Boat Safety Briefing: The Generator and GPS System
The GPS system is the brains of the operation on a sailboat (besides the captain and crew, of course!) The GPS isn’t just responsible for navigation—it also helps you keep an eye on tank levels, battery power, and the mechanics of the engine. The GPS is directly connected to house bank battery system and is DC power.
To maintain power for the house battery bank when you charter a bareboat, you will want to check that the generator is working correctly. Here’s a look at how to avoid some common boat problems by knowing the fundamentals of the GPS and generator.
GPS System
The GPS system used on our ASA sailing courses or bareboat charters has a color display and touchscreen. Captains use this device to charter and navigate, but it can also help notify sailors about common boat problems by providing information and alerts.
When you have an in-person boat briefing, a charter checkout attendant will show you how to use the GPS to monitor the following:
- Navigation: You can use the chart on the GPS system to be more aware of your surroundings. It can help you locate mooring stations, docks, hazards, aids to navigation, and points of interest. It can also be used to plan sailing heading, compass bearing, course overground and speed over ground.
- Battery Power: The GPS will show you how much power is left in the different batteries on board. You can keep an eye on the voltage to determine when you need to recharge the batteries and avoid common boating problems.
- Internal Temperatures: You can monitor the temperature of the engine and different areas of the boat, including the bilge. This is essential for detecting if you have a leak on your boat.
- Sailing Conditions: The GPS is an electronic plotter connected to a satellite feeds showing the water depth, currents, navigational hazards. We recommend using a sailing weather app to check weather conditions
- Tank Levels: The electronic boat gauges can be found on the plotter and helps you track your fuel usage and water levels. You can keep an eye on the amount of fresh water and waste water used in the boat with the digital display.
Generator
This article and video in the Boat Briefing Series can help you avoid some of the most unfortunate boat problems by knowing more about operating the generator!
Powering the Generator
The generator is powered by diesel fuel. You can find the diesel fill point on the back of the boat (don’t mistake it with the water fill point on the bow). The transfer switch (known as ATS) is a crank that is used to turn the generator on and off. Ask a charter checkout attendant to show you where they are, as they can be located on the generator or electrical panel.
If you are turning the generator off, always turn off the AC units—if you don’t, it can overload the generator when you power back up. We are happy to show you how to do this during your in-person boat briefing.
Operating the Generator Panel
The generator panel is what provides power to nearly every part of the boat when you aren’t connected to shore power or underway with your alternator generating power to recharge the batteries. This article and video were made to help you know a bit more about the essential components inside the panel, which include:
- Oil Pressure Sensor: The generator panel has an oil pressure sensor, which tracks when the oil pressure is not at a safe level. In the event of a common boat problem related to oil pressure, an alarm can indicate that maintenance is required.
- Temperature Sensor: This sensor tracks the temperature of mechanical components, including the engine and the generator itself.
- Battery Level Indicator: One of the most important jobs that the generator does is recharging the house bank battery system. You can see the battery level on the boat battery maintenance system, which will inform you when you need to recharge the battery.
- Engine Hour Information: You can track the energy usage of your generator with the engine hour section of the panel. A small display shows how many hours it’s been running. Ask a charter checkout attendant to show you where it is located—it’s in different locations, depending on the type of generator.
Sail Safely By Understanding the GPS and Generator
The GPS system and generator are two key things to pay attention to during your in-person boat briefing when you plan a sailing itinerary in the USVI or BVI. To prepare ahead of time, you can watch this video and others in our Boat Safety Series. If you have any questions, be sure to ask a charter checkout attendant during your sailboat briefing.