A few days at Oro Bay
Oro Bay on the south end of Anderson Island in the Salish Sea is a beautiful anchorage with a nearby park, quiet privacy, and wonderful views. Having grown up in the South Salish Sea, I spent a lot of time at various…
Working Remotely from the Boat
Having a reliable internet setup is key to staying connected while on the water, but being able to work from the boat adds some additional challenges. I've done it for years, and have found a number of things that help make…
Finding a cellular data plan for your boat
One of the biggest challenges with staying connected on the water is finding an appropriate cellular data plan. Before you embark on buying a new router, cabling, or anything else, start here – finding a plan can be…
Gear Review: Vesper Cortex after a few months
The Vesper Cortex is an AIS Class B+ SOTDMA transponder combined with VHF radio and remote monitoring. It shows amazing promise after the first few months of use. The Vesper Cortex has been one of the most anticipated…
Smooth running NMEA 2000 networks with smart universal terminators
Keep your NMEA 2000 network running smoothly with a universal terminator that has an LED showing bus voltage, and can be used easily at either end of the bus. NMEA 2000 networks can be frustrating as evidenced by the amount…
Adding a NMEA 2000 powered Raspberry Pi to your boat
Easy to install Raspberry Pi computer that gets its power from the NMEA 2000 bus — Great for SignalK, OpenCPN, and OpenPlotter. Running a Raspberry Pi aboard a boat has been a popular thing to do for a number of years. I’ve…
Rendezvous Internet Setup for 2020
I am constantly making updates and changes to my internet system on board Rendezvous, but I do usually settle on a stable system that I go back to when I am not testing, or when I have guests aboard. This is that system for…
Internet Aboard: Testing New Routers and Antennas
48° North columnist Steve Mitchell gives the latest on staying better connected aboard There has been a lot going on lately, and I wanted to provide an update on what I am working on and testing. My primary focus has been on…
Getting real-time weather from the boat
I’ve always dreamt of having real-time weather from the boat while I am away, and for analyzing trends after a day of being on the water. Most of the attempts I’ve made in the past have used stations and instruments that…
Adding docking and engine room cameras to Rendezvous
The ins-and-outs of adding cameras to your boat One thing I found early on with Rendezvous is that a camera on the side of the boat seemed like a pretty important thing to have while docking. I’ve had a system in place now…