- Joined
- Jun 25, 2008
- Messages
- 10,104
- Location
- Australia
- Vessel Name
- Now boatless - sold 6/2018
- Vessel Make
- Had a Clipper (CHB) 34
Hi all, just back from a week out, including negotiating up the Brisbane River to watch the New Year fireworks display.* Two interesting things emerged.* The Airbreeze was so effective in adding its share of charge to the engine when running and the solar panels when sunny, (we don't have a diesel auxilliary charger), I found myself going round turning on lights we didn't really need, even ones with incandescent bulbs, (having installed low draw LEDs in most places to save power drain), to give it a fair go...otherwise the full charge kept shutting it down rudely just when it was getting into its stride.* Now that's what I call a nice problem to have.
The other point of interest relates to the issue which has come up before as to how people set up their GPS, ie North up, or course/track up..?
Well, thanks to inadvertently re-setting all my pre-sets by accident trying to alter the depth frequency from 50Hz to 200Hz, (because it kept ignoring my commands - still not sure why - bloody computers), I ended up with North up, and for quite a time it proved impossible to get it back to Track up.* I'm still not sure why, as I was following the instructions to the letter, but the upshot was that for a couple of days, particularly those when we were negotiating the river, she steadfastly stayed on North up, and I can tell you it was weird.* It is one thing to look at a chart and mentally follow courses in varying directions, up down or across, but when you are following a line in a channel on the move, and the boat icon arrow is not course up, it is not impossible but much less natural and convenient, and I was very pleased when the Lowrance stopped its hissy fit and allowed a change back to track up.* The comparison between the two different settings in real time was...well...quite convincing as to which is best in my view.* Track up any day.* FWIW.
The other point of interest relates to the issue which has come up before as to how people set up their GPS, ie North up, or course/track up..?
Well, thanks to inadvertently re-setting all my pre-sets by accident trying to alter the depth frequency from 50Hz to 200Hz, (because it kept ignoring my commands - still not sure why - bloody computers), I ended up with North up, and for quite a time it proved impossible to get it back to Track up.* I'm still not sure why, as I was following the instructions to the letter, but the upshot was that for a couple of days, particularly those when we were negotiating the river, she steadfastly stayed on North up, and I can tell you it was weird.* It is one thing to look at a chart and mentally follow courses in varying directions, up down or across, but when you are following a line in a channel on the move, and the boat icon arrow is not course up, it is not impossible but much less natural and convenient, and I was very pleased when the Lowrance stopped its hissy fit and allowed a change back to track up.* The comparison between the two different settings in real time was...well...quite convincing as to which is best in my view.* Track up any day.* FWIW.