What instruments?

[lakelandterrier]

Here's a question - what would be the most important instruments to fit permanently to a small console?

4m Rib, single width console c.16" wide. Currently I have no instruments fitted.
Use: Estuary and inshore (max 3 miles out)
Navigation / speed by handheld GPS flexibly mounted by velcro + good old fashioned real charts
Radio - Handheld VHF again mounted with velcro or onto lifejacket

If I were to invest in mounting some instruments in the console what would be considered the most important / valuable
Rev counter? Speedo? trim? decent VHF? battery gauge?

I'd welcome opinions & reasons

Looking forward to responses

LT

[MikeCC]

I'd maybe look at a combined fishfinder/speed unit.

You can get one with a speed/depth transom mount transducer for £135 or so.

Depth is about the only useful info you don't have and the fishfinder aspect is a bonus. You may as well pick up speed through the water at the same time.

[hobbit555]

compass!!!

[PeterM]

Hi Lakeland - I've attached photos of mine. Helps the Yamaha Gauges give you alot of info( speed/ revs/ trim/ volts. But I had the little depth stuck in the middle & put the plotter on the compass mount as it can tell me direction . It can have a fish finder input , but as I dont fish much I haven't bothered. H held VHF clips on the little bracket - made of 2 bolts , 1 plate & 2 old tap washers !

If it gets rough the VHG goes on Lifejacket .

Depth is very handy as it gets very very shallow near me !

[Doug Stormforce]

LT

You aren't going offshore so we are not so worried about back up electronics, more interested in primary info. You’ve go a Hand held radio, which although it has not got such a strong transmitting power as a fixed set it has got nearly as good a range and it's not reliant on the RIBs battery- so that’s a good start.

You’ve already got SOG (Speed over the ground) and I guess COG (Course over the ground) and position (lat/long with your charts), although depending upon your GPS unit not necessarily on the same screen.

First step would be to secure a lanyard or similar to each of you hand helds in case they separated from the velcro.

As hobbit says a Compass is pretty useful, steering by COG is tricky as it’s reactive not proactive. A compass that is not subject to large amounts of deviation is pretty invaluable.

I would not worry too much about a speedo. Equally a battery gauge is far less useful than some of the others you have mentioned.

If the battery started the engine then generally it’s OK and likely to further charge from the engine. If their is a power fault that occurs at sea, the first sign will probably (but not always) be your instruments (and lights if you had them) dimming/failing. If the battery completely went and you had turned of the engine then your hand helds will come into play.

Rev. Counter and trim are therefore what I would go for next; however try to position them as far as feasibly possible from the compass so as not to cause deviation to the compass.

In summary you have
GPS
VHF

So get
Compass
Rev Counter
Trim gauge

Depending upon your engine you may be able to get a rev counter with integrated trim gauge.

If you are forgetful and have a built in tank (rare on the 4m) don’t forget the fuel gauge (occasionally also integrated).

The only issue not really covered is depth, however for a 4m RIB echo sounders area not that common.

[Nos4r2]

Personally I'd flog the handheld GPS and buy a cheap black and white GPS/Fishfinder combo and a compass.

If you're in Gloucestershire and thinking of using it in an estuary I assume you mean the Severn.A depth sounder is essential there unless you're sticking rigidly to buoyed channels.

[Limey Linda]

Engine water presure gauge is must have IMHO

[PeterM]

Intested in the water pressure gauge. On a 4m boat cant you just keep an eye on the tell-tale ? Thats what I do . I reckon I look at that as often if not more than any instrument.

[JSP]

Thanks for starting this thread Lt as I was going to ask the same things.
I have a Icom IC M71 and a Rev counter. Next up for me will be a compass and depth sounder.
GPS is a little out of reach at the moment.

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by Blackroady

Intested in the water pressure gauge. On a 4m boat cant you just keep an eye on the tell-tale ? Thats what I do . I reckon I look at that as often if not more than any instrument.

That is a bit like saying " the light bulb in the kitchen is working so everything must be OK".

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

That is a bit like saying " the light bulb in the kitchen is working so everything must be OK".

and generally if the light is on in the kitchen then there hasn't been a powercut, and the fuse hasn't blown so its not a bad indicator of the general effectiveness of the electricity supply!

Is a water pressure sensor standard fit on a 40HP Mariner then? If not can it be relatively easily retrofitted?

How often have you had an unexpected water pressure failure on a well maintained engine that didn't also show with a tell tale failure or over temperature alarm?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Is a water pressure sensor standard fit on a 40HP Mariner then? If not can it be relatively easily retrofitted?

No and depends on your level of ability. You'd really need to put a take off from off water jacket to a mechanical gauge.

[JSP]

Running abit along side that. Where is the connection for a trim gauge on the motor? And if my motor doesn't have one is there away around that too?
Cheers

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by Polwart

How often have you had an unexpected water pressure failure on a well maintained engine that didn't also show with a tell tale failure or over temperature alarm?

I believe a water pressure gauge to of great value because it will warn you that something has changed. Maybe a partial blockage to the cooling system, maybe a worn impeller, maybe a failed thermostat. For what they cost it is better to prevent a hard failure. Also I do not want to be looking over my should to look at the pee hole all the time.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

I believe a water pressure gauge to of great value because it will warn you that something has changed. Maybe a partial blockage to the cooling system, maybe a worn impeller, maybe a failed thermostat. For what they cost it is better to prevent a hard failure. Also I do not want to be looking over my should to look at the pee hole all the time.

Was that a yes or a no?

The cost of the parts may be minimal but if its not trivial to fit then it all mounts up. I agree it might give you warning of a gradual failure, but I suspect the average car driver can't tell you what temperature their car runs at despite the gauge showing them every day, for someone who gets in a boat once a week or maybe less are they really going to spot a gradual drift in a pressure gauge?

I assume you are looking over your shoulder frequently as part of maintaining a good look out.

I'm not saying if its easy to fit its pointless - but the OP is in a 4m Searider with a relatively small engine and limited console space.

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Was that a yes or a no?

The cost of the parts may be minimal but if its not trivial to fit then it all mounts up. I agree it might give you warning of a gradual failure, but I suspect the average car driver can't tell you what temperature their car runs at despite the gauge showing them every day, for someone who gets in a boat once a week or maybe less are they really going to spot a gradual drift in a pressure gauge?

I assume you are looking over your shoulder frequently as part of maintaining a good look out.

I'm not saying if its easy to fit its pointless - but the OP is in a 4m Searider with a relatively small engine and limited console space.

Hi Polly
Next time you have to pass a stone through YOUR pee hole I bet you wish you had had a pressure gauge.

[PeterM]

I'm heavily with polwart on the water pressure gauge. Remember outboards ran for a lot of years with bugger all by way of gauges and the only way to tell if all was OK in the coolong was the tell-tale. Why else were they fitted & not something with some big numbers on in the console ?

Even now water pressure is not even an option on the sort of motor youd stick on the back of a 4m boat.

Yes any info can be used , but is it really important ? I'd say no - and its as easy / simpler/ quicker / more intuituve to see a stream of water compared to a change in number . Its also surprising what the eye will pick up , by way of change in amount of water pissing out of an engine.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Limey Linda

Hi Polly
Next time you have to pass a stone through YOUR pee hole I bet you wish you had had a pressure gauge.

it would still hurt either way the gauge just tells you its hurting!