bring 342 back to life

Dream_Inn

aero3113 said:

I don’t know why Rinker doesn’t have them located there? My 08 330 has “shore choice”, a set of plugs on port and starboard sides. They should’ve done port side and starboard transom or vice versa.

I'm not sure I'd want mine back there.  Just a tripping hazard on the swim platform.  But it's whatever works for your setup at the dock.

aero3113

@Dream_Inn I agree, but when you stern in at a dock with no fingers it would be very helpful. My slip has no fingers, it would be nice to have the option.

Dream_Inn

aero3113 said:

@Dream_Inn I agree, but when you stern in at a dock with no fingers it would be very helpful. My slip has no fingers, it would be nice to have the option.

I agree, that is definitely a case when needed or at least a better option for it. I don't think, here on the Chesapeake, that I really run into that situation.

LaRea

rasbury said:

I'm not sold on the digital age...push the throttle and it goes or it doesn't.  What's all that stuff do for you a5t the end of the day! 

@rasbury a digital helm is a tool for manufacturing good luck.  

Example.  Suppose your engine's raw water pump isn't pumping enough water.  With an old-school analog helm, you'd have to watch the temperature gauge for several minutes and look for overheating.  Bad luck, you've burned up the impeller, or you pulled out of the slip and overheated in a busy fairway.  

With a digital helm, a glance at the water pressure display will tell you instantly that the pump isn't working.  You caught it before it caused a problem.  Good luck ... or is it?  

Dream_Inn

LaRea said:

rasbury said:

I'm not sold on the digital age...push the throttle and it goes or it doesn't.  What's all that stuff do for you a5t the end of the day! 

@rasbury a digital helm is a tool for manufacturing good luck.  

Example.  Suppose your engine's raw water pump isn't pumping enough water.  With an old-school analog helm, you'd have to watch the temperature gauge for several minutes and look for overheating.  Bad luck, you've burned up the impeller, or you pulled out of the slip and overheated in a busy fairway.  

With a digital helm, a glance at the water pressure display will tell you instantly that the pump isn't working.  You caught it before it caused a problem.  Good luck ... or is it?  

I have had this exact thing happen to me while on plane.  A hose clamp went bad, hose came off and instantly saw water pressure go down.  10 minutes later I was back up and fine.

rasbury

So I have an 06 mpi 350...in your example, while I have a temperature gauge for water, I don't have anything for pressure as far as I know..so when you add all this technology am I also adding new sensors for it to read? How many engine functions are you really going to pick up? Isn't a code reader going to do the same thing, what else do you gain for what I'd assume is a couple boat bucks to change it all out and redo the helm?

LaRea

On your '06, the engine computer already knows the water pressure.  You could add a Smartcraft gauge, or VesselView Mobile, and get pressure.  

My point is, water pressure is just one example of how a digital helm can manufacture good luck by giving you better situational awareness.  

For @javhav, going digital is a no-brainer, since he's already re-doing everything anyway.  

Dream_Inn

Ras, you have many sensors on your engine and across other systems that you are not seeing.  Digitally, it can all be seen without adding anything except the monitor and maybe some cables to the monitor.

rasbury

Hmmm...and what is the cost of the system? And I could do the same with a mobile app? How does that work/connect to the motor?

earl1z19

I had the exact scenario happen to me. My boat has Smartcraft sc1000 on it. Was headed in on the last run of this year when the low water pressure alarm went off on the starboard motor. I was able to see exactly what the pressure was on that motor and watch the temperature on the digital display. I was able to see that I had .7 lbs of water pressure. Knowing the exact temperature and pressure on that motor let me limp in at 25 mph on both motors rather than having to limp in on my port motor without power steering. With .7lbs of water pressure my temp didn't go above 170 . If I ran the motor harder the pressure dropped and it heated up. I think the investment in the digital option is well worth the cost. Not sure I would want to be dicking with my cell phone in rough water on an app trying with a $hitty bluetooth connection to see what the situation was. If I had my choice I would have the system on the boat rather than my phone

Ian

rasbury said:

Hmmm...and what is the cost of the system? And I could do the same with a mobile app? How does that work/connect to the motor?

There's plenty of threads here around VesselView Mobile, mine included. Depends on age of engine as to capabilities, mine is 2003 so start of SC era and so don't have all data but what I need.

javhav

rasbury said:

Hmmm...and what is the cost of the system? And I could do the same with a mobile app? How does that work/connect to the motor?

The mobile one u can find for $250 or less and it should plug straight into the motor but I'm not really sure what I would do is call mercruiser give them the serial numbers of the motor and they will tell what are your options and everything you need but they might tell you need a j box and can wire so if that's the case I would just do the hard wired vessel view  a typical system would run for 1000 to 1800 depending if you  shop around so a single engine consists one jbox 878492k14 one can bus wire with 2 resistor 84_879982t20 single engine vessel view 8m0110639 and a nmea 2000 starter kit that would connect to your chartplotter 

javhav

Today I installed a much needed safe with motion  activated light 

randy56

I had to ask my self, why would you need a safe on a boat?  I leave the keys in mine. Then I remembered where you live. Shame you had to do that.

LaRea

Some people would call that a weapon locker. 

javhav

It's to put my carry on and my wallet sometimes I do charters I go jet skiing people in and out of the boat so it's just a lot easier than hiding stuff 

rasbury

Wired to my chartplotter? I use maps! Just kidding...I will give it some thought. Sounds very useful but a bit on the pricey side for me.

Willhound

rasbury said:

Wired to my chartplotter? I use maps! Just kidding...I will give it some thought. Sounds very useful but a bit on the pricey side for me.

And depending on the age and model of plotter it may or may not have a display function.

Stodge

I picked up a generation 1 Vessel View 4 for about $500.  It was pretty much plug-and-play.  I do have it connected to the plotter via NMEA 0183 so the VV can see the speed and compute MPH.  No interest in putting gauge data on the plotter although it's available.

Dream_Inn

rasbury said:

Wired to my chartplotter? I use maps! Just kidding...I will give it some thought. Sounds very useful but a bit on the pricey side for me.

come on Ras, it's charts!  

I too picked mine up used on Ebay for like $200 and then another hundred for cables.  It says Cummins on the cover, but it works just the same as the "merc" one.  Really, once cover is off, no visible difference.

rasbury

Ok , I will take a look...soon..I would like to have a view of what the motor is doing if it is useful info...my chartplotter is a Garmin 544s i think it is...maybe 541...it I am older model but works fine for our needs...thanks for the input. Maybe I'll start a thread when I go to looking and get some advice!

javhav

So I was finally got the boat shrink  wraped and im over this horrible cold  I started wiring and power up all the units still way more stuff to go but just getting back into the groove here's a pic of them on

LaRea

Proper.  Nice sonar.  

Liberty44140

Very nice!!!

boatman37

Well ya better hurry so you can make it up here to have mine done by May

Very nice work!

rasbury

That's some cool stuff! I need many more boat bucks..

PickleRick

Looks like you need a pilots licence to stand at that helm.  Remember the fish finders from the early 80s???


Amazing bling factor along with functionality.

randy56

Two thumbs up! Were those all plug and play? or did you have to do modification to the wiring?

rasbury

Heck that's more in electronics than I paid for our boat... If your going to flip the boat are you going to be able to get all this money back?

Ian

rasbury said:

Heck that's more in electronics than I paid for our boat... 

Perhaps we now see the root of all your troubles Ras.... :