth range is limited to 600' (180m) in good conditions. What we're really interested in is use in shallow water, and for this the B &G unit is fine.

We installed a second display on the flying bridge as a repeater.

VHF Radio

The ICOM M602 seemed to be the best VHF radio for our needs. It includes an automatic distress call (when connected to a GPS it will broadcast our position and other pertinent data). It also includes a hailer which will sound required fog signals.

For the flying bridge we're we installed a second "command mic" which runs the set below. However, the wind noise on the fly bridge makes this hard to use. Most of the time we just bring a portable up with us.

Single Side Band Radio

This was one of our tougher decisions. We normally don't talk much on the SSB. But the SSB can be used for e-mail with Jim Corenman and Stan Honey's SailMail system, which is very efficient when file requirements are modest.

On the other hand, you could make a good case that this is obsolete gear. SatCom will perform most of the same jobs, many of them better, and we'll probably have a SatCom system of some type. So, do we need both?

After going back and forth on this, we decided the answer is yes. There are several reasons. First, it gives us a back up e-mail system, something important to us from a business and personal standpoint. Next, many of the remote areas we cruise still use SSB as a primary communications tool. Finally, the auto distress (GMDSS) system is a nice backup to EPIRBs or the sat phone. Our choice is the ICOM M802.

One of the things we liked about this model is that is has a black box, controlled by the head (above) which delivers the power to the antenna. The black box can be mounted away from other gear which is sensitive to stray RF power. It is reported to be very easy to use, and having perused the installation and operating manual, this seems to be the case.

Now that we have some experience with this gear we'd probably go with a ham radio, as we have in the past, if we were doing it again.