Upgrade Your Electronics

Is it time to upgrade your electronics?

Cloudy display screens, buggy software, chipped or missing knobs—these are blatant signals that it’s time to upgrade your electronics. Some boat owners may live with broken equipment and just figure out a workaround. Think powering down and restarting your chart plotter when it gets “stuck”. These kinds of fixes only last so long.

Eventually, you upgrade your electronics and wonder why you procrastinated for so long. Not only are today’s hardware and software lightning fast, but they are often cheaper. Ever-faster electronics were predicted in the 1960s with Moore’s Law. (Computer processing power doubles every 18 months to two years.) Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel in the 1960s, came up with this “law”, but it’s more like two and a half to three years for future doubling. When you consider the possibility of artificial intelligence, you realize that supercomputers are only going to get more super.

Need to Know

For boat owners, knowing when to upgrade your electronics is based on both need and want according to Ron Muller, co-owner of Electronics Unlimited with Jim Bakatselos in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “There are those tech guys that need to have the latest and greatest equipment,” explains Muller, whose team of employees take on refit and new installation electronics projects on boats ranging in size from small center consoles to megayachts.

“If you are one of those guys, I would say that would make it about every two years. We have seen some real changes in the way navigation is being integrated with multi-function displays (MFD); however, it’s not just regarding navigation. It’s also the ability to control other things on board with your MFD, such as the Seakeeper stabilizer system, underwater lighting and CZone digital switching, cell phone integration, and even flying drones.”

Screen Time

Often, the equipment just wears out. Poor screen visibility is common because of weather, age and outdated technology. “The biggest thing we see is customers living with old screens,” Muller says. “This would include displays losing brightness, the inability to interface with newer equipment, damaged screens due to salt and sun exposure, and the cost of upgrades, and there are carpentry costs to consider. Also, with most new equipment, you end up changing radar and sounder modules when you are changing brands so everything will match up and work well together.”

Processor speed and screen size is another huge issue boat owners must consider. The screens range in size from 7 inches up to 24 inches. “Just like computers at home, when you want to do stuff that involves video and multi-function displays, then things really slow down,” says Muller. “This is an area where, recently, manufacturers are making changes to the actual hardware they sell instead of just doing software enhancements, and it’s another reason to upgrade. The processor speed is most evident when running multiple sources on one display.”

Costs

Like anything else, the price is a big consideration when you upgrade your electronics. Balancing cost versus safety is something every boat owner must consider. “Determining what brand is the best these days is a real challenge, as there are similar features everyone offers and features that come with only that brand,” Muller says. “Consumers want to know if the new equipment will fit in the old hole in the dash, and can they use the old cabling, or do we need to pull new wires? When using a company like Electronics Unlimited, we can provide all those answers and if needed, schedule a boat visit and inspection of what is present and what new material is needed for the project.”

Computer-driven products are the items most commonly switched out and where you’ll get the most bang for your buck, notes Muller. “The biggest changes recently have been with radars, fish finders, and MFDs,” he says. “Radars are now digital and provide a much better picture. Sounders using CHIRP technology do the same for fishermen by showing more detail and also have improved interfacing capabilities with the MFDs—the best time to get a deal is during the summer months. This is our slowest time. Most of the yacht refits happen from October through April.”

For boat owners whose equipment is getting older—five years old or more—the time to upgrade your electronics is at hand. The features in today’s products are far better than in the past. There’s also been an improvement in performance in all areas of marine electronics, especially with Wi-Fi connectivity, and there are better satellite airtime usage rates.

Need for (processing) Speed

It’s not enough to just turn on your computer and tap into a signal. Today’s boat owners want powerful coverage for not only their laptops but also for their guests’ devices, including mobile phones and iPads. In addition, today’s Smart TVs need Wi-Fi to use streaming services like Netflix. “This is the area where we are seeing many changes—communications via satellite, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks,” says Muller. “This has been a costly expense and is still somewhat expensive, but the cost has been slowly coming down.”

By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating September 2018

Get Smart with NAUTIC-ON

Get smart with NAUTIC-ON for your perfect day on the water

What makes a day perfect for boating? Some say just a pair of skis and a towline, some say the blues need to be biting. Others claim it’s a combination of clear fall weather and a day spent at anchor.

To Rick, a perfect day was simple. It meant sunshine, a cruise with his buddies and a few drinks. What Rick didn’t realize was that a perfect day also includes a functioning boat.

Rick assumed everything was fine. He had left his boat on a mooring in one of Chicago’s numerous harbors. He had bought the beer and rounded up the usual suspects. But, unbeknownst to him, something was wrong.

Breathe a sigh of relief. Your engine is fine.

His boat was taking on copious amounts of water. That caused the bilge pump to run nonstop which, in turn, either ran down the battery or caused the pump to blow from overuse. Whatever the cause of the pump’s collapse, it caused the boat to sink. So, instead of a day spent on the water with his buddies, it was a day spent calling (and paying for) a tow service to refloat and haul the boat.

It’s too bad that Rick’s bilge pump couldn’t talk to him and let him know that something was amiss.

That’s where NAUTIC-ON comes in. NAUTIC-ON brings smart technology to boating with 24/7 systems monitoring. It’s an innovative smart boating platform that provides customers with real-time remote diagnostics about their boat. That means less time worrying about your bilge pump and more time spent cruising with friends, skiing on the lake or reeling in the big one.

Smartphones are practically ubiquitous. Our smart doorbells ring and we can see it on our smart TV before we adjust our smart thermometers. Isn’t it time for smart boating?

With just a main hub and a few wireless sensors, NAUTIC-ON makes your boat smart. The brand puts the power of boating in your hands through an innovative mobile app. With a swipe of a finger, you can check the status of batteries, bilges and other key systems. Additionally, NAUTIC-ON is SmartCraft and NMEA 2000 compatible. “NAUTIC-ON exists to give boaters a better experience,” says Adam Schanfield, NAUTIC-ON’s general manager. “We want to keep you on the water.”

NAUTIC-ON’s smart technology also puts the power back to boaters when it comes to service. When granted access, service providers can log into NAUTIC-ON through designated website portals to stay apprised of any forthcoming issues.

There’s a lot of thought in the service-provider functionality of NAUTIC-ON. It is as much of the alert to the end-user as it is to service-providers or fleet managers. Automatic notifications to dealers or technicians regarding a problem will shorten wait times, reduce confusion, and increase transparency.

Rick’s day should have gone something like this: Rick gets an alert on his phone from NAUTIC-ON. His service pro at the boatyard gets an alert that an issue has been detected. Rick rushes down to the marina and mitigates the influx of water. Meanwhile, the service pro issues a claim and schedules a service on the pump for the following day.

It’s in this seamless process that NAUTIC-ON is really able to act on its main tenet: keeping boaters on the water.

The NAUTIC-ON hub and sensors are simple and discrete.

“With NAUTIC-ON’s onboard system, we are giving back a positive connection to the boating lifestyle,” says Schanfield. Together, the hardware, mobile app and website create a sense of security and relief for boaters as well as a diagnostic tool for service providers.

Other features include real-time geo-fencing, location tracking, and weather alerts. New functions are in constant development. Since the whole NAUTIC-ON system uses cloud-based 4G technology, the modular system will process new updates over the air. This means users will always have the most up-to-date version of the technology automatically.

With all these smart features, NAUTIC-ON gives boaters complete peace of mind when they are away from their boat. Sounds pretty dang smart.

LEARN MORE: nautic-on.com

By Erin Brennan, Southern Boating July 2018

The Internet of Boats

The Internet of Things (IoT): By now, you’ve probably heard of it and know it’s a thing. This concept of hyper-interconnectivity and information sharing between everyday items such as washing machines, refrigerators, lamps, wearable items, engines, roads, bridges, and more is looming on the horizon. What it means is still a mystery, but one thing’s for sure: It will impact our lives in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, and that includes boating connectivity.

Always stretching the boundaries, marine electronics’ firms are developing a specific subset of the concept that could be called the Internet of Boats, and it’s all coming together in your multifunction display (MFD).

The cost of connectivity is decreasing as broadband Internet becomes widely available. Today, most devices are integrated with multiple data-gathering sensors and WiFi capabilities so they can capture and share information. It’s more than just about connecting people to people; it’s connecting things to things. Anything with an on/off switch and an Internet connection can become a part of the IoT, so think what that means on your boat. Lights, pumps, engines, security and navigation equipment can communicate with each other and also with entities off the boat. Sounds like the Internet of Boats.

Data sharing means engine and boat builders, accessory suppliers, dealers, service providers, and cruisers can have access to more information. Therefore boats, engines, and equipment can be built with less complexity so more cost effectively, and everything has the possibility of becoming more efficient, secure, social, and definitely user-friendly. For the cruiser, this may translate to increased confidence that your engines are healthy, that you have the latest navigation software and that the response time to fix problems will be shorter. That means you have a more supported adventure every time you untie the dock lines.

Yamaha partnered with Garmin to power its CL7TM multi-touch display.

Your boat can talk to you as well as to a dealer or a search-and-rescue provider. You can set geofencing boundaries so you know where your vessel is at all times. Your engines can remind you of scheduled maintenance or warn of impending problems. Digital switching systems like CZone can send reports on bilge pump cycles and battery levels. You can unlock enhanced features like Doppler radar on existing MFDs with remote software access keys without your boat needing to go in the shop or you having to purchase additional expensive hardware.

None of this is really new, but what is different is the recognition of the power of the sum and the importance it’s bringing to the MFD. The MFD is evolving as the single point of convergence and problem solving aboard. Engines, radar, charting, and digital switching for onboard accessories are now brought into the MFD for both control and diagnostics. You can turn on your lights and stereo, check the weather, view remote cameras, review alarms, get engine diagnostics, and navigate—all from the MFD. This wealth of information hasn’t gone unnoticed by electronics manufacturers like Navico (makers of Simrad, B&G, Lowrance), Garmin, Furuno, and Raymarine, who understand that he who owns the “glass” owns the data and thereby basically controls not only the boat but also the value chain and the ultimate cruiser experience.

Challenges remain. First, boating is a relatively small industry with few consumer dollars at stake, so it won’t lead the IoT revolution. But to not take notice of it would be a mistake, even in our application. Second, data is great but unless someone can monetize it, nobody will have the incentive to pursue its development. Simrad is working to share information with engine manufacturers who in turn, can build engines better and faster so they’re willing to pay Simrad for it. Charter companies are in on both sides since they can gather more data to share because of the volume of users. They can also benefit from the distilled data coming back to better predict maintenance requirements so that their boats are always ready to go out and produce revenue.

Third, onboard sensors can generate vast amounts of data, but that won’t make boating better unless someone figures out how to turn it into real information to build stronger, cheaper, cleaner, friendlier, and more efficient products. Marine electronics firms get this. Finally, although much of this happens behind the scenes, an intuitive user interface is critical so that cruisers want to get involved and enable the process. You already see MFDs mimicking the functionality of personal electronics like smartphones and tablets with pinch-to-zoom touchscreens and swipe commands. Expect to see more app-driven functionality to pop up on your chart plotter soon.

If you think all this will make boating efficient, fun and more like the rest of our lives, you’re probably right. If you think future boating will become more complex, interdependent and possibly invasive, you’re probably right. Either way, it’s all most likely to happen right on your MFD, so upgrading electronics in the future will get you more than just new charts. The waters are still murky, but whatever it means, it’s coming. Boating will not be the same, and neither will your MFD.

— By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating Magazine April 2017