The Solo Sailor REFIT - Sidse Birk Johannsen

Describe your vessel. What equipment did you have before the Raymarine boat refit?

My current boat is a C&C 37+ made in Canada in 1989, it’s a performance cruiser made for ocean going racing. Before the update, it was equipped with old Raymarine instruments; they were functioning, but I could not get new maps for the chartplotter, and the only display was in the saloon. 

On my previous boat the owner had fitted a Raymarine wheel pilot; I liked the system, but it wasn’t strong enough to cope with the conditions I was sailing in. Wheel pilots are generally used for smaller boats, and lower load situations; this boat should have had a linear drive autopilot. As a solo sailor, I am very dependent on a reliable autopilot, so with this boat I knew that I wanted a stronger linear drive autopilot.

Basically, I liked the Raymarine system: the way the products speak together, and how you can build out your system. In terms of hardware, I like the “turn and click” design between the cables and the five-way-connectors; it is easy for an amateur (which I  think myself to be).  The Seatalk and the Raynet cabling is very intuitive.

On my previous boat (the one I sailed to the Faroe Islands) I didn’t have a chartplotter (just an autopilot, depth sounder and a tablet with charts, VHF and AIS); so the chartplotter has really made a difference for me, especially in bad weather where the tablet was very unreliable. 

What boat upgrades were you hoping to achieve with the new navigation system and equipment? How would this enhance your boating experience?

The chartplotter was the piece of equipment that was essential to me. I often sail in the Scandinavian archipelago, which is well mapped on Lighthouse Charts, and the mapping on the Raymarine Axiom 2 Pro S provides you with greater security on your position around hazards. It is a huge advantage that the plotter is fully weatherproof too; my tablet was not good in the rain!

The chartplotter also connects to the rest of my instruments. For example, with AIS 700 I can now see the position of other boats and not just send out my own signal. The fact that I can see other boats just makes me feel safer.

A final thing that I should mention is that I love my instruments (RSW SmartWind and Alpha Performance Display). In a lot of ways I depend on them, and although it is personally important for me not to become an “instrument-sailor,” these displays make a huge difference to my sailing.

A chartplotter is recognised to be the heart of a marine electronics system. What Raymarine chartplotter(s) have you fitted, and how did you choose the right Raymarine chartplotter for your vessel?

Axiom 2 Pro S chartplotter in the cockpit and Axiom+ in the saloon. It was important for me to have a chartplotter with buttons in the cockpit, hence the Axiom 2 Pro, because the hybrid-touch system is a lot easier to operate in rough sailing conditions and when wearing gloves.

Which Raymarine autopilot system did you upgrade to on your vessel? How has this enhanced your navigation when sailing/cruising offshore?

I fitted a Raymarine EV-400 Sail Pilot. It might be overkill, but it was important for me to have a strong autopilot. I like that Raymarine can also function with the Jefa drive unit that I chose because it fitted better for my boat design. Fitting an autopilot on a C&C 37+ has been difficult for a lot of owners, that’s why some many actually stick with the wheel pilot (though it’s not made for boats at 8000 ton). My new system works perfectly.

What instrumentation and transducers have you chosen for your vessel?

• Alpha Performance Display 9 – positioned in the cockpit for greatest visibility to show wind, depth and speed data.
• DST810 Gen2 Smart Depth Transducer - great for depth sounding in the archipelago.
• RSW Smart Wind transducer – works in partnership with the Alpha display.

What product has made the most difference to your safety and enjoyment on the water? 

The chartplotter, and the fact that it works together with the complete system. If I could only choose two objects, it would be the chartplotter and the AIS; although I am also very happy with the depth transducer, as it is essential in the archipelago.

I also have a VHF Ray 90 and AIS700 onboard, which I think is fundamental on all boats.