Sailing Catalpavideo
Installing AIS & VHF Before Our Pacific Crossing Episode 496
June 21, 2026 · 16 min · 6K views
Raymarine screen maps ship traffic near Panama waters
What this video covers
The crew of a cruising sailboat upgrades their navigation and communication suite in preparation for a Pacific crossing by installing a Raymarine AIS Class B transceiver and a Raymarine Ray90 VHF radio.▶ 0:48 The installation replaces legacy equipment, including an outdated HF radio and a Garmin GPS antenna.▶ 4:27 The owner integrates the new devices into the boat’s existing SeaTalk NG network, which functions as a proprietary NMEA 2000 backbone.▶ 1:48 To ensure safety and ease of maintenance, the owner removes redundant wiring, organizes the remaining cables with terminal blocks and zip ties, and installs a hinged access panel for the new electronics.▶ 6:02 Each component is connected to a dedicated fuse block with appropriately sized 3-amp fuses to prevent electrical fires.▶ 7:23 The AIS unit allows the vessel to transmit and receive identification, course, and speed data from nearby shipping traffic, enabling direct radio communication with commercial vessels.▶ 1:00 The project concludes with the installation of a PredictWind DataHub and the creation of new storage space within the reconfigured electronics cabinet.▶ 12:02
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