What instruments do we REALLY need?

There are soooo many concurrent projects on my first boat....but its both exciting and daunting to be moving through this....

At this point, I dont really need or want 15-year old GPS or Radar systems.
My depth finder works, but its only like 2" in diameter...hardly something I can see from my position in the cockpit.
And the wind speed indicator, doesnt work.
I also have a (more than 10-year old) etrex GPS.
About the only thing thats impressive about the navigation stuff I have on board is the new (within the past several years) Ritchie compass! But I have not yet learned how to use it.

I would like wind indicators and MAYBE boat speed and a larger DEPTH display...but being that I am still learning...do I really need much more than that?

So for weekend daysailing...even cruising to Catalina...how much do we really need? Thoughts?

Just opinion--

Don't really need a depth sounder because we have very little shallow water, current or rocks.

Do really need a $400 GPS chartplotter, which will give you speed too (and depth), because fog-- the marine layer -- can set in between here and Catalina. GPS takes the sweat out of that.

AIS is good to have, but a lookout is just as good.

Instrumentation for wind, angle, speed through water, calories burnt --- bah.

Thanks for that Christian....we are on the same sheet of music. I want to sail...not worry about a bunch of electronics failing....

Do we need all those whistles and bells?

Eric, I absolutely agree with Christian, it's something I have felt for years. The most sophisticated marine instrument we have aboard is a vintage Garmin 225 GPS that works like a charm. We also have the same unit below at the Nav station but it's not really necessary. Our boat came to us fitted with fine old Datamarine depth and speed instruments and thanks to Loren, I added the matching wind instrument. All these, based upon where we live are more than enough for this boy. Waters here are deep and only one way point is needed to get to the Isthmus on Catalina Island from Marina del Rey. Do we need RADAR for foggy days? To begin with the only fog we sail in is any that would be present at the end of a stay at the island, and a good workaround to that is a decent RADAR reflector (Ferrell Blipper on the mast) and a simple AIS indicator, a smart phone app called Ship Finder in our case. The reflector lets them know where we are and the app tells us where they are. Here's a fun anecdotal story about the latter. Several years ago Marilyn singlehanded to the island leaving me behind with guide dog commitments, etc but was concerned about limited daytime visibility that day. I had Ship Finder, she didn't so the agreement was that I'd call her every hour or two and deliver an updated report based on what my screen read, it worked like a charm. Since then she has gotten the app on her phone and no longer needs me, but that's another story. ; - ) Cheers, Glyn

Last week we were on one of those wonderful sails where we had wind from the right direction for a three day trip up and down the coast. Only problem was on the evening of day two, I didn't run the engine to charge the house battery(it's so nice not hearing that motor.....bliss). On day three our RayMarine ST 60 wind finder started showing incorrect wind direction and speed. Then the handset for the VHF went out. It was our house battery dying! I started the engine and all began working right. Before that I was telling the Admirial that if the wind finder is broken we won't bother replacing it. The wind speed indicator just gives her anxiety when the wind picks up and she should learn to judge by the sea state anyway. Darned thing works great with a charged battery...lol:0

Simplify

Eric,

My boat came from Santa Barbara on a truck 4 years ago. My instruments were original Signets - Wind, Speed and Depth. There was an old Garmin 210 B&W GPS plotter with a west coast chart chip at the wheel. It also had an old Autohelm ST-50 B&W Radar with the display at the wheel. The VHF was original. The stereo was a cassette.

The wind masthead cable got lost before the mast was stepped, so no wind. The speed never worked. The radar works but I have only used it a few times to learn how it works.

The depth sounder worked.

I found an old (out of date by 15 yrs) Chesapeake Bay chart chip on Ebay.

Here on the Chesapeake, we rarely have fog. Large ships run north - south in a narrow channel on the east side of the Bay. The need for Radar and AIS is small unless you sail at night often.

The water is shallow, the most useful instrument here is a depth sounder.

I replaced the stereo and speakers first!

I've sailed the last four years using just the depth and the old GPS.

I upgraded the VHF to DSC after two years for safety.

I now have a new color chart plotter and new wind, speed, depth instruments that I still have not installed due to more pressing boat projects. They are 'nice' to have options that I bought on sale or with rebates over the past two years. Haven't really missed them so far.

I wouldn't worry about instruments until you've sailed enough to determine which ones would be helpful. Meanwhile, enjoy the simplicity and increased battery life!

Here's a tip for your depth sounder display:

I replaced my old Signet depth display with a larger, more modern looking Raymarine ST-50 display I got cheap on Ebay. Most of the depth transducers made are made by Airmar. They are compatible with many of the displays made by all the marine instrument makers.

Here is how it is done:

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/new_depth_old_transducer_ducer

This is what I would do to get a bigger display for your current depth sounder.

Mark

Have:
Depth - you really need this for anchoring, there is no substitute
iPad with NavX software and waterproof bag
Paper charts in a spiral binding
Compass, plus binoculars with compass
Backup iPhone in waterproof bag

Have abandoned:
Wind speed - if you have to ask you don't want to know, and the hardware was fragile
Wind direction - Windex is better than an instrument
Boat speed - accuracy and fouling issues made it not worth the hole in the hull
Standalone GPS - even considering marine-quality durability, they're wildly overpriced in the age of iPads, I'm ahead even if I drop an iPad or two into the water, which I won't

I think the need for radar still exists but I don't use my boat enough in a way that would benefit from the equipment and electrical complications.