Thread: Docking cameras
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Old 10-21-2019, 03:11 PM   #1
Bob M
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City: Rapid River
Vessel Name: Project
Vessel Model: SeaCamper 1973
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 72
Docking cameras

Unless an obstruction (like someone’s dinghy) is very close, I’ve a clear aft view from the upper helm, but with Eisenglass in place, I don’t have a clear view of a dock edge.

I’ve a better view of the dock edge from an open lower helm starboard door but can’t see anything aft and little port.

Cameras (one pointed aft, one starboard and one port) would seem to be a solution, but I don’t know what to purchase or how to integrate them.

I have a 2010 Raymarine MFD with navigation and radar displays, which will also allow for camera input. However, the display is only on the upper helm and I’d like to have good visibility from both helms. To use this display, I’d have to run wires between the cameras and the display.

My preferred navigation tool is OpenCPN on a PC running Windows. Since the PC can be easily moved to RAM mounts at either helm, the PC would also be my preference for the camera display.

Wiring. The12v running lights are near likely camera mounts aft, starboard and port, so this could be the cameras’ power source; I could use the light switch to turn the lights and the cameras on and off. I’d prefer wireless (either WiFi or Bluetooth) communication between the PC and cameras, since new wires would be tough to run, particularly aft. The boat has a WiFi router, so WiFi camera communication could be routed through this router.

An alternative to the PC for the camera display may be my wife’s IPad, which wouldn’t be all bad, since the IPad could probably also run ActiveCaptain and become another navigation tool.

Looking for ideas on what to do here.
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