The ups and downs of technology!!

our MFD

                                                                                                         29.10.2012

Our Raymarine C90W chartplotter is classified as a MFD (Multi Function Device), as it can variously, or simultaneously display charts, Radar, AIS info, forward looking depth, and navigational progress, and error, along a planned route. Yes, it is a very clever piece of kit. But…….when it fails and freezes, taking with it the autopilot, in the dead of night, at critical points……5 times… one can almost be forgiven for describing the MFD in somewhat different terms!

On the trip from Grenada to Bonaire, our MFD did just this, so one of my challenges in Bonaire was to find out why, and what to do about it. As always, the first step is….check the manual. No help there as the manual that came with the kit was of the 20 page “how to get started” type…. The detailed 230p manual has to be downloaded and printed from the net. This is now a typical cop out by suppliers to avoid the hassle of supplying manuals with their products.

I decided to ask the Raymarine Technical support team for their help. They required me to first supply them with the reference numbers of all my Raymarine products, to confirm that I had registered with them at the time of purchase. I was also looking on the net for any other users who had experienced similar problems. Sadly there were many, and even more sadly, not too many encouraging comments about the support I could expect from the technical support team.

I did get 2 replies to my queries. One from Raymarine which almost implied that the units failure was my fault because I had failed to update the software to the latest version 2.35 now available as a net download. The second bit of advice came from an independent marine electronics fellow, who also told me to upgrade to the new 2.35 v, as the previous Raymarine software for the C90W had some “gremlins”!

Now to do this upgrade requires first the download, then a transfer to a CF card, via a CF card reader. Fortunately my mate Steve on Scott Free had these on hand, the result of a similar problem he had back in Florida. He also knew the procedure, which involves firstly saving all ones own waypoints and routes to the card, deleting the old version, installing the new one, and then going through the set up procedure to get the unit up and running as before. With Steves help, we did this quite quickly, but without his CF card and reader, I would have had to employ the local Raymarine guy to do the job, and pay him for the privilege of fixing one of their  software gremlins!

I sent them an email asking why , if they expected clients to regularly update the software( to improve service, or remove gremlins) they do not include with the equipment a, the instructions, b, the spare CF card, and c, the card reader, when one lashes out substantial wads of wonga to buy a totally integrated package? Needless to say I have not received a reply!

Our stand by NASA AIS

The trip to Curacao did prove that we were up and running again, in all respects except the AIS link. It was just as well that we had the other Nasa AIS system as a back up, as we found ourselves dodging about 7 tankers along our short route.

The MFD's AIS is up and running again!

Another set up routine was required to fix the AIS link, but in the process we managed to lose all our waypoints and routes up to Curacao, but hey, so what!! We’re not going backwards… only westwards!