How can I use the Raspberry Pi microcomputer on a yacht?

One used boat and two pairs of straight arms

Yachtsman David Bishop recently bought a used Dehler 34. The yacht was launched in 1994, but has survived to this day in relatively good condition. Dehler 34 was the first boat for David and his wife Lydia. Together they managed to spend the summer on board the boat. However, after some time, a number of problems with electronics were revealed.

David's next cruise should be an order of magnitude longer and more difficult, so the yachtsman decided to repair the wiring and re-equip the electronics on board. The main problem was outdated navigation equipment, some of which can no longer work properly. The Navtex receiver, SSB fax and the old autopilot went to the scrap. 

After some brainstorming, Bishop decided that the ideal option would be to completely redesign the system using a Raspberry PI microcomputer, new hardware, and some old but working electronics.

First important step

As David says, in the beginning, the couple set several main goals for themselves. To begin with, they planned to go through all the electrical equipment and determine what else can be used and what should be irrevocably disposed of. Among the serviceable devices were a Furuno GP32 Navigator GPS navigator, as well as a Raymarine C80 display. David notes that these devices are waterproof and reliable - they could be used without any problems.

Next, the couple wanted to transform the navigation system, update it and improve it (the photo above shows the old version of the chart table). The goal was to create a full-fledged modernized navigation station. David wanted to be able to plot a route, feed it to GPS, chartplotter and Navionics on a tablet, and track swim progress in real time.

From the very beginning, David wanted to use a laptop as such a station. The idea was abandoned due to the fact that the chart table could not also accommodate a laptop, and charging the device would consume too much precious electricity. The search began for a small, compact device that would not consume a lot of electricity.

Working with wiring

Before starting to search for the "brain" for the navigation system, David decided to deal with the wiring. First, he removed the switch panel and dashboard. All the old wiring had to be dismantled.

New wires, given the upcoming work on installing a navigation system, David prudently marked. At some point, the yachtsman realized that the project was gaining momentum - because now the boat is temporarily unseaworthy. At that moment, there was no turning back and David was obliged to finish the work he had begun.

About 30 switches were required to fully control the electricity. Since the original panels couldn't accommodate that many switches, David purchased a set of Blue Sea Systems Contura switches. 

With the wiring updated and the switches installed, it was time to select an integrated computer to control the boat's entire navigation system. There was also the question of the place of installation of the computer itself and the display to it.

Raspberry Pi - a universal solution for the yachtsman

David said that he has already worked with Raspberry Pi when he was doing small projects with his daughters. For the uninitiated, the Raspberry Pi is a microcomputer the size of a deck of cards. 

It is a full-fledged low-power computer that can be used for a very wide range of tasks: a yacht autopilot can operate on its basis, you can make an automated plant care system, create a full-fledged smart home - the capabilities of the Raspberry Pi are practically unlimited and it all depends on your imagination. .

The advantage of the Raspberry Pi over other microcomputers is ease of learning, extensive tools for work, compatibility with a large number of electronics and a lot of various free and available documentation.

Almost from the moment the Raspberry Pi was released, the microcomputer has been actively used by yachtsmen for various purposes. In addition to the already mentioned autopilot, Raspberry Pi can be used to monitor engines, liquid levels in tanks, control solar panels, etc.

David wanted to use the OpenCPN program with licensed charts from o-charts.org. Also, David was going to use the OpenPlotter program, which is compatible with the Raspberry Pi operating system. As a result, he found all the necessary software for free on the Internet. A separate item was the Signal K program, which is used to synchronize and connect the boat's instruments with each other using a WiFi network.

As a result, David needed two Raspberry Pis. One connected all the devices together so that they could transmit data to each other. The second one was used as a base for OpenCPN.

Installing and configuring the system

Both Raspberry Pis were installed in place of the Navtex receiver. A 7-inch touch screen for controlling microcomputers was installed above the chart table. 

The new wiring took up an order of magnitude more space than the old one. But, as David says, a dozen or two cable ties solve the problem. Soon David and Lydia went on sea trials.

OpenCPN did a great job in routing. Also, routes laid in OpenCPN are loaded without problems via a GPX file in Navionics. As a result, all parts of the updated navigation system worked stably.

Thanks to the Raspberry Pi, it was possible to simplify and speed up the maintenance of the ship's log, as well as the ability to track the progress of the cruise in real time.

Lessons David Learned

David draws attention to what needs to be monitored and, if possible, reduce electricity consumption. Modern tablets, phones and monitors use more power than before. Reduce power consumption in order not to be in a situation with a dead battery in the middle of the sea.

It's also worth having a few spare devices for storing routes, weather forecasts, etc. Anything can happen at sea, and electronics, especially modern ones, do not always work flawlessly. 

As a separate point, David highlights the need to know the electronics of his boat. Even a basic understanding of exactly how a boat's wiring works is a necessary skill for the modern yachtsman.

Any upgrade is inevitably associated with some degree of disappointment. Somewhere more, somewhere less - but with a high probability in the process of improving the yacht you will come across the fact that you don’t know something or need to learn something. The result of seemingly hard work can also leave much to be desired. But even in this case, you should not fall into despair. Remember that experience does not come by itself, it takes time.

And speaking of time, David says the most dangerous thing to do is to underestimate the time and effort it takes to improve the boat. Such projects may require a lot of effort and time, but the experience gained will be invaluable.

Source: yachtingmontly.com

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22.02.2023