Article by Pat Schrawder
Routine Updating of Equipment
In the past few years, we have seen a real convergence of the design and operating software of marine electronics with the world of computers. The first evidence of that was in the types of displays. Historically, the displays on marine equipment were very difficult to see on an open boat in bright sunlight. The old CRT type displays were almost impossible unless you had some hood arrangement to shield them. As the computer world advanced into color liquid crystal displays, so did the marine equipment field. Initially, they were very expensive but, once again, as the computer market evolved, improvements in displays and the price of them started to come down. The marine market has benefited from that immensely.
What you need to know, however, is that the new equipment on your boat, especially your GPS plotter unit and associated fish finder and/or radar unit, are actually operating on software that is just like computer software and that means it may need to be updated from time to time. Most major manufacturers of marine equipment are always working on software improvements and make them available to customers. In some cases, the end user can access this software via the Internet from the manufacturer’s website and perform the update themselves. In other cases, or for personal preference, the end user may wish to have an electronics dealer like ourselves or others do the upgrade. In either case, it is best to keep up with the software changes in order to get the best use out of your equipment. In some cases the upgrade is to solve a “glitch” in the original design of the item and in other cases it is just for improved and/or enhanced performance. Other items of equipment seem to be more or less trouble free and have no need for any updates.
The same can be said for the charts that go in cartography plotter systems. Most manufacturers of charts keep updating them for new information about buoy placements, major depth changes, etc. If you register with the manufacturer of your chart card, they will notify you of any changes and give you the option to upgrade. In other cases, the chart information can be downloaded off the Internet. Usually, these changes do not occur frequently and, in fact, may never change to the degree that you want to make the upgrade, but it is wise to check on it and make an informed choice.
Do you have an EPIRB of any kind on your boat? Good for you. That was a smart purchase but remember that it needs to be tested periodically and have its battery replaced every four or five years depending on the manufacturer. If it has a hydrostatic release, it needs to be replaced every two years. Also, the registration needs to be updated with the Coast Guard. That can be easily done via the Internet. If you haven’t looked at your EPIRB lately, now is a good time to do so. The expiration date of the battery, hydrostatic release and registration will be clearly marked on the unit. Keep in mind that the batteries in these units have to be handled as hazz-mat items and require special shipping. We have units that are brought in to us for servicing and are picked up and delivered to one of the authorized service centers. Turn around time is usually one week.
If you have a life raft, it also needs to be checked on a regular basis as directed by the manufacturer. Typically, that time is five years. The surface of the raft is powder coated and, over time, that wears off allowing moisture and temperature variants to cause the raft surfaces to stick to each other. If that happens, you will be in bad shape when you have to deploy the raft. When the raft inflates, the parts that are stuck together may free themselves but they may pull one from the other, causing big holes in the raft and no inflation. The rafts must be shipped by truck due to their weight and size. That shipping can be very costly. We eliminate that shipping cost by having them picked up at our shop by the same company that picks up our EPIRB’s. If you live near one of these facilities, you can take your raft in to them.
Most of your other major marine electronic equipment items can function fine as they were originally installed. One exception is your VHF radio. While it will not likely have any updates, a routine checking of it is a good thing to do. It needs to be checked for frequency, power output and modulation in order to make sure you are getting the maximum performance from it. Something called the SWR (standing wave ratio) is also wise to check. That is a matching of the antenna and the set. This check has to be done on board your boat.
The above actions may seem burdensome but they are really well worth the time and possible expense. If you are going to invest in having this equipment on your boat, why not have it work to its maximum performance.
Pat Schrawder and her husband Larry are owners of L&L Marine Electronics on Golf Course Road in West Ocean City.
