I've been watching you guys ever since you started doing this. I thought you talking to yourself was amusing and informative we all need a laugh now and then. I sailed out of PCYC and NYC.
Thanks, Bruce. So glad the "dual Paul's" gave you a smile. Nice to think of PCYC and NYC. I hope you had a good summer despite the restrictions this year.
Thank you, Sheryl, for the nice advice about keeping track of provisions on board. Another way, marking the top of the boxes with numbers and having an electronic layout/drawing or the storage boxes, and having excel spreadsheet of the list of provisions which can calculate the current state of the provisioning.
Using a victron cerbo and gsm device or network you can monitor, control and update your system. a canbus bms (e.g. MG master lv) can be connected too. A wakespeed alternator controller can be used for your alternator icm MG.
I think "Panama Paul" must have run the batteries down running that bedside light reading for 6 months... Thanks for everything you 2 have done for those of us without a sailboat, I have loved watching your show on AWE!
Just saw a new canadian boat remote monitoring system on Sailing Nahoa channel, looks good: barnicle systems. Great video by the way, thanks for sharing.
You bring back some pretty special memories for us, same location, same restaurant but it was not quite as wet when we were there. Lead Acid AGM batteries, we can only manage about 3 to 5 years out of our house bank, we have just installed Australian made, lets hope for better results. We have Victron controllers on Annecam, we can check the performance via Bluetooth. We have a Fronius controller on our home and it can be accessed from anywhere via wifi. Love the conversation with yourself, good work Paul and Sheryl, cheers from us on Annecam
We just watched this episode & loved it. Paul talking to himself was hilarious & informative.. we love your style of vlogs .. keep up the great work. #sailingtheplanet
It's great to see you back on the boat. Sorry you'll miss the cold Ontario winter! LOL. We love seeing you folks talking to yourselves... We do it all the time. Well done, thanks for sharing.
I do love your channel. I too watch to get away if not for a few minutes. I’m a traveling physician; lately, I’ve been flown all over the US to help with COVID outbreaks. I did also buy a used 1974 ‘30 foot fixer upper’. Hope to see some of those Caribbean islands up close soon.. Stay safe.
@Peter Alan Clark first, I wouldn’t call it a great experience. To answer your question, yes and for likely a multitude of reasons. From PTSD to persistent hypoxia and fatigue, I have seen anger, depression, anxiety; essentially a wave of mental health issue beyond the physical illness. Hope this helps. Cheers
Stationed at Quarry Heights 73 to 76. Worked in bunker deep under Ancon Hill. I enjoyed jogging on the causeway several days a week. Before marina, of course, joggers and bike riders basically had the causeway to ourselves.
Regarding your wish for a good remote tool. We just installed a new Batterie bank from MG with a Victron cerbo device. This device is a Swiss Army knife :-) it can do almost every task you ask for. Connected with the internet you can get all data about you batteries and tank levels. In addition you have 4 temp probes and 4 digital inputs like door contact etc.
We used bar codes and scanners to keep track of steel stock & fabbed pieces in our steel fabrication shop. Maybe something like that would be useful to scan groceries into and out of inventory & provide printed lists complete with location of items and date purchased.
We knew Paul was good, but 2 Pauls, that was even better . . . . informative and creative story telling. After all the years, you are legends to be admired for the work you do putting these videos together.
Love all your videos! Changed my AGM on my motorcycles to lithium. Be very very careful with chargers. Used a specific Lithium charger that somehow managed to melt the battery. Fortunately no fire. With great anticipation waiting to hear about the New Boat! Thanks again for all the Greatest videos!
a clever history lesson on cyclical events in time. Thanks for the battery info. would be interested in much more about power management on board. Thanks for videos.
Beat me to it. I don't know if the boat has any Mastervolt in it or not. Might wish to check their capabilities (constant state of change). If I was to redo a boat system, I would go with Victron, from solar to batteries to inverter/chargers to, well you get the idea. Best wishes all, stay safe
@@DistantShoresTV my husband was JUST teasing me for labeling all our cables, cords, and charging bricks but it has already made it easier to tell which type of charging cable is in my hand ha ha!
Paul, remote monitoring was one thing that I wanted to do when we replaced the electronics on our Fleming 55. There are point solutions like Floathub and a few others that people have mentioned, but our approach is more of an integrated approach. Obviously this is not an 'add-on' but a whole systems approach... something that you may want, or are already planning for DS4. Our base electronics are Furuno with a TZTouch2 unit on the flybridge integrated with TZ Professional v3 running on ship's PC for the inside helm (this allows for PC based navigation which is much nicer than any of the nav units IMHO). To this we've added an Axis camera system with 10 cameras (Axis is one of the cameras supported by Furuno and has a suite of professional tools including AXIS Camera Station which we also run on the ship's PC, iPad and iPhone). The last component is an N2K network with Maretron sensors as appropriate for our boat, including DC, AC, Wind, Temp etc. and of course the Furuno electronics provide more information to the N2K network such as depth and the new (and awesome) Furuno Satellite compass info. The N2K network is viewed through the Furuno electronics as appropriate and also through Maretron's N2KView running on the ship's PC, iPad and iPhone. Everything is visible on applications running on the ship's PC, this is the basis for remote access. The ship's PC is connected to the internet using a cellular modem. We use a standard PC remote access software to take control of the ship's PC from anywhere using another PC, iPad or iPhone. In fact, I've checked the boat's systems, cameras and activated one of our Pan, Tilt Zoom cameras using airplane Wifi while at 30,000 ft over Asia! Additionally there are sophisticated alarm capabilities within the AXIS Camera Station software and the Maretron N2KView software. These alarms can be configured to text or email based on rules that you define for any sensor on the N2K network or any camera. Note that we use the capabilities for monitoring while underway, docked and anchored in addition to leaving the boat in storage mode. There are a lot more capabilities and features including redundancy and back ups that I've not mentioned. I'm sure there are still areas to improve or that people would do differently but it works well for us. Happy to provide more info if you're interested. P.S. you were only a few docks away when you did your last docking video!
You guys should consider specifying a Dokensip system for remote battery monitoring in your next yacht. Also lets you check the bilge, shore power etc.
Great video guys. Victron Energy do the VRM portal for free. We use it also on our radio masts on hills and mountains fir work. Its great you can see everything to do with power, batteries, solar, chargers.....anything on your VE network. You need either WiFi or 3g sim. Also so many customisable alarms you can configure for anything you like. The alarms can send email to you. For instance if leaving boat in a marina for extended time we set an alarm for shore power disconnected.
Thanks Guys - Paul I loved the history lesson on yellow fever + Sheryl's tips on storage. Our AC flights to Grenada just got cancelled.... working on options to get to SV O'MAGOG - Cheers Marty & Michelle
Lots of work but beautiful scenery to do it in! Took a Panama Canal cruise years ago but didn’t get the opportunity to visit the city! Thanks for the tour! 💕
I noticed your green hand cream in the kitchen drawer. Great stuff. The Atomic version of this is straight lanolin. (I have those old people dark skin patches that itch. A little Lanolin one time and it won't bother me again for weeks). Cataloguing systems. (I've used this system several times over the past 18 years) I cleaned up a pack rat relative's house. Hoarders freak out when you throw anything away, so I made a pile of bags and trash, put everything else into office boxes. I numbered each box, took a photo (with the number in the photo) of each layer in each box. Then I made a database (FileMaker Pro which supports very high resolution photos). On the data base I had pull down menus of where the box was stored, and first a pull down of the general category: clothes, etc... Then if I had time I'd type in some of what was in the box. socks, batteries, etc... Then I could do a search for the item: socks, or the general category: clothes; and then just scroll through the photos. This is like opening up the boxes and looking, except in 1/100th the time. So you can search by item, category, or just flip through photos. (and every time you use the database you can add more information). When I did all the storage cabinets and drawers in the science dept where I was a teacher, I just outputted the DB as a PDF and gave everyone a copy. On your boat what I'd do is paint a big number on the hatch cover (if it's behind a cushion), then paint a smaller number on the back side on a corner (so it can be in the corner of every photo). Location on the boat is important, so maybe 'Settee 12", then guests could look at your iPad and scroll through the photos looking at what you have. Maybe they really like mac and cheese and two boxes are stored on the bottom layer of Settee 14. Now, after browsing through your photos, they've spotted it and can go right to it. (and keep your Inventory system, or if you type fast type it up in your DB and print it out). Maybe on a diagram of the boat write numbers on the locations. And of course on the shared photo catalogue, don't include the good booze - put that in a hatch labeled 'Used Diesel Filters.' Batteries. I think most companies treat batteries as a form of Voodoo. I have a Tesla, huge battery pack, thousands of cells, so thousands of ways it can go bad - and yet incredible reliability and longevity. When I see anything on battery, solar, wind, water systems I always want to know: So what's the controller going to do? My iPhone 6s has had 3 batteries since 2015, and only about three years ago did it finally at night condition the charge to make the battery last longer. So liON batteries? The real question is what's the controller going to do for you? That's even more critical than the batteries. For instance: is it going to tell you when charge is at the point it can damage the cells - so you turn off the AC and turn on the generator? Is it going to operate your cells at max 85% (what my Tesla does)- unless you're on a crossing and need every little bit? (I take my Tesla to 100% only for long trips) Another great video, I'm learning so much from you. Thank you. I expect to be wet (what's the boat slang for going cruising?) within two years. If we ever happen to anchor in the same spot, it will be at least a year ahead of when that would've happened without your videos. Much appreciated.
Great notes! Thanks for sharing your system which sounds super searchable. My problem with maintaining inventory is that I'd be cooking, then need to grab something out of deep storage, and since things were bubbling on the stove I wouldn't update the app or spreadsheet right away. Then I'd forget. Or someone else would take something from the locker and not update the spreadsheet. With my Piece of Paper system, anyone can update immediately as they take something out of the each locker. It's whatever works for your situation and the personalities on board I think. Thanks for your input. We are so happy that we have been able to give you information you need for your plans too. Thanks for your kind words.
Victron has an online portal. If you have any of the Victron GX devices you can receive WiFi or cellular and upload data from your system to the web. There are also third party options.
If you have displays, (and modestly good wifi) you can view them remotely with webcams. There are lots of options. I've had good luck with Wyze (super cheap, indoor cameras). Blink cameras also work pretty well, though since they are battery operated, you may want to disable motion detection and continuous recording if away for a while.
:) Very nice video! Paul's debate on yellow fever was excellent! When they took care of the problem in Panama, during the canal construction, they poured oil on all the pools and reed they could find. They chose the mosquito breeding period to do that. In addition, they also DDT'ed all the houses, especially under the eave. To this day, Panama is safer from the mosquito diseases point of view than the surrounding countries.
It's great to see you back on the boat. Sorry you'll miss the cold Ontario winter! LOL. We love seeing you folks talking to yourselves... We do it all the time. Well done, thanks for sharing.
Hi Paul and Sheryl. Nice to see you are both still. I still have The Goose. Currently laid up as I am working and living in Bermuda (you are always welcome to visit). On another topic altogether, I was wonderingnwhat visas you guys got when you were cruising in europe.
absolutely love your videos! Been watching y'all for a loooong time! Its awesome that you guys found youtube. :) Ignore the Haters keep up the good work! don't allow them to bully you.
I don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm for lithium batteries, but it is important to consider the consequences of a lightning strike to the boat. You are in a better position to ask Discovery and Southerley boat owners what experiences there are of lightning strikes on boats with our unique huge grounding plate. Is the strategy to ground the mast to the plate which means the charge would pass through the interior of the boat, or is it better to encourage the charge to go from the mast base over the side through grounding straps? I am thinking of having a special copper (silver plated) and dynema braid made up to go from masthead to the gunnel to encourage a lightning hit to bypass the boat altogether (aviation style). I’m also looking at an ultrasonic masthead instrumentation set to reduce the lightning attractors up there. This is all important you will realise because the operation of the lithium batteries is heavily electronic, so the last thing we need is millions of volts mixing with our 5 volt electronics. I’d be thrilled to hear what you learn from the experts. I’m in the process of installing 10kwhrs of lithium myself so naturally I am concerned, particularly after following Sailing Freedom’s recent experience.
Great video. As always very entertaining and informative. If you ever need a place to sleep in The Netherlands you are always welcome. (Although it's 130km from KM close to SPL airport) Greetings from the rudderless crew ARC+ 2015!
Not that I'm trying to nit-pick, but those neck gaiters are supposed to be the worst for preventing transmission. Something about the fabric breaks down your exhale into much smaller particles.
You asked about a product that could remotely check on your boat and its systems. I've just watched Sailing Nahoa and Ben interviewed a guy who owns BRNKL , in Canada. Its a security and monitoring system. Go check it out. Could be what you wanting.
You have the basis of a remote access system having the Victron inverter system. Add a couple of accessories and a data system and you are set for remote monitoring.
My AGM battery bank died in 3 years. I used it not so frequent, but sometimes my boat sought more than 80 percent of its capacity. The set doesnt keep the amperage, voltage dropping very very quickly by little usage. Very disapointing with AGM, will replace for litium but it is a big investment, now thinking to buy cheap replacement or spend the money for LI. If you can buy litium, do it with no doubt. AGM sucks...
Loved the latest video - the two “Pauls” segment was a riot, we loved it! Can you tell us more about the battery monitor (shown at the 11:03 mark) you are using to see the individual battery stats in your 48v bank? Is that a standalone display or tied into a larger monitoring system? Thanks, LOU
Barnacle systems out of Victoria has a boat monitoring system that sends a text when things go wrong on your boat ... like a bilge pump starting up or something bumps it etc.
Like Stuart Jeffre below I use the Victron Cerbo GX and their VRM portal. There are a few problems with this system, remote management is limited without a lot of other components. I notice you have Mastervolt equipment, so for integration I would look into their Amperian Interface. As I used to be in IT I went overboard and have setup a VPN from the house via a 4G network. The boat end has to be the client as you cannot typically get through airtime providers firewall. Once you have a vpn setup you have numerous options, CCTV, bilge monitoring alarm, remote control of battery charger etc. I ended up connecting all this up, I can even switch on the heating remotely. However, this all gives you a new problem, there is a 1-2amp draw to run the stuff. The foolproof way to protect the batteries is a something like the Victron Smart BatteryProtect, basically to disconnect the batteries if the voltage drops too low. Having said all that if you are going for Lithium they usually have a BMS built in so the problem may go away.
Good episode. Switching to lithium. Can you cover on an episode soon the install and other changes required to make that battery change. I understand means different alternators etc
Delos was just talking about an app called barnkle or something close to that which does what I believe you are looking for. When they started talking about its features I immediately th out of you and your request
Bad batteries on a 3 year old boat? I guess three years is a decent amount of time for AGM batteries. Make sure the charge controller is ok. You were hooked up to shore power all this time, so it should have maintained the batteries. Is your A/C a 48 volt unit or are you using inverters?
Victron provides a remote monitoring system. I will be interested to understand how you manage alternator connectivity and BMS management. It is not possible to just swap out Lead acid/AGM for Lithium without a system to manage under/overcharging. Disconnecting an alternator while charging will blow the diodes - looking forward to the episode.
Can you simply reprogram your charger for the new batteries? Does your alternator have temperature sensing/protection from the likely increased power draw?
Very enjoyable and informative. Well done. So much has transpired since your presentation to BWC in Vancouver. Was that a year ago? Regards. Al Vacouver
I use Simarine Pico monitoring system. All 3 battery banks, fuel tank, fresh water tanks, black water tanks are connected to the monitor and good thing is you can see all those on you smart phone when you are connected to the same wifi network or you can directly connect to simarine network by your phone. I have not yet tried remote monitoring but I believe it is possible to do it remotely. Alternatively, one of my friend is using “sentinel marine” remote monitoring system which is connected to the existing Czone on the boat.
Charging lithium ion batteries causes very very small cracks in the lithium and cobalt that is in the batteries, and after a while you get so many cracks in the batteries that the batteries don't hold their charge any more( as far as I know, but I'm not an expert). I don't know what happens in lead acid batteries when they lose capacity. The batteries on my Bavaria C46 also need to be replaced, but I'm not sure if mine are lithium ion or lead acid, I'll ask my charter company.
You have got a big battery bank already. How much will the equivalent battery capacity cost with Lithium batteries? Which battery brand and which battery charger & monitor will you choose. Any modifications to the engine alternator? Thanks for the information, Cheers, Richard
All great questions, @tartansailor. We're doing a TH-cam Live at 11 AM ET this morning to discuss our lithium battery upgrade and will cover this info. Here's the link: th-cam.com/video/M3kFUC1592s/w-d-xo.html
I don’t have a recommendation for a monitoring system but I did have a question why couldn’t you keep the two lead acid batteries that were still above 12 V and make a separate 12 V system that could be use for some other systems on the boat?
We already have a 12 volt system, Kitarshyi and Raymond, and we won't have room for the 2 batteries that are still fine. However, we will find a good home for them. They will be useful to other boaters in Panama.
For a monitor system check out Mermaid Monster on TH-cam. They use a system called BRNKLE monitoring system. See their episode #103 where he mentions it.
Thanks for this, Ella. We use buffs mostly when we're exercising since they are easier to pull up and down for gulps of fresh air. We use surgical masks when in a taxi, shopping, in crowded public places, etc.
Hi Paul and Sheryl, love your channel and glad to see you are being careful during COVID. Please note that single layer buffs like the one Paul is wearing are not protective for the virus, and can in fact make spread worse as they act to make smaller droplets upon exhaling. I know a buff is convenient, but Paul should be wearing a cloth or surgical mask like Sheryl’s to protect himself and others. An option is to double up the buff to make it less porous. Please Google “buff vs mask” and read up or check out this article on the Washington Post that discuss research done at Duke University :www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/gaiter-mask-new-research-covid/2020/08/25/fcab870e-e63a-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html. Be safe and keep up the good work!
@@patricknagel9065 Masks are not only about personal protection, but also about protecting others in your family and community. I would recommend reading this CDC article on mask effectiveness: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html If you think your immune system is strong enough to protect you from COVID, then I would encourage you to volunteer at your local hospital to help the doctors and nurses struggling to save the people who are getting infected. But please, wear a mask regardless to help protect your loved ones and others in your community. In the meantime, as Dr. Bonnie Henry says, “be kind, be calm, and be safe”.
Just imagine having to explain the world to your 2019 Self :-) Too bad for the AGM's but Lithium is cool! I am working on my own system from individual cells. There is a lot of study involved. Keep an eye on the Alternator, as it needs an external regulator to limit output current and overheating of the alternator it self. There is no such thing as a drop-in-replacement.
I don't know wierig on your boat but it seems you don't have BMS( battery management system ) or it's not working properly (is damaged). Viele Grüße aus Deutschland.
Give me that new battery 15kW from 120kg weight?! On another's canal I was talking about battery, if you make serial connection you got 48V but have capacity like one battery. So if you buy 4x 12V 100Ah you got 48V still 100Ah so 4kW power (lithium it's great you can use lots of more power from batteries than acid)
Hi Barry. I don't use a foodsaver but I think they are a nice thing to have on the boat. They do take up storage space however. When I buy meat for longterm storage I usually get the butcher to vacuum seal it for me.
I hope you are getting professional advise in the process of swapping out the out batteries and installing new lithium batteries. With lithium batteries all charging points need to be lithium battery compatible including you main engine alternators. Lithium will take a higher recommended charge rate and can overheat existing engine alternators. Suggest you get a professional electrical survey gone on the vessel to guide you though the process
I've been watching you guys ever since you started doing this. I thought you talking to yourself was amusing and informative we all need a laugh now and then. I sailed out of PCYC and NYC.
Thanks, Bruce. So glad the "dual Paul's" gave you a smile. Nice to think of PCYC and NYC. I hope you had a good summer despite the restrictions this year.
Great way to present a history lesson. Entertaining, informative and funny.
too bad history teachers are never that interesting.
Thank you, Sheryl, for the nice advice about keeping track of provisions on board. Another way, marking the top of the boxes with numbers and having an electronic layout/drawing or the storage boxes, and having excel spreadsheet of the list of provisions which can calculate the current state of the provisioning.
Using a victron cerbo and gsm device or network you can monitor, control and update your system. a canbus bms (e.g. MG master lv) can be connected too. A wakespeed alternator controller can be used for your alternator icm MG.
I think "Panama Paul" must have run the batteries down running that bedside light reading for 6 months...
Thanks for everything you 2 have done for those of us without a sailboat, I have loved watching your show on AWE!
You’ve solved the mystery of our dead batteries! 😊 Thanks for your kind words.
This is very funny and very well done.
Just saw a new canadian boat remote monitoring system on Sailing Nahoa channel, looks good: barnicle systems. Great video by the way, thanks for sharing.
Thanks, ParatyShow. We’ve been talking with them.
The ''dual Paul'' bit was pretty kewel !!! Looking fwd to the ''dual Sheryl'' provisioning show !!! lol
Glad you enjoyed this, Paul! Cloning myself might be handy when stowing provisions 😊
You bring back some pretty special memories for us, same location, same restaurant but it was not quite as wet when we were there. Lead Acid AGM batteries, we can only manage about 3 to 5 years out of our house bank, we have just installed Australian made, lets hope for better results. We have Victron controllers on Annecam, we can check the performance via Bluetooth. We have a Fronius controller on our home and it can be accessed from anywhere via wifi. Love the conversation with yourself, good work Paul and Sheryl, cheers from us on Annecam
Great job with the video Paul and Sheryl! Really enjoyed the history of Dr Gorgas, yellow fever and the Panama Canal.
We just watched this episode & loved it. Paul talking to himself was hilarious & informative.. we love your style of vlogs .. keep up the great work. #sailingtheplanet
It's great to see you back on the boat. Sorry you'll miss the cold Ontario winter! LOL. We love seeing you folks talking to yourselves... We do it all the time. Well done, thanks for sharing.
Yes we got out just before the first snow! 😊❄️
I do love your channel. I too watch to get away if not for a few minutes.
I’m a traveling physician; lately, I’ve been flown all over the US to help with COVID outbreaks.
I did also buy a used 1974 ‘30 foot fixer upper’. Hope to see some of those Caribbean islands up close soon..
Stay safe.
@Peter Alan Clark first, I wouldn’t call it a great experience. To answer your question, yes and for likely a multitude of reasons. From PTSD to persistent hypoxia and fatigue, I have seen anger, depression, anxiety; essentially a wave of mental health issue beyond the physical illness. Hope this helps. Cheers
Stationed at Quarry Heights 73 to 76. Worked in bunker deep under Ancon Hill. I enjoyed jogging on the causeway several days a week. Before marina, of course, joggers and bike riders basically had the causeway to ourselves.
Regarding your wish for a good remote tool. We just installed a new Batterie bank from MG with a Victron cerbo device. This device is a Swiss Army knife :-) it can do almost every task you ask for. Connected with the internet you can get all data about you batteries and tank levels. In addition you have 4 temp probes and 4 digital inputs like door contact etc.
We used bar codes and scanners to keep track of steel stock & fabbed pieces in our steel fabrication shop. Maybe something like that would be useful to scan groceries into and out of inventory & provide printed lists complete with location of items and date purchased.
YOU GUYS ARE LEGENDS!!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!
You two are so much fun! Wonderful video
We knew Paul was good, but 2 Pauls, that was even better . . . . informative and creative story telling. After all the years, you are legends to be admired for the work you do putting these videos together.
Good 😁 guys, great info too. Glad to see you back in your other home.
Love all your videos!
Changed my AGM on my motorcycles to lithium.
Be very very careful with chargers.
Used a specific Lithium charger that somehow managed to melt the battery.
Fortunately no fire.
With great anticipation waiting to hear about the New Boat!
Thanks again for all the Greatest videos!
a clever history lesson on cyclical events in time. Thanks for the battery info. would be interested in much more about power management on board. Thanks for videos.
For remote monitoring, I use a tablet that connects via bluetooth to all my equipment (Victron). Then use a remote app to connect from home/work.
Beat me to it. I don't know if the boat has any Mastervolt in it or not. Might wish to check their capabilities (constant state of change). If I was to redo a boat system, I would go with Victron, from solar to batteries to inverter/chargers to, well you get the idea.
Best wishes all, stay safe
excellent acting squech edition paul vs paul informed me and had a lot of fun thanks guys
I loved the Paul speaking to Paul - thats not the easiest to do!
Good episode
Love the locker labeling system!!
Thanks, Jennifer. It helps us stay organized. It's surprising how often I use my labelmaker on the boat.
@@DistantShoresTV my husband was JUST teasing me for labeling all our cables, cords, and charging bricks but it has already made it easier to tell which type of charging cable is in my hand ha ha!
Paul, remote monitoring was one thing that I wanted to do when we replaced the electronics on our Fleming 55. There are point solutions like Floathub and a few others that people have mentioned, but our approach is more of an integrated approach. Obviously this is not an 'add-on' but a whole systems approach... something that you may want, or are already planning for DS4.
Our base electronics are Furuno with a TZTouch2 unit on the flybridge integrated with TZ Professional v3 running on ship's PC for the inside helm (this allows for PC based navigation which is much nicer than any of the nav units IMHO). To this we've added an Axis camera system with 10 cameras (Axis is one of the cameras supported by Furuno and has a suite of professional tools including AXIS Camera Station which we also run on the ship's PC, iPad and iPhone). The last component is an N2K network with Maretron sensors as appropriate for our boat, including DC, AC, Wind, Temp etc. and of course the Furuno electronics provide more information to the N2K network such as depth and the new (and awesome) Furuno Satellite compass info. The N2K network is viewed through the Furuno electronics as appropriate and also through Maretron's N2KView running on the ship's PC, iPad and iPhone.
Everything is visible on applications running on the ship's PC, this is the basis for remote access. The ship's PC is connected to the internet using a cellular modem. We use a standard PC remote access software to take control of the ship's PC from anywhere using another PC, iPad or iPhone. In fact, I've checked the boat's systems, cameras and activated one of our Pan, Tilt Zoom cameras using airplane Wifi while at 30,000 ft over Asia! Additionally there are sophisticated alarm capabilities within the AXIS Camera Station software and the Maretron N2KView software. These alarms can be configured to text or email based on rules that you define for any sensor on the N2K network or any camera. Note that we use the capabilities for monitoring while underway, docked and anchored in addition to leaving the boat in storage mode.
There are a lot more capabilities and features including redundancy and back ups that I've not mentioned. I'm sure there are still areas to improve or that people would do differently but it works well for us.
Happy to provide more info if you're interested. P.S. you were only a few docks away when you did your last docking video!
You guys should consider specifying a Dokensip system for remote battery monitoring in your next yacht. Also lets you check the bilge, shore power etc.
Right you are, Thomas. Just installed!
Love Paul interviewing Paul!
Great video as always & very funny 🤜
Thanks 😁
Also Check BRNKL for monitoring systems with your cell phone
www.brnkl.io/nahoa/
Great video! Loved Paul's humorous exchange in this one. Glad to see Panama being cautious with C19. Be well!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video guys.
Victron Energy do the VRM portal for free.
We use it also on our radio masts on hills and mountains fir work. Its great you can see everything to do with power, batteries, solar, chargers.....anything on your VE network. You need either WiFi or 3g sim.
Also so many customisable alarms you can configure for anything you like. The alarms can send email to you. For instance if leaving boat in a marina for extended time we set an alarm for shore power disconnected.
Nice to see you both back online, please do be careful since some other cruising youtubers have had covid related tragedies.
Just put in Relion LiFePO4 batts. Used victron’s new digital monitor. You can monitor everything remotely. It’s what you are looking for
Loved the video. It’s great to learn about the boat.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Guys - Paul I loved the history lesson on yellow fever + Sheryl's tips on storage. Our AC flights to Grenada just got cancelled.... working on options to get to SV O'MAGOG - Cheers Marty & Michelle
Oh sorry to hear that. I'm sure you are anxious to get back to your boat too! Good luck!
Great video! Hoping my AGM batteries are doing ok while we stay locked down in Toronto
Very interesting. Lucky sailors! Thanks.
Our pleasure!
Lots of work but beautiful scenery to do it in! Took a Panama Canal cruise years ago but didn’t get the opportunity to visit the city! Thanks for the tour! 💕
So glad you enjoyed seeing Panama ashore, Diana.
I noticed your green hand cream in the kitchen drawer. Great stuff. The Atomic version of this is straight lanolin. (I have those old people dark skin patches that itch. A little Lanolin one time and it won't bother me again for weeks).
Cataloguing systems. (I've used this system several times over the past 18 years)
I cleaned up a pack rat relative's house. Hoarders freak out when you throw anything away, so I made a pile of bags and trash, put everything else into office boxes. I numbered each box, took a photo (with the number in the photo) of each layer in each box.
Then I made a database (FileMaker Pro which supports very high resolution photos). On the data base I had pull down menus of where the box was stored, and first a pull down of the general category: clothes, etc... Then if I had time I'd type in some of what was in the box. socks, batteries, etc... Then I could do a search for the item: socks, or the general category: clothes; and then just scroll through the photos. This is like opening up the boxes and looking, except in 1/100th the time. So you can search by item, category, or just flip through photos. (and every time you use the database you can add more information). When I did all the storage cabinets and drawers in the science dept where I was a teacher, I just outputted the DB as a PDF and gave everyone a copy.
On your boat what I'd do is paint a big number on the hatch cover (if it's behind a cushion), then paint a smaller number on the back side on a corner (so it can be in the corner of every photo). Location on the boat is important, so maybe 'Settee 12", then guests could look at your iPad and scroll through the photos looking at what you have. Maybe they really like mac and cheese and two boxes are stored on the bottom layer of Settee 14. Now, after browsing through your photos, they've spotted it and can go right to it. (and keep your Inventory system, or if you type fast type it up in your DB and print it out). Maybe on a diagram of the boat write numbers on the locations. And of course on the shared photo catalogue, don't include the good booze - put that in a hatch labeled 'Used Diesel Filters.'
Batteries. I think most companies treat batteries as a form of Voodoo. I have a Tesla, huge battery pack, thousands of cells, so thousands of ways it can go bad - and yet incredible reliability and longevity. When I see anything on battery, solar, wind, water systems I always want to know: So what's the controller going to do? My iPhone 6s has had 3 batteries since 2015, and only about three years ago did it finally at night condition the charge to make the battery last longer. So liON batteries? The real question is what's the controller going to do for you? That's even more critical than the batteries. For instance: is it going to tell you when charge is at the point it can damage the cells - so you turn off the AC and turn on the generator? Is it going to operate your cells at max 85% (what my Tesla does)- unless you're on a crossing and need every little bit? (I take my Tesla to 100% only for long trips)
Another great video, I'm learning so much from you. Thank you. I expect to be wet (what's the boat slang for going cruising?) within two years. If we ever happen to anchor in the same spot, it will be at least a year ahead of when that would've happened without your videos. Much appreciated.
Great notes! Thanks for sharing your system which sounds super searchable. My problem with maintaining inventory is that I'd be cooking, then need to grab something out of deep storage, and since things were bubbling on the stove I wouldn't update the app or spreadsheet right away. Then I'd forget. Or someone else would take something from the locker and not update the spreadsheet. With my Piece of Paper system, anyone can update immediately as they take something out of the each locker. It's whatever works for your situation and the personalities on board I think. Thanks for your input. We are so happy that we have been able to give you information you need for your plans too. Thanks for your kind words.
Victron has an online portal. If you have any of the Victron GX devices you can receive WiFi or cellular and upload data from your system to the web. There are also third party options.
If you have displays, (and modestly good wifi) you can view them remotely with webcams. There are lots of options. I've had good luck with Wyze (super cheap, indoor cameras). Blink cameras also work pretty well, though since they are battery operated, you may want to disable motion detection and continuous recording if away for a while.
Did you find out how the battery bank failed? Would be good to know, as those look like the Odysseys we have!
:) Very nice video! Paul's debate on yellow fever was excellent!
When they took care of the problem in Panama, during the canal construction, they poured oil on all the pools and reed they could find. They chose the mosquito breeding period to do that. In addition, they also DDT'ed all the houses, especially under the eave. To this day, Panama is safer from the mosquito diseases point of view than the surrounding countries.
Yes, Serban, we've been reading about this and are so impressed by the history.
Loved the canal history and references to that “someone”.
It's great to see you back on the boat. Sorry you'll miss the cold Ontario winter! LOL. We love seeing you folks talking to yourselves... We do it all the time. Well done, thanks for sharing.
Good historic context Panama - Yellow fever . I liked your comment on chlorox ! (which was in fact is Lysol...)
Thanks for that!
2:20 My wife read that book about 15 years ago. She was amazed at the history.
The McCullough book is well worth reading. Cheers to getting back to the boat.
Hi Paul and Sheryl. Nice to see you are both still. I still have The Goose. Currently laid up as I am working and living in Bermuda (you are always welcome to visit). On another topic altogether, I was wonderingnwhat visas you guys got when you were cruising in europe.
absolutely love your videos! Been watching y'all for a loooong time! Its awesome that you guys found youtube. :) Ignore the Haters keep up the good work! don't allow them to bully you.
Thanks, Chad. We're so happy that you enjoy our videos!
I love this!!
Talk to Capt Rick Moore (SV Sophisticated Lady) he is very knowledgeable about Lithium Battery Systems and monitoring.
Lol awesome video
I don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm for lithium batteries, but it is important to consider the consequences of a lightning strike to the boat. You are in a better position to ask Discovery and Southerley boat owners what experiences there are of lightning strikes on boats with our unique huge grounding plate. Is the strategy to ground the mast to the plate which means the charge would pass through the interior of the boat, or is it better to encourage the charge to go from the mast base over the side through grounding straps? I am thinking of having a special copper (silver plated) and dynema braid made up to go from masthead to the gunnel to encourage a lightning hit to bypass the boat altogether (aviation style). I’m also looking at an ultrasonic masthead instrumentation set to reduce the lightning attractors up there. This is all important you will realise because the operation of the lithium batteries is heavily electronic, so the last thing we need is millions of volts mixing with our 5 volt electronics. I’d be thrilled to hear what you learn from the experts. I’m in the process of installing 10kwhrs of lithium myself so naturally I am concerned, particularly after following Sailing Freedom’s recent experience.
Great video. As always very entertaining and informative. If you ever need a place to sleep in The Netherlands you are always welcome. (Although it's 130km from KM close to SPL airport) Greetings from the rudderless crew ARC+ 2015!
Thank you! Will do, Leo!
Not that I'm trying to nit-pick, but those neck gaiters are supposed to be the worst for preventing transmission. Something about the fabric breaks down your exhale into much smaller particles.
You asked about a product that could remotely check on your boat and its systems.
I've just watched Sailing Nahoa and Ben interviewed a guy who owns BRNKL , in Canada. Its a security and monitoring system. Go check it out. Could be what you wanting.
Thanks, Lyn. We’ve been talking with them. Looks good.
You have the basis of a remote access system having the Victron inverter system. Add a couple of accessories and a data system and you are set for remote monitoring.
Operation Warp Speed ring a bell?
My AGM battery bank died in 3 years. I used it not so frequent, but sometimes my boat sought more than 80 percent of its capacity. The set doesnt keep the amperage, voltage dropping very very quickly by little usage. Very disapointing with AGM, will replace for litium but it is a big investment, now thinking to buy cheap replacement or spend the money for LI. If you can buy litium, do it with no doubt. AGM sucks...
Loved the latest video - the two “Pauls” segment was a riot, we loved it! Can you tell us more about the battery monitor (shown at the 11:03 mark) you are using to see the individual battery stats in your 48v bank? Is that a standalone display or tied into a larger monitoring system? Thanks, LOU
Barnacle systems out of Victoria has a boat monitoring system that sends a text when things go wrong on your boat ... like a bilge pump starting up or something bumps it etc.
Like Stuart Jeffre below I use the Victron Cerbo GX and their VRM portal. There are a few problems with this system, remote management is limited without a lot of other components. I notice you have Mastervolt equipment, so for integration I would look into their Amperian Interface.
As I used to be in IT I went overboard and have setup a VPN from the house via a 4G network. The boat end has to be the client as you cannot typically get through airtime providers firewall. Once you have a vpn setup you have numerous options, CCTV, bilge monitoring alarm, remote control of battery charger etc. I ended up connecting all this up, I can even switch on the heating remotely. However, this all gives you a new problem, there is a 1-2amp draw to run the stuff.
The foolproof way to protect the batteries is a something like the Victron Smart BatteryProtect, basically to disconnect the batteries if the voltage drops too low. Having said all that if you are going for Lithium they usually have a BMS built in so the problem may go away.
Great info, John. Thanks! Advice from those with first hand experience is so valuable. We appreciate you taking the time to write.
Good episode. Switching to lithium. Can you cover on an episode soon the install and other changes required to make that battery change. I understand means different alternators etc
Delos was just talking about an app called barnkle or something close to that which does what I believe you are looking for. When they started talking about its features I immediately th out of you and your request
Bad batteries on a 3 year old boat? I guess three years is a decent amount of time for AGM batteries. Make sure the charge controller is ok. You were hooked up to shore power all this time, so it should have maintained the batteries.
Is your A/C a 48 volt unit or are you using inverters?
Victron provides a remote monitoring system. I will be interested to understand how you manage alternator connectivity and BMS management. It is not possible to just swap out Lead acid/AGM for Lithium without a system to manage under/overcharging. Disconnecting an alternator while charging will blow the diodes - looking forward to the episode.
NO my gosh the Two Pauls crack me up 🤣
Hey, Jennifer. So glad you enjoyed the video.
Can you simply reprogram your charger for the new batteries? Does your alternator have temperature sensing/protection from the likely increased power draw?
Very enjoyable and informative. Well done. So much has transpired since your presentation to BWC in Vancouver. Was that a year ago?
Regards.
Al
Vacouver
Guys, this was hilarious.
Running air con off batteries will be amazing but I thought you didn’t have A/C on distance shores III?
David McCullough “Path between the Seas” is a fantastic book. Mi Ranchito serves very good food. They have an awesome Sunday Brunch.
Sounds as if you know both well. ❤️
I use Simarine Pico monitoring system. All 3 battery banks, fuel tank, fresh water tanks, black water tanks are connected to the monitor and good thing is you can see all those on you smart phone when you are connected to the same wifi network or you can directly connect to simarine network by your phone. I have not yet tried remote monitoring but I believe it is possible to do it remotely. Alternatively, one of my friend is using “sentinel marine” remote monitoring system which is connected to the existing Czone on the boat.
Thanks for this info. It's great to learn from those with experience.
Guess Victron has a system that you can follow remote.
battleborn batteries, Tom Morton (Mortons on the Move) and Delos are great resources for electrical ideas
Thanks for these resources, Don.
Use a raspberry pi and a mobile data modem to monitor all levels and even a live camera. Just gotta keep the data plan going
Siren Marine has products that can monitor the boat in a lot of ways.
Great skit you did talking to yourself
Charging lithium ion batteries causes very very small cracks in the lithium and cobalt that is in the batteries, and after a while you get so many cracks in the batteries that the batteries don't hold their charge any more( as far as I know, but I'm not an expert). I don't know what happens in lead acid batteries when they lose capacity. The batteries on my Bavaria C46 also need to be replaced, but I'm not sure if mine are lithium ion or lead acid, I'll ask my charter company.
Is all your equipment 48 volts too, or do you have a converter to change to 24 or 12 volts? Why did you go with a 48 volt system? Weight? wiring size?
This really needs answering. Great Q.
You have got a big battery bank already. How much will the equivalent battery capacity cost with Lithium batteries? Which battery brand and which battery charger & monitor will you choose. Any modifications to the engine alternator? Thanks for the information, Cheers, Richard
All great questions, @tartansailor. We're doing a TH-cam Live at 11 AM ET this morning to discuss our lithium battery upgrade and will cover this info. Here's the link: th-cam.com/video/M3kFUC1592s/w-d-xo.html
Why did two of the batteries go bad?
I don’t have a recommendation for a monitoring system but I did have a question why couldn’t you keep the two lead acid batteries that were still above 12 V and make a separate 12 V system that could be use for some other systems on the boat?
We already have a 12 volt system, Kitarshyi and Raymond, and we won't have room for the 2 batteries that are still fine. However, we will find a good home for them. They will be useful to other boaters in Panama.
nice editing
Victron Cerbo GX is great for remote systems viewing and management.
For a monitor system check out Mermaid Monster on TH-cam. They use a system called BRNKLE monitoring system. See their episode #103 where he mentions it.
A good AGM battery should come with a five year warranty, but should last 8-10 years if properly maintained.
in ideal circumstances, in my case 3 years of life...
Did not like any of the available apps so I wrote my own. I’ll share it with you once I finish it.
Check out CBC Marketplace program for mask reviews. They suggest thin nylon buffs are the least effective. Wishing you safe and healthy journeys.
Thanks for this, Ella. We use buffs mostly when we're exercising since they are easier to pull up and down for gulps of fresh air. We use surgical masks when in a taxi, shopping, in crowded public places, etc.
Hi Paul and Sheryl, love your channel and glad to see you are being careful during COVID. Please note that single layer buffs like the one Paul is wearing are not protective for the virus, and can in fact make spread worse as they act to make smaller droplets upon exhaling. I know a buff is convenient, but Paul should be wearing a cloth or surgical mask like Sheryl’s to protect himself and others. An option is to double up the buff to make it less porous. Please Google “buff vs mask” and read up or check out this article on the Washington Post that discuss research done at Duke University :www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/gaiter-mask-new-research-covid/2020/08/25/fcab870e-e63a-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html.
Be safe and keep up the good work!
Thanks for the info, Chad!
From what I read there is only high protective masks which protect from a virus anyhow. Have a immune system which works and you will be fine...
@@patricknagel9065 Masks are not only about personal protection, but also about protecting others in your family and community.
I would recommend reading this CDC article on mask effectiveness: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html
If you think your immune system is strong enough to protect you from COVID, then I would encourage you to volunteer at your local hospital to help the doctors and nurses struggling to save the people who are getting infected. But please, wear a mask regardless to help protect your loved ones and others in your community.
In the meantime, as Dr. Bonnie Henry says, “be kind, be calm, and be safe”.
Just imagine having to explain the world to your 2019 Self :-) Too bad for the AGM's but Lithium is cool! I am working on my own system from individual cells. There is a lot of study involved. Keep an eye on the Alternator, as it needs an external regulator to limit output current and overheating of the alternator it self. There is no such thing as a drop-in-replacement.
Soft close drawers...shear luxury.
I don't know wierig on your boat but it seems you don't have BMS( battery management system ) or it's not working properly (is damaged). Viele Grüße aus Deutschland.
I use victron VRM system, through the Color Control GX, to monitor my batteries when away from the boat. Zero cost.
Thanks, Stuart. Great to get info from experienced users.
Give me that new battery 15kW from 120kg weight?! On another's canal I was talking about battery, if you make serial connection you got 48V but have capacity like one battery. So if you buy 4x 12V 100Ah you got 48V still 100Ah so 4kW power (lithium it's great you can use lots of more power from batteries than acid)
Hi Guys.
Cat Impi. Installed lithium batteries in Australia and that set up came with an app which was connected to his phone.
Hope this helps.
David.
Hey, Barry again I have a food storage question if you would please, it's about meat, do you use a foodsaver vacuum for long-term?
Hi Barry. I don't use a foodsaver but I think they are a nice thing to have on the boat. They do take up storage space however. When I buy meat for longterm storage I usually get the butcher to vacuum seal it for me.
I hope you are getting professional advise in the process of swapping out the out batteries and installing new lithium batteries. With lithium batteries all charging points need to be lithium battery compatible including you main engine alternators. Lithium will take a higher recommended charge rate and can overheat existing engine alternators. Suggest you get a professional electrical survey gone on the vessel to guide you though the process