Driving from the fly bridge or not?

[psneeld]

I am leaning towards 4 Wifi cams....

Probably 2 in engine room, 2 on deck.

Walkaround with tablet.

 

[Art]

I am leaning towards 4 Wifi cams....

Probably 2 in engine room, 2 on deck.

Walkaround with tablet.

Could wifi get interrupted? Guess cameras would be hard wired and portable wifi receiver tablet would have rechargeable batt. Or, maybe the tablet plugs into cig lighter at each pilot station?

 

[Tony B]

I have a 36 Mainship DC (Aft Cabin) model. I have steering stations in the salon and the fly bridge. Just came back from an approx 4,000 mile trip from Houston, Tx. to Knoxville, Tn and return over a little more than a 3 year period. We have never used the lower station in the salon. We have a canvas enclosure with roll-up windows and have driven in 28* F weather and on 95*+ weather and in the rain. Never even tempted to go down below.
I need to have a 360* view all of the time. Some of my time was spent in the Gulf of Mexico but most was on rivers.
I used to be a commercial crew-boat captain running crews and supplies back and forth to the oil rigs in the Gulf. Every boat I was on had an inside steering station, but also had an outside station on the upper aft deck. That was use for steering while loading and unloading personnel and cargo. I worked that station in below freezing and over !00*. When trying to hold the boat steady under a rig or platform while the crane operator is over 100' higher than me on the boat and had an approx 100' boom, and windy as all get up, you have to have full vision. I guess I got used to it.
I would not even think of driving from the inside. Too much boat, barge, freighter, tanker and sailboat traffic going on around here.
Hope that helped. Home port is just off Galveston Bay in Tx.

 

[psneeld]

WiFi aboard should be OK as I believe it is camera to pad...as long as the cameras have power and sure the pad could be plugged in too.

The pads on very bright screens do hog battery power....but plugging them in almost breaks even in my pads case.

 

[psneeld]

And I am just the opposite....and have logged more than 4000 miles in 3 years from Jersey to FL in December through May. In my guestimation.... 5 minutes at a top or bottom helm may be enough for some to pick their favorite station, time can be meaningless in the long run.

Plenty of traffic around me and have worked boats in the same grueling conditions and really could care less about being outside....too much of a good thing?

As long as I can see around me, even if I have to lean a bit....really not too worried about getting run over because I am at the lower helm.

Even on 70 degree, light wind, bluebird sky days I can take the flybridge or leave it.

Only in the most tight quarters with bad winds or current do I feel the need to drive from up top for visibility.

So either because of the boat or personal preference can one decide...and even that can change with time.

Unless specific for a boat or person...there is no answer.

 

[Hotrod]

I have a 36 Mainship DC (Aft Cabin) model. I have steering stations in the salon and the fly bridge. Just came back from an approx 4,000 mile trip from Houston, Tx. to Knoxville, Tn and return over a little more than a 3 year period. We have never used the lower station in the salon. We have a canvas enclosure with roll-up windows and have driven in 28* F weather and on 95*+ weather and in the rain. Never even tempted to go down below.
I need to have a 360* view all of the time. Some of my time was spent in the Gulf of Mexico but most was on rivers.
I used to be a commercial crew-boat captain running crews and supplies back and forth to the oil rigs in the Gulf. Every boat I was on had an inside steering station, but also had an outside station on the upper aft deck. That was use for steering while loading and unloading personnel and cargo. I worked that station in below freezing and over !00*. When trying to hold the boat steady under a rig or platform while the crane operator is over 100' higher than me on the boat and had an approx 100' boom, and windy as all get up, you have to have full vision. I guess I got used to it.
I would not even think of driving from the inside. Too much boat, barge, freighter, tanker and sailboat traffic going on around here.
Hope that helped. Home port is just off Galveston Bay in Tx.

My wife and I could not agree more. Some of these sport fishes would come up on us so fast, running 30knots, only on the fly bridge, could we have seen them coming, and adjust.

 

[O C Diver]

My wife and I could not agree more. Some of these sport fishes would come up on us so fast, running 30knots, only on the fly bridge, could we have seen them coming, and adjust.

Radar.

When you only go 7 knots like I do, lots of boats come from behind. Lot easier to glance at the radar screen than to remember to look behind you every 30 seconds.

Ted

 

[psneeld]

Or rear view mirror, or camera, or radar, or look behind you like on many boats out a back window....

Plus I don't need to do much until I either hear them or see them with peripheral vision.

It's either turn in or out depending on available room...

Still only a preference where to drive from...no absolutes.

 

[Bob Cofer]

These are boats not airplanes! FCS it's not going to crash if it craps out! Have a plan and use it.

 

[gaston]

These are boats not airplanes! FCS it's not going to crash if it craps out! Have a plan and use it.

Im with you Bob


I think the problem is too many accountants own boats these days

 

[Peter B]

These are boats not airplanes! FCS it's not going to crash if it craps out! Have a plan and use it.

Im with you Bob

Me too. For heavens sake, what happened to the KISS principle, and actually enjoying being out there instead of sitting there in a blue funk, waiting for something to go wrong..?

 

[FOG]

I like having the option of both.
If I want wind in my hair, I go up to the Flybridge.
If I don't, I go to the inside helm.
Either way, I enjoy the ride!

 

[markpierce]

eye-ball inspection of one's engine(s) several times a day sounds like paranoia to me, or one has an unreliable, untrustworthy engine.

 

[gaston]

For engine room checks, I totally disagree it matters where you are.

I don't want to repair or replace an engine because I missed something small that ultimately turned into something big.

I neither paranoid or trust or distrust.

I just have enough experience to know the difference between cars, boats, helos, heavy equipment, etc and what I think I can catch early by camera and visits.

Will I get them all? Nope but I already have gotten so many, saving me so much time and money that I am now set in my way of routine checks.

And it doesn't matter if headed for the travel lift, or Alaska.

Just how often did you lift the cowling on the helo at 10000ft to see if there was a potential problem on the horizon

 

[psneeld]

First of all it isn't about cropping out for me, that can and has happened.

It is about major versus minor maintenance...read carefully as in post #74.

Gaston, ithe crewman could still look in places where things could pool and drip, like a camera can. He could still look at the cowlings to see if fluid or smoke were coming out. Yes, they got up and walked around the inside to check things on a regular basis...at least the good ones did. No not funny and they saved the day many a time before any instruments showed a problem. In my world, that's not funny.

I don't worry, I use my head about things that CAN be done and used easily on a boat to keep things nice and easy.....not everything is critical or urgent, but a few things are....based on my experience.

Not sure what your experience is, but I known mine...so I use it to my advantage.

 

[Art]

I substantially agree with most of psneeld's posts on this thread; especially regarding his input about continual surveillance ways and means on equipment parts and portions.

Some call this method as being one with your equipment. Not being airy fairy at all... I call it simply being aware and taking actions that allow you to stay aware; which often diverts [at the least simplifies taking care of] oncoming problems as well as maybe eliminating one or more circumstance that might cause disaster to life, limb and/or equipment.

Often accomplished visual checks, sounds, smells and finger tip feeling of vibrations enable good array of sensory organ communications to brain. If all things check out A-OK... then great... continue onward till the next round of scheduled checks reaches their time.

BTW - In my opinion there are a few types of check-ups that need to occur on equipment.
1. "Scheduled Checks": wherein you know that the timely check-ups are close enough together and thorough enough to well support the [new or used] equipment's capabilities for running without major problem happening.
2. "Intuitive Checks": from which that "feeling" suddenly bugs you wherein you know that an extra check or two should be accomplished between the Scheduled Check time slots. That Intuitive Check Feeling for accomplishing extra checks on equipment can arise from a myriad of reasons... I believe that type of intuitiveness most likely happens from items your brain did not consciously but rather subconsciously perceived during your Regular Checks.
3. "Emergency Checks": The word emergency clearly defines this type of suddenly needed check-up. That usually occurs when your visual, sound, smell and finger tip [or other] feeling of vibrations to brain scream... alert, alert., alert The knowledge of an emergency for the Captain of anything can also become known form others who see it first and relay situation to the Captain.

Markpiece's statement in post # 103 - i.e. "eye-ball inspection of one's engine(s) several times a day sounds like paranoia to me, or one has an unreliable, untrustworthy engine." I say the following with due respect. IMO that statement is just not OK to tell newbies [or oldbies] to the boating world. I ask Mark to recall when docking a while back how he lost power to the prop on his fairly new boat because the mechanical junction arrangement of engine to shaft had fallen apart [believe it was caused by a fancy universal type of joint]. I recall seeing photos Mark posted of the mechanical malfunction. At that time thinking to myself... why did he not see or hear, smell or feel that approaching failure when he was performing scheduled checks on engine and equipment. Now I fully understand - why he probably did not have pre-knowledge of that mechanical failure approaching. The reason I say probably... is because no matter how well things are checked-on there are some failures or emergencies that are simply unavoidable!

So, I say to everyone, never let too much time pass between equipment check-ups. "Become one with your equipment". LOL

In the long run... you'll be glad you did perform Scheduled Checks.

 

[Plane Nauti]

Just how often did you lift the cowling on the helo at 10000ft to see if there was a potential problem on the horizon

If he was a smart Helo pilot he never flew that high..... To far to fall if something broke!

 

[ranger58sb]

Are there wireless (Bluetooth?) systems and apps where multiple engine room cameras could be monitored, perhaps sequentially, on an Android tablet?

-Chris

 

[BandB]

First of all it isn't about cropping out for me, that can and has happened.

It is about major versus minor maintenance...read carefully as in post #74.

Gaston, ithe crewman could still look in places where things could pool and drip, like a camera can. He could still look at the cowlings to see if fluid or smoke were coming out. Yes, they got up and walked around the inside to check things on a regular basis...at least the good ones did. No not funny and they saved the day many a time before any instruments showed a problem. In my world, that's not funny.

I don't worry, I use my head about things that CAN be done and used easily on a boat to keep things nice and easy.....not everything is critical or urgent, but a few things are....based on my experience.

Not sure what your experience is, but I known mine...so I use it to my advantage.

I've not been at it as long, but I've listened and learned from long time successful captains and engineers. We have gauges and cameras and alarms. Everything possible. However, we check in person before leaving the dock, and every two hours thereafter. That's taking three times during an 8 hour trip to check and that doesn't seem paranoid or to be a big deal. Some things that we emphasize during those checks are hoses and fittings. We also listen for even slightly unusual sounds, which we can also pick up with the cams. Then there is smell. Can't get that with the camera yet. We have detected just very slight leaks around fittings that you couldn't even see yet. No signs in the bilge yet.

One thing I've found is that while some say fuel issues are the biggest to worry about that the biggest weaknesses in the entire systems, from engines to fuel to water to waste are not the hundred thousand dollar engines but the $5 - $10 fittings and hoses and impellers.

 

[GFC]

We've now owned Beachcomber for 7 years. In that time I think I've driven from down below two times, and that was just to see what it was like; what the difference was.

Whether it's summer....

or winter, our guests always seem to congregate on the bridge.

 

[O C Diver]

If he was a smart Helo pilot he never flew that high..... To far to fall if something broke!

Look up the term "Auto Rotate".

Three things that do a pilot absolutely no good:

1. Fuel on the groud (fill up before leaving).
2. Runway behind you.
3. Altitude above you.

Flying is easy. Coming back to the ground is the hard part.

Ted

 

[rwidman]

OK, we all have our reasons for liking a flybridge or not liking one and thy are not all the same anyway. Whatever your choice, it's your boat and you can choose to have one or not and to use one or not.


I haven't figured out how this thread drifted fro flybridges to checking engine rooms, but it does surprise me that some folks feel the need to physically check their engine spaces every hour or less. I check the oil and coolant each morning before I leave and I usually check the belts and look around for anything that seems out of place. Once that's done, I don't check again until the next time we get underway.


The exception of course is if something feels or smells out of place or there is a change in sound or a performance issue.


My point is, I expect a properly maintained marine diesel engine to run for six to eight hours without babysitting.

 

[O C Diver]

My point is, I expect a properly maintained marine diesel engine to run for six to eight hours without babysitting.

It almost always does. It's like a tire blowout , it only takes one time and it's done.

Ted

 

[gaston]

First of all it isn't about cropping out for me, that can and has happened.

It is about major versus minor maintenance...read carefully as in post #74.

Gaston, ithe crewman could still look in places where things could pool and drip, like a camera can. He could still look at the cowlings to see if fluid or smoke were coming out. Yes, they got up and walked around the inside to check things on a regular basis...at least the good ones did. No not funny and they saved the day many a time before any instruments showed a problem. In my world, that's not funny.

I don't worry, I use my head about things that CAN be done and used easily on a boat to keep things nice and easy.....not everything is critical or urgent, but a few things are....based on my experience.

Not sure what your experience is, but I known mine...so I use it to my advantage.

MMM ? Ok my experience could totally remove and rebuild a Caterpillar 3516B 2000hp engine including line boar and crankshaft grind and if it was coupled to a Allison transmission I could rebuild that as well . And I'm totally comfortable to check my boat engine once a week and my beer fridge 3 times a day .

 

[psneeld]

Like I said...my experience says check a few things often as my engine is far from new....

And operating things is totally different than maintaining them.

As to how it relates to flying bridges...well, I guess experience explains that as well.

 

[BandB]

The exception of course is if something feels or smells out of place or there is a change in sound or a performance issue.


My point is, I expect a properly maintained marine diesel engine to run for six to eight hours without babysitting.

Well, where better to smell or listen than the ER. Now, my point was that our ER checks are not primarily about the engine itself. They're about all the belts, hoses, connectors filters, and every other little thing that might be an issue. It's about seeing a fuel issue in the Racor before it impacts performance, about detecting a leak before it causes problems.

Now part of ours too is that we don't keep things simple, our ER's have a lot going on with watermakers, generators, and everything else plus we do run larger engines harder so perhaps our needs of checks are different. 99% of the issues would be detected by electronics and cams, but we want to avoid the 1% as well. Whatever, we've never had an on the water break down.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. ps. The question of ER checks "...As to how it relates to flying bridges..." ? Well, I was curious about the thread drift/creep as well so...The ER check reference was first mentioned in post #46 by our own Mr. BP (A mod). Imagine a mod trolling a thread?

 

[Bigsfish]

BandB

"Whatever, we've never had an on the water break down."

Then I will predict that one day you will, whether it is sucking up a plastic bag, rocking creating junk to plug a racor or some other unforeseen problem. I hope you don't but.......

 

[Art]

Reason this thread morphed onto +/- discussion on attributes and/or negativities of having/using fly bridge:


IMHO [and I am quite a bit prejudiced on the + side]... The one and only drawback of a FB is the effort and time it takes to go below and check the engine compartment while under way. Otherwise, I feel FBs are simply great!

 

[AlaskaProf]

It rarely gets above freezing. No reason for anymore people to check it out. And OMG the logs, rocks and unmarked channels.

My late mother claimed to be the person who ruined Seattle. We lived there for a couple years in the late 40s, then she went back to Los Angeles and told everyone what a wonderful place it is.

She has repeatedly expressed remorse for her role in this catastrophe.