Boat Forum / Electronics / May 2004

I experience a very short battery-life and I want to know the cause
before I install anything new.
The fridge / freezer and other consumers constantly draw power
(between 4 and 11 amp)

Anyone know where to buy a 1 inch electric valve? It needs to be very small
and lightweight, and ideal voltage is 12 volts.
Thanks!

Looking for auction or swap sites or cheap sources for Maptech/BSB or
SoftChart CDs or downloads. Particularly interested in USA east coast,
Bahamas, Cuba, and Caribbean.  Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Hopefully simple questions on switch panel wiring.  In which order
should the switch and fuse be from the main positive bus??
Either +ve bus - fuse - switch - appliance(s) or
+ve bus - switch - fuse - appliance(s).

Anybody use a SiTex 525 VHF/ADF Adapter?
I'm considering buying one but don't understand how it can work using only
my existing VHF antenna and can't afford to buy something that is marginal
at best.

I now have my ssb and Pactor IIe all hooked up and when I went to install
the terminal software (PlusTerm ), I found that it was DOS version and won't
run on my Win2k OS..
I contacted SCS and ask for a recommendation and they  agreed that I should

My electronic module went bad on my Cold Machine and the shop suggested that I
check the resistance of the compressor. When I check the resistance between 2
of the points my meter shows .8 ohms. When I touch the 2 leads of the tester
together I get a .4 reading. Do I subtract .4 ...

Can anyone recommend an exceptionally simple and straightforward book on
re-wiring a boat. I have a Westsail 32 and am thinking about re-wiring the boat
while the engine is out waiting for an eventual re-powering.  That's because
most of the wiring is 25 years old and it's so easy ...

I've downloaded several electronic charts from NOAA. The charts look
great but there are no place names or lat/lon indications. This is the
same using two of the "viewers" suggested by NOAA.
Is this the way it is supposed to be or am I in error in some fashion?

Who knows when V5 of the Raymarine's Navigator Software is
available ?
Back in June 2003 they asked for beta test sides  but after that
nothing happened.

Looking for a good locator to help me fish in 1-30 foot depths.  I was
at the local fishing store last night and liked the color screen due
to the fact that there was no glare.  You could view it from any
angle.  (I should of brought my Polarized in to see if there is a

   I'm having problems with my newly installed ST60 Wind.  On it's
first start-up with everything connected I didn't get CAL in the display
as the manual states is supposed to happen.  Checked the Raymarine
troubleshooting site and it suggests that I have cable connection

I have a 1986, 25', Searay Sundancer and would like to add an autopilot. I
checked into the Raymarine Sport Pilot Plus, but it requires a standard
tapered shaft on the steering column. My steering doesn't have a tapered
shaft and is not adaptable to the Sports Pilot Plus. I would ...

Does anybody know if the OPC 478 cloning cable works at a M710?
thx  Michael

CARVER RIVIERA 1984 - C/W 220 Crusaders, very low hours, electronic
ignition. Nice open air cockpit with wraparound windshield and
excellent helm visibility. Water separator, camper enclosure, new top
2 yrs ago,  windlass, upper & lower dinettes, new upholstery and