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Pontoon must haves, list them out

The output depends on the size. Mine is about 18 inches square and puts out 4-6 watts. It acts like a trickle charger.
 
+1 on the solar charger. Can I leave it connected for weeks on end? Does it trickle charge the battery?

Thanks!

Alex..
 
The one I have can be left on indefinitely. I recommend reading the specs. They are are some variations depending on what you buy.
 
SEMPERFI8387 said:
Please keep in mind, the S is a base model economical package. This is an entry model that is built to keep budget as low as possible. Blaming them for this is like me blaming them my R does not have Q seating .... Just my 2 cents .... Keepin it real !!!! LOL !!!!
Click to expand...
Thanks SemperFi... I appreciate "keeping it real", and I love my boat to death and hope to trade up through the years. However, whether I buy a $15,000 Chevy or a $60,000 Cadillac, I expect them to come with a speedometer, voltmeter, fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge. You know, the things that help you run and maintain your machine properly and don't find yourself broken down on the side of the road. I personally would expect the same for my boat. Maybe I am not the normal buyer... I looked at several other boatlines in this price range and they all seemed to have a better gauge package (not the Bennington quality though!!!!). That is my one and only dislike on this boat. Maybe it is because I operated an I/O for 20 years, but I like monitoring my boat's behavior. I had the opportunity to upgrade the captain's chair, carpeting, speakers, table, toon size, etc. I wish I would have had the same opportunity to upgrade to a gauge package that helps me keep an eye on my motor (maybe I did, and I just missed it).
 
Hey Vin, what brand motor do you have? Maybe you should invest in a "smart guage" which will monitor all engine functions for you. They're not that hard to install.
 
Chateau Vinne said:
Thanks SemperFi... I appreciate "keeping it real", and I love my boat to death and hope to trade up through the years. However, whether I buy a $15,000 Chevy or a $60,000 Cadillac, I expect them to come with a speedometer, voltmeter, fuel gauge, oil pressure gauge, water temperature gauge. You know, the things that help you run and maintain your machine properly and don't find yourself broken down on the side of the road. I personally would expect the same for my boat. Maybe I am not the normal buyer... I looked at several other boatlines in this price range and they all seemed to have a better gauge package (not the Bennington quality though!!!!). That is my one and only dislike on this boat. Maybe it is because I operated an I/O for 20 years, but I like monitoring my boat's behavior. I had the opportunity to upgrade the captain's chair, carpeting, speakers, table, toon size, etc. I wish I would have had the same opportunity to upgrade to a gauge package that helps me keep an eye on my motor (maybe I did, and I just missed it).
Click to expand...
I am buying an "R" series with Mercury Smartcraft and I have to agree here. It has just the 2 large multi-gauge spots for a big hp outboard. Having to find and scroll through a menu just to see fuel, trim, water pressure/temp is not acceptable IMHO. It may look really nice but it is functionally sub par in a product that is otherwise beyond reproach and best in class.
 
We go cruising out into the Gulf of Mexico pretty regularly with ours, as well as running up and down the ICW, so I built it out for safety and redundancy:

1. Fixed-mount VHF radio, tied in to Garmin 541S GPS with MMSI programmed.

2. Hand-held VHF radio with GPS built in (as backup to #1) with MMSI programmed.

3. PLB in ditch bag.

4. 2 sets of foul weather gear in ditch bag.

5. 2 sets of mylar sleeping bags in ditch bag.

6. 10-pack of mylar blankets in ditch bag.

7. 4 life jackets for the two of us.

8. bottled water in ditch bag.

9. granola bars in ditch bag.

10. 2 x Fortress FX-11 anchors w/150' of line each.

11. Second fuel tank (19 gal) built-in with manual valve.

12. 10-gal built-in fresh water wash-down.

13. Spot light in ditch bag.

14. Ultrafire 3-mode Cree LED flashlight w/4 li-ion rechargable batteries.

15. Leatherman Surge Multi-tool.

16. Two 12-volt batteries with A/B/Both switch.

17. Tool kit for removing fuel-water separator and draining it (learned this one the hard way! Ask me about my 7.5 hour tow home).

Then the usual creature comforts.
 
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cwag911 said:
Hey Vin, what brand motor do you have? Maybe you should invest in a "smart guage" which will monitor all engine functions for you. They're not that hard to install.
Click to expand...
I have a Yamaha and am aware of the "smart gauges" out there that would fit (swap into) the existing spots on my console. However, #1 they cost $100's of dollars compared to a single gage and #2 they don't look the same as the existing gauges (mismatched look on the console seems unattractive to me). I don't really want to put a new hole in plain view with the existing gauges, so I really like where you put the Water Pressure Gauge on yours. If I get the battery meter that plugs into the power outlet as suggested by Kaydano, then I would have that covered as I could plug it in every now and then to check things out. That would give me the factory installed RPM & hour meter, trim gauge, and fuel gauge, the plug in voltmeter, and a water pressure gauge tucked away off to the side. The only thing missing that I would want would be an oil pressure gauge. However, when I discussed the smart gauges with my dealer/service guy, he thought I was just being an overconcerned ninny as "nothing goes wrong with an outboard" (especially as related to the I/O's I've had). However, I had an intermittent dummy horn sounding at the beginning of last season. When I checked my oil the level was OK, and I could see water pissing out the side of the motor. So, would have been nice to have gauges to give me more info to determine if I had a problem. Any feeling on the value (or non-value) of an oil pressure gauge? Any other out of the way places to put an extra gauge?
 
Vin,

Do you have a GPS, and if so, is it NMEA-2000 compatible? I have a Garmin 541S that has a NMEA-2000 interface. I was able to buy an adapter cable that plugs into my Yamaha F150 (about $95) and plugs into a basic NMEA-2000 starter network kit (about $80) and it gives me the following info on my Garmin:

NMEA 2000 Yamaha Engines output the following standard data:

• Engine RPM

• Boost Pressure

• Engine Trim: 2006 and later

• Oil Pressure

• Engine Temp: 2006 and later

• Alternator Voltage

• Fuel Rate

• Hours Used

• Water Pressure

• Fuel Economy

I don't need to have the Yamaha CommandLink to do this.
 
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I am very curious as to how you did this. Do you have specifics on the parts needed and where to hook them up? Where on the garmin is this info displayed?

Thanks

Eric

tcpip95 said:
Vin,

Do you have a GPS, and if so, is it NMEA-2000 compatible? I have a Garmin 541S that has a NMEA-2000 interface. I was able to buy an adapter cable that plugs into my Yamaha F150 (about $95) and plugs into a basic NMEA-2000 starter network kit (about $80) and it gives me the following info on my Garmin:

NMEA 2000 Yamaha Engines output the following standard data:

• Engine RPM

• Boost Pressure

• Engine Trim: 2006 and later

• Oil Pressure

• Engine Temp: 2006 and later

• Alternator Voltage

• Fuel Rate

• Hours Used

• Water Pressure

• Fuel Economy

I don't need to have the Yamaha CommandLink to do this.
Click to expand...
 
Eric,

Here are the link for this. It's very straightforward.

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/Yamaha/Yamaha_Engine_NMEA_2000_Connection.pdf

The cables are as follows:

Lowrance 000-0120-037

Garmin NMEA-2000 Starter Kit

On the back of the 541s is a connector for the NMEA-2000 network. When the Garmin is turned on, it will detect the Yamaha engine data, and you will have a Dashboard Screen that says "Engine". When you go there you will have two screens for engine data that show the info I described above (depending on your engine/configuration you may or may not have all of the data listed).

The key to this is that you MUST create an NMEA-2000 network. You CANNOT just connect the engine directly into the Garmin. The network requires power (that's the yellow cable in the starter kit), and at each end of the network you MUST install a terminator (again, included in the starter kit). If you look at the first drawing on the .pdf file ("continuouswave link"), you'll be able to better understand it. At the far left of the "data bus" you can see the terminator plug. Just to the right of the terminator you can see where the Garmin would plug in (in this case it's a Lowrance GPS) using a "T Connector" (again, included in the starter kit). The next connection in the drawing is the interface to the engine. This uses the special cable for Yamaha that I listed. It simply connects into another "T Connector" (which is supplied with the starter kit). The next connection in the drawing is the 12v power connection (yellow cable) which again plugs into the network using a "T Connector". You can continue to add NMEA-2000 compatible devices using T Connectors. Finally, at the other end of the network is another Terminator (supplied with the starter kit).
 
One thing I'm not without in the boat or riding my atv's, the Schumacker lithium battery jump starter. It's just a little bigger than my cell phone and will quick start up to a 6cylinder motor. Turn key on, hook to battery, push the button and it engages the starter itself. Best $50 I ever spent! Has 2 usb ports and a strong flashlight too. Holds a charge for months when not in use.
 
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