It is always good to hear where Digital Yacht products end up being installed, so we were extremely pleased when Matthew Riches, a marine and industrial electrician, who works out of Harbour Marine Services at Southwold and Ipswich Boatyards told us all about his latest installation aboard a classic motor yacht.
The installation was the final stage of a long restoration, of MAGYAR, a 1939 Saunders-Roe twin screw vessel, a real gentleman’s motor yacht that oozes class and originality. Now that her restoration is complete, Magyar will be based on the river Thames, and is availble for charter for those wanting an authentic classic boating experience.
Magyar is a classic boat in every way but with modern systems fitted throughout to enable warm & dry, safe operation utilising the latest 21st Century technology. From heating to steering, engines to electronics, the best in materials and equipment have been specified throughout.
During the navigation and instrumentation fit out, it was important not to ruin Magyar’s sleek but classic look, so rather than fitting a large screen chart plotter into the wheelhouse, the decision was taken to use Apple iPads running the Navionics Boating app. This then allowed Matt to specify the rest of the system, as a series of smart black boxes, that could be hidden away behind the beautiful wooden panels.
The full installation included; Digital Yacht’s AIT2000, a WLN10 Smart wifi adaptor as well as a SPL2000 splitter, to allow the main VHF antenna to be used by the AIS and the black box Icom VHF with command mic. Speed, log and depth readings were displayed on a Raymarine i70 intrument display, whilst a Raymarine p70 autopilot enabled control of the hydraulic steering.
As you can see from the helm photo above, the results were perfect, retaining all of the classic features, but with the merest hint of the cutting edge technology working in the background. One or more iPads or iPhones can be used anywhere on board, to wirelessly receive the navigational data generated by Digital Yacht’s WLN10 Smart NMEA server, ensuring that this classic boat will continue to be safely used and enjoyed for many years to come.
Thanks to Matt and Harbour Marine Services for the photos and notes on this fascinating installation and if you would like to learn more about how they can help you have a similar installation on your boat, why not visit their stand at the Ipswich Maritime Festival which is taking place on the 17th and 18th August 2019.
