Finally, we'll add a chart of the local area to the NavNet plotter and more can be added as your cruising range expands.

Sometimes it's nice to have a nice big digital display for quick reference to information such as water depth or temperature. I also like to have wind speed and direction available. I'll put a good digital instrument package on this boat with displays in both steering stations and one in the owner's stateroom.

The Furuno RD30 displays will daisy chain together and receive depth and GPS information directly from the NavNet system. There is no need to add another transducer in the boat, because the RD30 will take information from the existing unit.FurunoFuruno's 600-watt black box depth sounder plugs right into the network.

I will also add an Airmar weather station to the RD30 in the pilothouse, so wind speed and direction can be read from any of the digital displays on the boat. This instrument package is great source for minding your surroundings while at anchor or for setting alarms to help out on watch. There will be some additional Furuno wiring needed to interface all the components.

The NavNet Black Box system has the ability to display closed circuit cameras, but unlike the Raymarine system, it can only take in one camera. I will put one camera on the back deck and one in the engine room and run them through a switch so both can be displayed through the NavNet monitors.

We've tricked out the NavNet system about as much as necessary so I'll move on to the onboard computer. The safety and comfort of a lower pilothouse station provides the opportunity to install a permanent, home-style desktop computer. Because they are relatively cheap and available off-the-shelf, I see no reason to go with an expensive "marinized" model. We'll put a fast Dell or HP computer tower in and connect it to the second set of monitors, upper and lower, which are not being used by the Furuno equipment. The only option that must be considered is dual monitor support, so I'd make sure the graphics card was capable (most are these days). I found a super powerful Dell Dimension C521 that is half the size of a normal tower, for about $800.00.

To be able to operate the computer from anywhere, I'll also add a wireless RF remote mouse and keyboard that can be taken upstairs when you need it, or used from your lap in the helm chair below.

So what are we going to do with the onboard computer? First and foremost, it will be our primary GPS chart plotter. Loaded with Nobeltec Visual Navigation Suite 9.1, along with the bright AmbientNav displays, there is hardly a better color chart plotter available. Will also take AIS information from the SeaCAS AIS system and have AIS targets displayed on the Nobeltec plotter.

Again, we will throw in all the U.S. charts on DVD from Managing the Waterway. Additional photo and 3D charts are also available from Nobeltec.

Most computers don't have serial ports anymore, so I'll have to add a serial-to-USB converter to take the GPS signal and AIS information from the NavNet and Safepassage 100 systems respectively. A Sea Level serial/USB converter is available from Nobeltec and has proven to work well.