Pilothouse electronics
Installation of the pilothouse navigation suite is almost complete. As you can see from the picture above, Tortuga carries a full compliment of navigation systems with FULL REDUNDANCY. Not shown in the picture above is the communications and autopilot panel which is above the helm station. I’ll post more pictures as they become available. Located on that panel is the Robertson AP2000DL main panel, the original ROSS VHF and the new ICOM 502 VHF. Yet to be mounted is the Robertson autopilot rudder position indicator which will be located directly below the LCD panel for the CAPN’ ECS.
The pilothouse navigation suite is comprised of the following equipment:
- Icom 602 VHF radio with integrated GPS-coupled DSC, fog horn and hailer
- RayMarine ST-60 Tri-data display and transducer for speed, water temp, and depth
- The Capn’ Electronic Charting System (ECS) with full-size WindowsXP-based 12VDC computer
- Furuno FR-240 Mark-II open-array radar
- RayMarine 320 GPS WAAS receiver
- ROSS Engineering AMV250 VHF radio
- Robertson AP2000DL Autopilot
- Raytheon 611xx chart plotter and dedicated Raymarine GPS
- Raytheon R11xx open-array radar
- Raytheon V850 color echo sounder
Prior to installation of the new equipment I had to rebuild the helm station right and left side deck areas. Prior owners had cut or drilled holes everywhere. Some as large as 14″ x 8″. These where filled with wood blanks and epoxied in place. A green paint was applied over the existing Formica-like veneer then a clear coat of satin finish.
The mouse and keyboard are lit for night use.
ICOM 602
Our Icom 602 VHF was installed in the refurbished radio console in the pilothouse. We matched it to a Shakespeare 5225-XT antenna. This antenna is a Collinear-phased 5/8 wave element with an overall length of 8′ with a 6dB Gain. We have applied for and been provided our unique MMSI number from the Coast Guard. The NMEA 0183 listener input is connected to our RayMarine 300 series GPS and the radio also incorporates the new 25-watt hailer and fog horn. We also applied for and received our FCC SA “Ship Recreational or Voluntarily Equipped” marine radio station license. There is a one time fee for this license and it last 10 years. We are WDB7058. This has caused some confusion. West Marine allocated an MMSI number to us and so did the FCC. You CAN NOT use the West Marine MMSI number on any FCC application forms. I will be resetting our Icom 602 to the new MMSI #.
Icom mounted in the pilothouse
A bad note for the Cap’N software – I just called them and they have no plans no implement the DSC NMEA plotter data that is provided from the Icom 602. This is unfortunate, it would provide an icon on the Cap’N chart showing where DSC-enabled calling vessels where located. Especially helpful in emergencies.
ST60 Tri-data
The new ST60 Tri-Data display for speed, temperature and depth has been installed and the Sea-Talk network configured between it and the GPS. A new Sea-Talk to NMEA converter from RayMarine is on order so that the Cap’N software can display the Sea-Talk data.
The Raytheon RayTech PC to SeaTalk (Model #E85001) enables PC’s running to achieve bi-directional communication with Raytheon’s SeaTalk bus. The PC to SeaTalk converter also converts SeaTalk into NMEA and NMEA into SeaTalk.
We just took delivery on the Eluminx back-lit keyboard for the onboard computer. This keyboard uses an electroluminescent panel under a clear plastic key overlay etched in black lettering. The color I choose is the black frame with the aquamarine illumination. I was initially concerned that it may impair night vision, but the subtle glow works great in the pilot house.
This project has not been started other than a temporary rig of the new Raymarine GPS for the ICW trip and the Cap’N chart plotting software.
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