The first spreaders—aka marine floodlights—that I installed on my boat 30 years ago were ITT Jabsco Ray-Line 50-watt 12-volt Halogens. Like most spreaders, they mounted overhead at the back and front of the hardtop and shone down on the deck. They provided plenty of light, but they were relatively large, would grow hot and drew 4 amps, so you didn’t want to leave them on too long with the engine off. 

Since then, marine lighting has undergone a revolution for the better, thanks to light emitting diode technology, which allows for more-compact fixtures, provides more lumens, creates less heat, and consumes less power than comparable incandescent lights. On top of that, LEDs offer a substantially longer service life than do incandescent bulbs.

That makes the LED variety of spreaders attractive to boaters looking to upgrade their onboard lighting. LED spreaders are available from a number of brands, including Lumishore, Lumitech, Scandvik, Seavolt and others. 

For this retrofit, we chose Lumishore’s Eclipse 4-inch bracket-mounted 30-watt floodlight, which pumps out 1,500 fixture lumens of white light and draws a scant 1.7 amps at 12 volts. It features a powder-coated aluminum body, three LED elements, a frosted lens, and an IP68 waterproof rating. The 70- to 90-degree beam creates broad, even light coverage.

Before you get started, be certain that the electrical power is off during the installation. Here’s how to proceed with this project.

Skill Level: 2 of 5

Finish Time: Approx. 3 hours without running new wires

Tools and Supplies

• Lumishore Eclipse 4-inch LED bracket-mounted ­floodlight ($198.99; westmarine.com)
• Crimp-on butt connectors with heat-shrink collars
• Diagonal cutter, wire strippers, crimping tool
• Power drill and metric bits
• Countersink bit
• Box/open-end wrench set
• Torque wrench
• Rubber grommets
• Cable gland
• Phillips screwdriver
• Marine sealant
• Heat gun
• Shop rags (to wipe away excess sealant)

Check the Wiring

This retrofit is relatively easy if you can use the same wiring as you did with the old lights. However, inspect the existing wiring and connectors to ensure that there’s no corrosion damage or chafed or broken insulation. Also make sure the wire is of sufficient gauge. If needed, run new American Boat & Yacht Council-approved wiring. Each Lumishore Eclipse spreader circuit requires two wires—a red positive and a black negative—a fuse and a simple on/off switch. To determine the correct gauge-wire and fuse size, visit the Blue Sea System circuit wizard at circuitwizard.bluesea.com. 

Mounting Hole

You might find that the existing mounting hole from the previous light bracket is the same as the single 6.5 mm hole needed for the Lumishore stainless-­steel bracket. If not, drill a new hole, or enlarge an existing hole to 6.5 mm in diameter. For a new installation, select a mounting location that is flat and thick enough for through-bolting the bracket. This could be the edge of a roof of a solid fiberglass hardtop that is at least 1/4-inch in thickness or a vertical or horizontal metal tab that is welded in place on the upper part of the pipework for the top, put there specifically for adding overhead spreaders. 

Install the Bracket

Fix the bracket in the alignment you need for the spreader to shine down onto the deck area. Insert the supplied M6 bolt through the bracket, then insert the M6 bolt through the hole in the mounting surface. The hardware kit includes a nylon locking nut and a washer to put behind the nut. If installing on a fiberglass top, bed the hardware with marine sealant. This step will help prevent cracking, crazing and water seepage. Secure the bracket with the supplied M6 nylon locking nut, and tighten. Louvres in the bracket help keep the bolt head from spinning while tightening the fastener. 

Mount the Spreader

Position the Lumishore Eclipse spreader light in the bracket so that the triplex wire is on the top side. Then mount the light to the installed bracket using the additional supplied M6 bolt, as well as the two nylon washers and nylon locking nut. Make sure the two nylon washers are placed inside the stainless-steel bracket, to protect the aluminum ­mounting surface on the back of the spreader light from suffering from electrolysis from two dissimilar metals coming in contact with each other. Tighten the stainless-steel hardware to a torque of 5 Nm. Do not overtighten.  

Read Next: Guide to LED Pontoon Boat Lights

Connect the Wiring

The pigtail on the spreader terminates with red/positive and black/negative wires, as well as yellow wire. For this project, ignore the yellow wire. Polarity is important with LEDs, so ensure that the red wire connects to a positive 12-volt power source and the black wire is to ground. Use crimp butt connectors with heat-shrink collars to connect the pigtail wires to the wires you’ve run to the mounting location. The connectors should be shielded from spray to deter corrosion. I tucked them inside the hardtop pipework and used a rubber grommet to protect the wiring from chafing and to prevent water intrusion. 

The post Installing LED Spreader Lights appeared first on Boating Mag.

They had guts, those great mariners from the Age of Discovery. Though some are viewed today with a degree of controversy, the likes of Columbus, Vespucci, ­Cortés and Magellan still hold reputations as bastions of courage and exploration.

How they did it—setting out on uncharted waters aboard creaking wooden sailing vessels, minds abuzz with apprehension of what might lie ahead, suppressing the lingering fear that they might never see land again—will always fascinate me. 

Few of us today will ever experience anything approaching that level of long-term anxiety afloat, thanks in large measure to today’s sophisticated marine electronics. They can tell you where you are, where you’re going, when you’ll get there, what’s lies underwater, what might get in your way, and where and when storms might strike. ­Today’s marine electronics can also recognize and route you around obstacles, and even drive the boat for you. 

Most importantly, when used properly by experienced captains, electronics can make you safer. Of course, electronics do not ­negate the need for prudent ­seamanship. You still must stay alert and be aware of your surroundings, remain at the wheel, and maintain a lookout and safe speed. But electronics can complement your seamanship skills, particularly in ­challenging conditions. 

One important caveat: Don’t wait until things take a turn for the worse to learn your electronics. Using your devices and interpreting displays should become second nature. This calls for practice and regular refresher sessions when conditions are pleasant to help ensure that you’re ready to effectively use and have confidence in the technology when the real need arises, as described in these five challenging situations in which marine electronics allowed me to pilot the boat with greater safely.

Moonless Passage

Recommended Electronics: Radar With MARPA, Chart Plotter, AIS, Night-Vision or Thermal-Imaging Camera

You can often prepare yourself for a long nighttime cruise in advance, as I did recently while running 35 miles offshore in the predawn hours for a day of mahi fishing off the coast of Southern California.

Before leaving the dock, I took the time to make sure that the electronics I had planned to use—radar, chart plotter, AIS and night-vision camera—were functioning properly. You might use instead a thermal-imaging camera from a company such as FLIR, but in this case, I relied on my SiOnyx ­Nightwave system, which shows the water and objects ahead in a full-color, stable and daylike image on my multifunction display.

Why, you might ask, would I want night vision when I have radar, or vice versa? For me, it boils down to detecting high-profile hazards with radar, while also seeing low-­lying objects that radar can’t detect such as lobster-pot buoys or flotsam such as wood pallets and timbers. 

My Mini Automatic Radar ­Plotting Aid allows me to automatically track targets on my radar to ­determine their threat level, course, closest point of approach, and time of closest approach.  

Some radar systems, such as those from Furuno, Garmin and Simrad, make tracking targets even easier with Doppler technology, which senses the relative motion of returns. Furuno’s Target Analyzer system, for example, automatically changes the color of targets to help you identify when they are hazardous. Green echoes are targets that stay stationary or are moving away from you, while red echoes are hazardous targets that are moving toward your vessel. Echoes ­dynamically change colors as ­targets approach or get farther away from your vessel.

An Automatic Identification System offers some redundancy, showing vessels equipped with AIS and confirming their location and identity on both the chart plotter and radar. However, many boats do not broadcast AIS signals, and so I use it only to augment but not ­replace radar. 

My chart plotter provides me with the course and distance to my destination, as well as my current position, offering a sense of place, which I might otherwise lose on a moonless night. 

One important tip for using your electronics at night: Dim the screens or use night mode to help preserve your night vision. Bright displays destroy my primary night-time navigational tool: my vision.

Poof! It’s Foggy!

Recommended ­Electronics: Radar With MARPA, Chart Plotter, AIS, Autopilot, VHF with PA Function and Loudspeaker

I tend to avoid boating in fog, but at least once a season, I get caught as pea soup sweeps quickly across coastal waters. When it happens after dark, it tests my navigational skills like no other condition. Without the right electronics, it can leave boaters wondering whether to try to make safe harbor or stay put. Either choice can turn into catastrophe.  

The problem I have with thick fog is its disorienting nature. Without the ability to see my surroundings, I can’t stay on a prescribed course. Try it sometime. Even with a good compass, you will drift off course more quickly than you can imagine, then meander endlessly as you seek to correct, and then overcorrect. That’s why I added autopilot to my list of recommended electronics. It keeps me on course while I use essentially the same electronics in much the same way I use them for nighttime navigation.  

Another additional piece of electronics is a VHF radio with (and this is important) a PA function wired to a loudspeaker. As part of the PA feature, some VHFs, such as the Standard Horizon Matrix, have a foghorn function, and it can set for underway or at anchor. While underway, it emits a loud, prolonged blast at 2-minute intervals. In anchor mode, the foghorn signal repeats every minute. 

This not only alerts other boats in the vicinity to my presence, but the PA system also has a listen-back feature that helps me hear the sound of other boats approaching my position, so I can prepare to take evasive action if necessary to avoid a collision.

Shallow Threats

Recommended Electronics: Chart Plotter With Auto-Routing, Electronic Chart App, Echo Sounder

The ocean floor is dynamic, especially in shallow nearshore waters where powerful storms, waves and currents shove about ­bottom mud and sand, unexpectedly piling up shoals. These can catch even local veteran boaters by surprise, especially after a big storm. It happened to me a few years ago when the north side of the main channel at the mouth of the Los Angeles River silted up after a winter storm. Fortunately, my boat did not fetch up, but I did drag the lower unit through the mud for about 50 yards. These days, I stay up to speed on silting with the Navionics Boating app on my mobile phone.

In addition to US government National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charts, the Navionics app includes a layer of crowdsourced updates from others boaters. When this layer is switched on, it provides ­updates from other boaters on subjects such as new shoal areas that might not yet have made it into the official chart update, as well as points of interest and navigation aids. The app also integrates information shared by the ActiveCaptain Community, including ­navigational hazards. 

In addition, I have discovered that a chart plotter with auto-routing, as featured on the new Simrad NSS 4 series, can quickly guide me around dangerous shoals and reefs, as well as other hazards. I just plug in my destination as a waypoint, and the ­system redraws the safest way to get there via a series of waypoints.

Sometimes you just have to slow down and feel your way, ­especially when navigating backwaters and rivers. That’s when an echo sounder is helpful. I watch the depth carefully to make sure I am in the deepest part of the channel. If the bottom starts to come up, either I change course or ­reverse out and try another path.

First-Time Visit

Recommended Electronics: Radar, Chart Plotter With Satellite Overlay and Tide Chart, VHF Radio

Occasionally I will venture to new waters north or south of my home port of Long Beach, California, and I sometimes find entering and negotiating a new inlet and port—particularly a large one—­somewhat challenging.

I have discovered that radar and a chart plotter—used side by side or as a radar chart overlay—gives me a good idea of how to safely enter the inlet, particularly at night. ­During the day, when I can see clearly, I sometimes use the 3D feature in course-up mode. Rather than viewing the chart from overhead, this lays out the inlet channel like a highway and can prove intuitive to read, providing greater ­navigational safety.

Another helpful feature on the chart plotter is the satellite mode that overlays satellite imagery and can show helpful landmarks when exploring new ports. You can zoom in for more detail or zoom out to gain greater context with any of these views.

Standing off and hailing the port master or harbor patrol on the VHF radio is a good idea if you’re unsure about the safety of an inlet. Such was the case on one spring day as I considered entering California’s Oceanside Harbor, which tends to shoal at its mouth. During low tide, big Pacific swells rise up and crest at this inlet. More than one vessel has met its demise here. 

I called the harbor patrol on VHF Channel 16, and we switched to talk on Channel 22a. The harbor patrol advised me to hold off until the tide rose, so I checked the tide chart on my chart plotter, which indicated high tide later in the ­afternoon. I waited until then and found a much safer passage into the harbor. 

Read Next: Marine Electronics for Nighttime Safety

Escaping the Storm

Recommended Electronics: Chart Plotter With SiriusXM Marine, Radar, VHF Radio

A day of fishing off Key West, Florida, started bright, clear and hot. But by early afternoon, a line of anvil-shaped clouds and an ­occasional muted boom of thunder in the distance gave me pause for concern.

Fortunately for us, we had the ­SiriusXM Marine Offshore overlay feature on our chart plotter. With it, we could see on the display a line of major thunderstorms taking shape and tracking quickly in our direction. The SiriusXM Marine Offshore also showed a growing number of cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, accompanied by high winds and waves.

A severe-weather warning from the Coast Guard on the VHF radio confirmed the reports, as did our radar, which picked up the returns of heavy rain in the distance. The fishing had been good, but thanks to our marine electronics, we knew for safety’s sake that the time had come to head back to port.

As we raced ahead of the ­tempest, I thought of the great mariners from the Age of Discovery and wondered if they could have imagined the tools that ­everyday boaters like me now have to stay safe. I doubt it. But then, I have little idea what new electronic devices the next season might bring and how they might help me stay even safer.

The post Marine Electronics That Make Boating Safer appeared first on Boating Mag.

Some boaters treat safety gear and anchors the same way: They have it all buried in a locker and will get it out when and if they need it. In this article, I suggest a more proactive approach. I encourage you to make an annual inventory of your safety equipment and schedule an inspection of each item (including your anchor, which, while not included below, does bear on your safety). Read on to find out how to inspect and update many items of boating safety.

Flares

You are required by the United States Coast Guard to ­carry aboard a minimum of three pyrotechnic flares. So check yours, and replace those that have expired. Also replace any that may have gotten wet. For electronic flares, such as the ACR E-flare, check the batteries and perform a self-test according to the manual. And be sure to have an SOS flag aboard. This orange flag with the black square and circle is required to fulfill your daytime signaling requirement if you choose an electronic flare. 

Fire Extinguishers

The quantity and type of fire extinguishers required aboard varies by boat type. Check the regulations to make sure you have at least the required number of fire extinguishers of the proper type. Many extinguishers feature a gauge: Examine those for a reading in the “green.” A “red” reading means discard or recharge the extinguisher. Additionally, check that the lock pin fits firmly in place and that the nozzle is not cracked or blocked. Nonrechargeable fire extinguishers must be replaced 12 years after the date of manufacture. This date is embossed on the bottom of the cylinder. Remember also that the USCG approval of your extinguisher is valid only if it’s mounted with a Coast Guard-approved bracket.

Life Jackets

Examine life jackets for signs of wear. Tears, rips or missing buckles are all cause to discard a life jacket. Next, make a count of your crew. You’ll need one for each person aboard. The life jackets also must be of the appropriate size for those who will wear them. Be sure to consider new additions to your crew, and examine possibilities such as your children having grown since the previous year. Ill-fitting life jackets are not safe. Finally, consider the use case. Life jackets suitable for calm water nearshore with imminent rescue expected are not suitable for open water, where rescue can take more time. Your life-jacket ratings must align with the type of boating you intend to do. 

Read Next: Essential Boating Safety Equipment & Checklist

Beacons

The USCG recommends a monthly check of your EPIRB, PLB or other rescue beacons. Review the owner’s manual, and learn how to perform a self-test to ensure proper operation. Improper testing can result in a distress signal being sent: Follow the manual explicitly. EPIRB batteries are usually good for five years. Check the unit’s battery-replacement cycle and replace them, if specified. Also inspect for damage such as ­corrosion and cracking. What about mounts and clips? Are these still in good shape? 

Sound-Signaling ­Devices

This requirement is usually ­fulfilled by virtue of an operating electric boat horn. Make sure it works, and always carry a spare fuse for it. As a backup, we recommend having aboard an air horn, a manually blown horn or a whistle. Check that these work too. Whistles are simple devices, but gunk, corrosion and time can do them in. Consider pinning a whistle to each life jacket. This is not required, but it will be a big help if ever needed in an emergency.

The post Tips for Inspecting Your Safety Gear appeared first on Boating Mag.

Multifunction displays continue to advance in processing speed, system integration, enhanced control capabilities, and ease of use. The latest to emerge in this marine-tech revolution is the Simrad NSS 4 series of premium chart-plotter and fish-finder displays for cruising and sport-fishing boats.

Available in 10-, 12- and 16-inch screen sizes, the NSS 4 MFDs feature an all-new Qualcomm 8-core processor, enabling smoother page transitions, faster auto-routing and, ultimately, easier use with lightning-­fast transitions. The NSS 4 series also features a trio of hybrid control options—touchscreen, rotary dial and keypad—providing choices in accessing and controlling functions via the optimized user interface. An updated glass-to-edge design ­delivers a premium look to the helm.

Simrad NSS 4 models offer built-in dual-channel 1 kW chirp sonar, as well as support for ­Active Imaging HD sonar. With this unique new feature, anglers for the first time can track as many as four sonar sources on a ­single split-screen display. The new MFDs also feature integrated C-Map, Discover X and Reveal X electronic charting. NSS 4 displays offer plug-and-play networking with Simrad radar systems, Simrad S3100 and S5100 sonar modules, and also network with and control the latest trolling motors, including Rhodan and Simrad’s new Recon.

Read Next: Simrad NSX Ultrawide MFDs

NSS 4 boasts extensive support for third-party technology and devices, including ­multiple IP cameras, CZone digital switching, RGBW LED ­lighting, marine audio systems, ­SiriusXM, and more. In addition, the NSS 4 displays seamlessly integrate with Mercury outboards and other propulsion systems with features such as onscreen cruise control, active trim, and ­autopilot. What’s more, the new displays integrate with other popular engine brands such as Honda and Suzuki, offering features including fuel management and fault diagnostic tools.

The NSS 4 series MFDs starts at $2,599. To learn more, visit simrad-yachting.com.  

The post Simrad NSS 4 appeared first on Boating Mag.

Flux Marine co-founders Ben Sorkin, Daylin Frantin and Jon Lord say that they began developing an electric outboard ­motor in a garage. That’s a startup plan that worked out for Bill ­Harley and Arthur Davidson, and famously for Bill Hewlett and ­David Packard. It’s too early to tell if Flux ­Marine will scale similar heights of market success, but after 10 years of research and ­development and a claimed investment of $30 million, the founding trio has expanded to 50 employees, the garage has been replaced with a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Bristol, Rhode Island, and the sleek and sophisticated Flux ­Marine electric ­outboard is in production.

Sorkin started tinkering with electric power for small hydroplane boats while studying mechanical and aerospace ­engineering at Princeton ­University, from which he graduated in 2017. He spent time at Tesla and designing electric propulsion systems for the office of Naval Research before devoting his full attention to the startup.

“The idea behind Flux Marine was that there has to be a better, more-sustainable way to power a boat. We are not trying to do something so radically different that it alienates people,” Sorkin says. “We are trying to do something that evokes excitement and offers innovation but still makes you feel comfortable with what’s powering your boat.”

The Flux Marine outboard went into production in late 2024, and the company is currently providing an OEM propulsion system for the Scout 215 Dorado, the Scout 215 XSF and the Highfield Sport 660. The company also offers the Flux outboard paired with a 24-foot pontoon it sells directly.

Every component of the Flux Marine outboard was designed in-house, according to Sorkin, in an effort to optimize affordability, safety and performance. Sorkin reveals that the system underwent field testing aboard boats from 2022 to 2024, and recently survived 1,300 hours at wide-open throttle in a test tank, with no maintenance issues. The production motors and battery system are all assembled by Flux. A five-year standard warranty covers the Flux drivetrain and the battery pack that powers it.

The outboard is rated at 100 hp sustained and, for bursts of acceleration, 150 peak horsepower. It weighs about 325 pounds. ­Energy is provided by a modular system comprised of three 400-volt 28 kWh batteries, for a total of 84 kWh of storage. Each battery weighs 325 pounds, so the entire system weighs roughly 1,300 pounds. By comparison, it’s about 750 pounds for a 150 hp internal combustion motor, 37 gallons of gas in the Highfield 660, plus a starting and house battery. The charging port below a hatch in the cowl accepts a Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 connection, so when trailered, it can be plugged into an EV-charging station.

Because it is always working under heavy load when pushing a boat—just as an internal combustion engine must—cooling the motor and inverter is a challenge for an electric motor. Flux was determined to design a cooling system that does not rely on seawater, and so created a system that circulates a glycol solution around the motor and inverter and through passages in the ­aluminum antiventilation plate, which acts as a heat exchanger. This completely closed system does not require maintenance or winterization. There is no need to flush the motor internally after use in salt water, but an exterior wash with fresh water would be advised, as with any outboard.

Read Next: The Differences Between Radial, Axial and Transverse Flux Motors

Another compelling design element of the Flux outboard is its midsection and lower unit. ­Because the outboard does not need an exhaust outlet or ­forward/reverse gears, the Flux team was able to reimagine transfer of power from the motor to the propeller. Flux drives the prop with a 4-inch-wide synchronous belt. The typical midsection is replaced with a “dual strut” ­design that surrounds the belt but is open in the center. This both reduces drag and improves water flow to the propeller.

The Flux outboard powered a 21-foot-10-inch Highfield 660 Sport—a RIB with an aluminum hull—for our short test runs in Michigan. The motor propelled this very light boat from zero to 30 mph in 8.1 seconds, en route to reaching a top speed of 31 mph. The boat heeled over on its inside tube and carved neat turns, and the prop stayed hooked up. The motor would tilt out of the water. Cruising at 21 mph, the display indicated a range of 32 miles while drawing 56 kW, or about 1.5 hours of use. The controls are smooth, and the motor is essentially silent.

This fits the use case of Steve Eddleston, owner of the historic 12-Metre racing yacht Weatherly, berthed in Newport, Rhode Island. Eddleston purchased a Flux-powered Highfield 660 as a tender to commute a 25-mile round trip by water from Bristol to Newport.

“I hate fumes and pollution,” Eddleston says. “This boat has the range I need, great stability and handling with the battery weight low and forward, and I can bump right up to Weatherly. I return to dock in the evening and plug into shore power, and it charges overnight. No gas dock. It’s ­harmonious with my life.”

The Flux-powered Highfield 660 has an MSRP of $110,000, compared with about $83,000 with a 150 hp gas outboard. It will be fun to see how far the young ­entrepreneurs at Flux can fly.

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Flux Marine’s Electric Outboard Advances Propulsion Innovation appeared first on Boating Mag.

While Coast Guard air crews often grab headlines, sometimes flying hundreds of miles offshore into unimaginable conditions to save mariners in peril, boaters in trouble closer to the coast are more likely to have a Coast Guard vessel come alongside. That’s true even in extremely gnarly conditions. Crews aboard the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, the Coast Guard’s primary nearshore fast-response rescue platform, will head into 50-knot winds through 30-foot seas and traverse inlets with 20-foot breaking surf.

These venerable boats first went into service in the late 1990s, replacing the 44 MLB. As they exceed their anticipated service life, the Coast Guard has turned to Birdon, a global maritime and defense contractor, to complete a fleetwide $191 million Service Life Extension Program. Boating went behind the scenes to see firsthand how these revitalized vessels give their Coast Guard crews improved tools for saving lives.

Rescue Machines

“When you’re inbound with a boat in tow, against an ebb current, in 24-foot seas, it shows that these boats are highly capable of their mission,” says Chief Petty Officer Matthew Whitlow, who has served aboard a 47 Motor Lifeboat since 2014. That includes four years in the notorious Columbia River entrance as an instructor at National Motor Lifeboat School at Cape Disappointment, Washington. “I’ve never doubted that this boat would take care of us.”

What gives him that confidence? The 47 MLB is designed to capsize on its side or pitchpole end-over-end, even rolling all the way through 360 degrees, then return upright within 12 seconds and continue on its mission. I’ve quipped, in particularly rough seas, about being in Mother Ocean’s washing machine, but these men and women are ready, able and fully equipped for spin cycle.

Once on-scene, Coast Guard crews deploy dewatering pumps, damage control kits and firefighting capabilities. Often, just towing a disabled boat stabilizes or remedies perilous situations. The 47 MLB can stay offshore for many hours, follow stricken vessels back to port, and carry as many as 34 survivors and crew—all far surpassing rescue-­helicopter ­limits.

Project Scope

At Birdon’s Portland, Connecticut, facility, six indoor service bays accommodate technicians installing new diesels, upgrading electronics, reconfiguring the open bridge and engine room, and welding in entire sections of aluminum. In other buildings, additional boats are disassembled and media-blasted inside and out to bare aluminum. Since the project began in 2019, the company has completed 27 boats. Two facilities, in Connecticut and also Bellingham, Washington, will refit about 20 boats in 2025, and Birdon is on track and within budget toward a final fleet of 107 refit 47 MLBs by 2029. (Another 10 boats in the Coast Guard’s current 117-boat fleet may be scrapped or refit in the end.)

What those metrics don’t reflect, though, is Birdon’s focus on the mission of these boats—protecting Coast Guard crews while rescuing boaters already in serious peril. That starts with ensuring rollover survivability even when two new Cummins diesel engines offer 880 pounds less ballast than the Detroit Diesels they replace. Steel ballast low in the engine room and forward compartment compensates for that change, and completed boats are weighed, both upright and inclined through 14 degrees in a hydraulic cradle, to verify their stability. Each of the 4,000 parts replaced, as well as the few dozen retained items, are all inspected at least three times: before, during and after installation. Sea trials by both Birdon and the Coast Guard replicate operating parameters right down to crew weight simulated with water tanks belted into the seats.

Engines and Performance

While Cummins’ 530 hp QSC 8.3-liter diesels are 20 percent lighter and make 20 percent more horsepower than the original 435 hp Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines, the added weight of sound-mitigating and climate-stabilizing insulation, a reconfigured bridge, and the ballast needed for this boat’s unique seaworthiness net only about 2 knots faster speed overall. Fuel burned at the end of a typical day is about the same with the new engines as with the old motors.

Those Detroit Diesels are older than many of the Coast Guard ­engineers working on them, and it shows. “When we go out and the boat isn’t making full power [with Detroit Diesels], we have to check fuel pressure, look for air restrictions, check the valve clearances, maybe replace fuel injectors, or remove and clean the aftercooler,” says Chief Petty Officer Lantz Fortner, who has been an engineer aboard 47 MLBs since 2014. “The Cummins engines have a lot less unscheduled downtime and a lot less troubleshooting.”

While the new Cummins are ­off-the-shelf, the controls aren’t. Cummins partnered with Glendinning Products, a leader in marine engine controls for five decades, to ensure that shift and throttle controls are waterproof to International ­Electrotechnical Commission Standard IP67 (submerged 1 meter for 30 minutes). The incorporated ­Rollover ­Controller returns engines to ­neutral and idle if the boat rolls past 110 degrees. Programming ensures that the diesels won’t stall when shifting between hard ahead and hard astern in dangerous surf.

Other Improvements

With more than 100 boats pounding through rough water for ­longer than a quarter-century, metal fatigue is an issue. Aluminum sections identified as trouble spots are replaced fleetwide, and individual boats are inspected and flagged for additional repairs. Operation was streamlined based on 25 years of experience too. “The basics of the boat were sound, but they’ve updated little things that make our day-to-day operation easier,” Whitlow says. “Something as simple as our tow reel—now it’s easier to use and requires less maintenance.”

“The LED lighting in the ­cabin is much brighter. It’s safer for people moving around,” Fortner adds. “In the engine room, you can see hazards more clearly.” New, bright LED floodlights now illuminate all around the boat, versus holding a searchlight on a specific spot. Other changes decrease maintenance time. When high-impact-plastic fender ­collars crack on older boats, ­aluminum studs are cut off and new fenders welded in place. Birdon, instead, reengineered detachable brackets. “The fact that we don’t have to weld those studs onto the hull is a huge advantage,” Fortner says, because it required disconnecting electronic engine controls and isolating battery chargers to preclude damage from electrical ­current used while arc-welding on aluminum hulls.

Crew Comfort

“The human performance people got involved, so we’re less susceptible to chronic fatigue,” Fortner says, which can be significant while spending long hours in rough seas. The reconfigured open bridge, for example, improves both operation and comfort. Previously, two Stidd chairs and two folding jump seats accommodated the boat’s typical crew. Now three Shoxs impact-absorbing seats across the front keep most eyes looking ahead and to the sides, while the port aft Shoxs seat swivels for someone scanning astern or watching a tow. Sound and ­vibration are also mitigated with new, quieter diesels, along with ­sound-dampening insulation and specialized deck systems.

There have been tweaks made during the project too. Initially, the starboard flying bridge control station had the steering jog-lever on the right and throttles on the left, while other helm stations positioned throttles on the right and jog-lever on the left. Those starboard station controls are now switched—a small detail that becomes critical when taking quick action in 20-foot breaking surf. 

Read Next: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers

Electronics

While most of each boat’s radio equipment carries over through the refit, Birdon is installing the Coast Guard’s new Scalable Integrated Navigation System from Raymarine as well. The entire fleet, including some 47 MLBs not yet incorporated into Birdon’s refit schedule, will upgrade their electronics by 2026 for either primary navigation aboard small boats or redundancy on ships.

On older 47 MLBs, navigation and radar equipment might be noticeably different when crews switch between boats. Now operation, training, troubleshooting and spare parts will all become standard across the entire fleet. Future upgrades, such as adding FLIR cameras, which are not currently installed on 47 MLBs, can network with existing equipment.

Increased integration is particularly helpful. “Now we see AIS contacts right on the radar and plotter screen. It gives a better snapshot of what’s around,” ­Whitlow says. AIS alerts are more configurable too, providing “an extra layer of safety.” 

Raymarine also added encrypted AIS messaging into the entire Coast Guard system. Radar and AIS targets are easily shared from one boat and dropped right onto another boat’s chart-plotter screen, or broadcast fleetwide. Search Action Plans or EPIRB coordinates relayed from shore can be uploaded directly onto navigation displays rather than manually entered aboard each boat, and shoreside command can monitor individual vessels in real time. Data sharing between Coast Guard and law-enforcement vessels utilizing Raymarine ­equipment facilitates interagency cooperation as well.

Why do Coast Guard men and women head offshore in small boats in weather that keeps others tied to the dock? “My pay is the reward I feel for serving the ­community, and the pride after a rescue, in knowing those people and your crew are safe,” Fortner says. “It’s just people ­helping people.” 

The newly renovated 47 MLB is an excellent tool to that end. “I trust the boat to do what it is supposed to do,” he adds. “The lights stay burning, the shafts keep ­turning, and the boat stays upright to get us home safely.”

Specs (from USCG 47 MLB Operator’s Manual)

Previous Power

• Twin Detroit Diesel electronically controlled 6V92TA 435 bhp at 2,100 rpm
• Transmission: Reintjes WVS 234 UP, 2:1 reduction
• Props: 4-blade, 28″ diameter x 36″ pitch

New Power

• Cummins QSC8.3 530 bhp at 2,800 rpm
• Transmission: ZF 2:1 reduction
• Props: ­ 4-blade, 27″ diameter x 27.75″ pitch

The post Refitting Coast Guard Motor Lifeboats to Continue Saving Lives appeared first on Boating Mag.

William Marshall ventured 20 miles offshore on November 15, 2024, and never expected to have catastrophic engine failure at sea. Worse yet, threatening storms forming ahead of weather reports loomed over them. He activated his EPIRB—a larger cousin to the PLB—and 45 minutes later, Sea Tow showed up, followed by a Coast Guard rescue boat. Loss of life was averted, and Marshall and his crew lived to fish another day.

This is just one of many rescue stories enabled by emergency ­locator beacons. Here is what you need to know about rescue PLBs and SOS messengers.

Personal locator beacons are designed to speed rescue by SAR teams via government-run Cospas-Sarsat satellites, which are programmed to notify appropriate response authorities—such as the US Coast Guard, or terrestrial rescuers for skiers and ­hikers—of an emergency. PLBs are the most compact and are ­being adopted with increasing frequency by recreational ­boaters. 

Another type of beacon device is an SOS messenger, which is designed to use private ­communication satellites such as Globalstar to ­communicate with private rescue-­coordination bureaus to reach rescue authorities at sea or in the ­wilderness. An added benefit to these is that they allow ­limited ­two-way ­communication, but unlike a PLB, they require a ­satellite-service fee.

Important Distinctions

PLBs

• PLBs, until recently, could not talk back. Now, some offer limited satellite communications for an added fee.
• Only PLBs talk to Cospas-­Sarsat constellations and are the gold standard for rescue.
• PLBs also transmit a 121.5 mHz homing signal to give ­final line-of-sight directions.
• Some PLBs also transmit an automatic information ­system message via VHF digital selective calling VHF radio, ­allowing nearby Good Samaritans to spring into action.  
• No rescue signal fees are ­required for use.
• PLBs must be registered at beaconregistration​.noaa.gov to effect a rescue.

SOS Messengers

• These devices communicate via private satellite constellations to private rescue bureaus connected to local rescue ­authorities.
• They send SOS calls via ­private satellite constellations with frequent position ­updates.
• Unlike PLBs, they are ­designed to accommodate two-way communication via smart-device connections or predetermined messages ­entered into a web portal.
• Unlike PLBs, they require satellite service fees paid for specific periods—monthly or annually—and flexible fees based on units with two-way data transmission.
• SOS messengers must be ­registered with the manufacturer as part of subscription  to generate an SOS response. Here are four examples in the  SOS messenger/PLB genre.

ACR ResQLink AIS

acrartex.com; $569.95 for USA registration

ACR is one of two top names in PLBs, and this compact unit is simple and proven effective to use. This one adds AIS MOB transmitting on the digital select calling frequency to allow nearby Good Samaritans to hear the distress call and respond. Once it acquires a GPS position, it will simultaneously send an SOS signal to Cospas-Sarsat satellites, and that is transmitted to local or regional rescue officials, such as the US Coast Guard, optimally located for rescue. Before using the device, free registration with NOAA is required, and information about the vessel, the owner, emergency contacts and more help rescue teams coordinate with family or friends to effect rescue. 

GPS and Galileo GNSS constellations

• Waterproof: 16.4 feet (5 -meters) at 1 hour, 33 feet (10 meters) at 10 minutes
• Floats: No, but comes with floating carry case 
• Dimensions: 7.87” (L) x 1.41” (W) x 0.86” (D)
• Weight: 6.7 oz. (190 g)
• Battery Life: 5 years
• Operating Life: 28 hours
• Subscriptions: None

Spot Gen4 Satellite GPS Messenger

findmespot.com; $149.99

Spot brought the first private–enterprise SOS satellite messenger to boaters about 20 years ago. Advancements over the years culminated into the Gen4. Focus Point International, an international rescue coordinator, monitors satellite transmissions 24/7/365 and contacts the appropriate emergency responders to help coordinate rescue. In addition, they offer Overwatch Rescue services ($39.99 per year), which arrange and pay for rescue expenses such as airlift medivac. Preprogrammed messages can be sent to up to 10 preprogrammed contacts. Check-in and OK messages arrive with GPS coordinates. A help button summons assistance in a non-life-threatening -situation. RAP, a roadside assistance program, can summon tow trucks. Batteries on hand determine operating time, allowing for extended messaging use.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

• Waterproof: IPX8
• Floats: No 
• Dimensions: 1.04” x 2.66” x 3.48”
• Weight: 13.4 oz.
• Battery Life: 4 AAA batteries (included)
• Operating Life: Dependent on battery type
• Subscriptions: From $11 per month to $143.40 per year
• Overwatch Rescue: $39.99 a year, pays for emergency evac and other expenses related to rescue

Read Next: Best Emergency Beacons, PLBs & EPIRBs

Garmin In Reach Messenger+

garmin.com; $499

This unit not only sends an SOS to Garmin Response 24/7/365 rescue-coordination center, but it allows feedback to the victim on rescue status as well. The device also allows text, voice messaging, and photo transmissions from unit to unit or unit to contact info using a Bluetooth link to a smart device. Additionally, it has an LCD readout notifying of texts and message status. It can text family and friends your updated position at periods that you designate and allow them to track you on a mapping system. It can also generate turn-by-turn directions when smart devices are out of Wi-Fi or cellular range. The rechargeable battery can last up to 120 hours with frequent (2 minutes) messaging or 600 hours with 10-minute message intervals.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

• Waterproof: IPX8 to 1 meter/30 minutes
• Floats: No, but comes with a flotation pouch
• Dimensions: 3.1” (L) x 2.5” (W) x 0.9” (D)
• Weight: 4.1 oz. (116 g)
• Battery Life: 1 year between charges
• Operating Life Up to 600 hours, depending on messaging
• Warranty: 5 years
• Subscriptions: From $14.99 per month

Ocean Signal PLB1

oceansignal.com; $349.95

This is the most compact PLB available, weighing in at 4 -ounces and smaller than a deck of waterproof playing cards. It’s a good play to hedge your bets at a lower price due to the streamlined feature set. However, it meets every NOAA specification for a PLB. It communicates with Cospas-Sarsat with a 406 MHz satellite transmitter and provides a 121.5 MHz homing signal for final-position acquisition. A 1 candela LED strobe provides visual contact in the dark without diminishing its 24-hour operating time. It clips to a life jacket or tucks into a pocket for easy carriage and ready deployment.

GPS and Galileo GNSS

1 candela strobe

• Waterproof: To 15 meters
• Floats: No, but comes with a flotation pouch 
• Dimensions: 3” (L) x 2.1” (W) x 1.3” (D)
• Weight: 4.09 oz. (116 g)
• Battery Life: 7 years
• Operating Life: 24 hours
• Warranty: 5 years with free registration
• Subscriptions: None

The post Four Emergency Locator Beacons for Boaters appeared first on Boating Mag.

The title of my article makes a bold statement. I’m basing it on the US Coast Guard requirements for establishing what’s called a Surf Station. Surf Stations are required at locations where surf runs 8 feet or higher for more than 10 percent—that’s 36 days—of the year.

That’s a real 8 feet measured by wave gauges and with lidar, not the 4-foot waves that some social-media sailors might call 8-footers. While the size of waves alone is not always the sole criteria for rough or dangerous seas, I think that prevalent 8-foot breaking waves qualifies.

The signature boat at a Surf Station is the 47 Motor Lifeboat (MLB), which can right itself from a capsize or pitchpole. You can read more about the 47 MLB on page 80 of this issue. Briefly, this boat is rated to operate in 30-foot seas or 20-foot surf in 50-knot winds.

Perhaps more important, Surf Station personnel, or Surfmen, are rated to operate the 47-foot MLB in its most extreme operating conditions after undergoing training at the National Motor Lifeboat School near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment, Washington.  Surfmen is the highest qualification in the Coast Guard for small-boat operations. There are currently about 200 Surfmen in the Coast Guard, and only about 500 have ever earned the designation.

Read Next: Running Breaking Inlets

Most Surf Stations are on the Pacific Coast. But a number of Surf Stations also exist on the Atlantic Coast. What follows lists the most dangerous inlets in the US, clockwise, from northeast to northwest. If you will be navigating these or any coastal inlet, time your transit for incoming water and/or times when wind is not opposing the current, and get local knowledge.

U.S.C.G. Surf Stations

With breaking surf over 8 feet in height, occurring for at least 36 days per year, these locations are served by special boats and people:

• Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey
• Oregon Inlet, North Carolina
• Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina
• Morro Bay, California
• Golden Gate, California
• Bodega Bay, California
• Noyo River, California
• Humboldt Bay, California
• Chetco River, Oregon
• Coos Bay, Oregon
• Umpqua River, Oregon
• Siuslaw River, Oregon
• Yaquina Bay, Oregon
• Depoe Bay, Oregon
• Tillamook Bay, Oregon
• Cape Disappointment, Washington
• Grays Harbor, Washington
• Quillayute River, Washington

The post Most Dangerous Inlets in the United States for Boaters appeared first on Boating Mag.

Military fighter pilots can suffer from a condition called information overload, which can be brought about by overwhelming amounts of technology in the cockpit that distract from the primary mission of flying the aircraft. 

This phenomenon has led to placing a second aviator known as a RIO—radar intercept officer—on board to relieve the pilot from monitoring, managing, and operating technologies such as radar, weapons systems, and navigation. If you watched the movie Top Gun (the first and best one, I think), you will recall that Goose, seated behind Maverick in the F-14 Tomcat, served as the RIO. 

Information overload also can occur for helmsmen piloting today’s boats. As marine electronics provide increasing amounts of information, there’s a tendency to become preoccupied with electronic displays rather than keeping eyes on the surrounding waters and driving the boat.

This is particularly true in challenging conditions such as in the dark of night or dense fog, when technologies such as radar, AIS, electronic chart plotting and night-vision cameras are relied on heavily for safe navigation.

These are times when I want next to me at the helm the boating equivalent of a RIO—a co-captain whose responsibility is to manage and monitor critical navigational electronics while I man the wheel and maintain a lookout.

In order to trust a ­crewmember in this role, they need to be someone who possesses the skillset to operate and interpret marine electronics—and remain focused. For me, this includes a handful of fishing buddies, most of whom have honed these skills aboard their own boats. 

On one occasion, I had the pleasure of working with a co-captain who had manned far more sophisticated electronics aboard a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. I really trusted him, and I learned a thing or two as we encountered heavy fog on a 35-mile spring return trip from Santa Catalina Island.

Vocal communication ­between you and your co-captain plays a vital role. The co-captain needs to speak up, for example, at the first indication of a radar return. Like in a scene from the movie Greyhound, they should provide a relative bearing and distance (such as 12 o’clock, 1 mile) and regular updates. They might also offer suggested course corrections as a target grows closer. Hand signals indicating direction can complement verbal communications.

Read Next: Seamanship Lessons From a Yacht Captain

A co-captain can help boost safety even when conditions are nice. I remember another return trip from Catalina in flat-calm seas with excellent visibility and no other boat in sight. I was focusing my eyes on the waters ahead, cruising at about 24 knots, and feeling relaxed when my co-captain grabbed my ­shoulder and shouted, “Jim, watch out!” Another boat was closing fast from about 150 feet off our ­starboard quarter with apparent intentions to cross our bow at a dangerously close distance.

I stabbed the throttle to quickly accelerate and force the ­reckless boater astern of us. I should note that this occurred during COVID, at a time when a lot of new ­boaters were on the water with little or no knowledge of what constitutes prudent seamanship, ­including giving another boat a wide berth on an otherwise vacant ocean. Thank goodness for my ­co-captain, who kept his eyes up, his head on a swivel, and ­alerted me to the threat.

The post The Importance of Having a Co-Captain appeared first on Boating Mag.

Overview

The SDX 250 Outboard incorporates Sea Ray’s new design language, including a defined “jawline,” S sheerline, updated logo and a curved windshield. Though no longer blunt, like a traditional deck boat, the bow still offers wraparound seating for a crowd. Add the Comfort Bundle ($2,825, which includes two teak tables and a filler cushion), and the bow becomes a playpen. Get the bow ladder ($385) for beach excursions. The Water System Bundle ($2,850) includes a bow washdown and a transom shower.

Interior and Accessories

A smaller console to port creates storage and gives the co-pilot control of the Fusion stereo. The starboard console features a corner-opening door and a day berth that’s perfect for kids to rest and recharge. There’s a sink fed by a ­12-gallon tank and a pump-out head ­option ($1,540).

At the helm, our test boat sported dual Simrad 9-inch NSX chart plotters ($4,540). For service, the entire dash hinges open. The skipper sits in a double-wide seat with a convertible backrest like the one to port, so when the key is off, these become aft-facing lounge chair. A big ski locker between the helm seats swallows boards, skis and smaller tubes.

Seating encircles the ­cockpit. Underfoot, faux-teak SeaDek nonskid comes in the Essentials Bundle ($3,840). The star feature of the deck layout is the stern lounge with its two flip-flop backrests. Underneath is a storage compartment large enough to hold a deflated super tube. Order the compressor ($280) to pump it up.

Engine

The SDX 250’s standard ­engine is the Mercury Verado 250 V-8. I recommend the 300 hp Verado upgrade ($3,090, black; $5,310, white) because this boat is meant to carry a crowd. With it, we topped 48 mph. Standard Active Trim optimizes the running angle. The SDX 250’s 21 degrees of transom deadrise will help when running on choppy water. The optional Watersports Tower ($11,035) can be upgraded with tilting board racks and can speakers.

The SDX 250 comes in three flavors. The outboard will prove popular in coastal areas, while the sterndrive model will be favored by those who want a larger swim platform. The third is an SDX 250 Surf model with a forward-facing Bravo Four drive and the NextWave system, which allows controlling the surfing wave from the Simrad screen.

Read Next: Sea Ray SLX 280 Outboard

How We Tested

• Engine: Mercury 300 hp Verado V-8
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/Mercury Revolution 4 14.6″ x 17″ 4-blade -stainless steel 
• Gear Ratio: 1.85:1 Fuel Load: 55 gal. Water on Board: 0 gal. Crew Weight: 380 lb.

High Points

• The SDX 250 is incredibly maneuverable, easily making hard 180-degree turns in a narrow channel during our test.
• The large sunshade on the watersports tower casts a long, wide swath of UV protection. 
• Available with three power choices: ­outboard, sterndrive, and ­forward-facing sterndrive for watersports. 

Low Points

• We’d have thought this robust hull would be rated for more than 300 hp. 
• The large storage compartment under the rear sun lounger shares undivided space with the batteries and fuel tank.

Toughest Competition

The Hurricane 2600 weighs 1,720 pounds less, can take up to a 400 hp outboard and is yacht-certified. The base price is $130,079 with a Mercury Verado 300.  

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation

The post Boat Test: 2025 Sea Ray SDX 250 OB appeared first on Boating Mag.