DEV Community: Don Moskaluk

Night Vision: Logs, Spotlights, and OpenPlotter Shenanigans

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:24:07 +0000

I was watching an episode of Waterways the other night, expecting the usual mix of serene drone shots and polite interviews. Instead, I nearly spilled my coffee when they showcased a night vision system that streams directly to your onboard screen. Night vision! On a boat! Suddenly my trusty spotlight felt like a candle in a hurricane.

Now, don’t get me wrong—my spotlight has saved me more than once. Picture this: it’s 10 p.m. on a warm summer evening, I’m cruising slowly down the river, twilight making everything look deceptively safe. Then—bam!—a log floats into view. I flick the spotlight just in time, narrowly avoiding what could’ve been my audition for America’s Funniest Boating Accidents.

That moment got me thinking: wouldn’t it be nice to see digitally in front of me, instead of relying on a glorified flashlight?

Waterways had the answer: a Canadian company offering an IP67-rated night vision camera system. Price tag? Just under $2,000 USD. My reaction? Somewhere between “wow” and “ouch.” Sure, that makes sense for yachts or commercial vessels where six-sigma reliability is king. But me? I’m more of a “two-sigma and a good story” kind of guy.

So here’s where the fun begins: could I build my own? Absolutely.

The OpenPlotter Solution

I already run OpenPlotter on my boat. It’s not exactly “out of the box”—more like “out of the box, plus a weekend of tinkering, a few forum posts, and one existential crisis.”
Add an IP67-compliant night vision camera.
Hook it up through a PoE switch with some cabling, housed in a IP67 case.
Fire up VLC (or similar software) to stream the feed straight to my monitor or phone.
Configure the Pi to provide DHCP service, Bob's your Uncle and Fanny's your aunt we are off to the races.

Voilà! A DIY night vision setup for under $200 CAD. Not six sigma, but hey, it’s at least “sigma enough to dodge floating logs.”

Bonus Trick: Mounting the Camera

Here’s the kicker: if I mount the camera right on top of the spotlight, I don’t just see what’s dead ahead—I get a wider range, catching what’s lurking on the sides too. Think of it as giving my spotlight a pair of digital glasses. Suddenly, I’m not just scanning the river; I’m practically auditioning for Predator: The Boating Edition.

The Takeaway

Night vision doesn’t have to be a yacht-only luxury. With a little OpenPlotter magic, some DIY grit, and a willingness to laugh at your own mistakes, you can make the river safer—and a lot more fun—after dark.

A Boater’s Tale of Eyes, Wallets, and Wits

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:24:00 +0000

Picture this: You’re easing your boat into a foggy harbour at midnight. The water is calm, the dock lights are faint, and your wallet is already whimpering in anticipation of “marine electronics shopping.” You know you need a way to see what your human eyes can’t—but which gadget is the right fit?

Radar: The Bat’s Sonar (and the Bank Account’s Nemesis)

I started with radar. It’s the classic—every serious skipper has one spinning on the mast. Radar doesn’t care if it’s dark, foggy, or raining sideways; it’ll still show you blobs of land, boats, and squalls.

Cost reality check: A decent marine radar system can run you anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. That’s before installation, which usually involves a technician who charges by the hour and drinks coffee faster than you can say “NMEA 2000.”

Humour aside, radar is like buying night-vision goggles for your boat—but instead of goggles, it’s a spinning pizza plate that costs more than your first car.

FLIR: Predator Vision for the Price of a Predator Movie Marathon

Next up: FLIR. Thermal cameras are the cool kids on the dock. They don’t just show shapes; they show heat. That means spotting a person in the water or a warm engine block at night.

Cost reality check: Entry-level marine FLIR cameras start around $3,000, and the fancy pan-tilt models can hit $10,000+. That’s the kind of money where you start asking yourself, “Do I want to see heat signatures, or do I want to keep eating steak instead of ramen?”

Humour moment: FLIR is amazing, but it’s also the only time you’ll pay thousands of dollars to watch your dog glow like a toaster.

IP67 IR CCTV: The Budget-Friendly Watchdog

Finally, I looked at IP67 IR CCTV cameras. These are rugged little guardians—dustproof, waterproof, and equipped with infrared LEDs for night vision. They don’t give you radar blobs or thermal heat maps, but they do give you actual video footage.

Cost reality check: You can find solid marine-ready IP67 IR cameras for $75–$300 each. Add a network video recorder or PoE switch, and you’re still under $150 for a full setup. That’s less than the price of a single radar dome, and you get the bonus of watching raccoons raid your dock in glorious night vision.

Humour moment: CCTV is the only system where you can catch both intruders and your buddy sneaking beer out of the cooler.

The Verdict: Eyes vs. Wallet

Radar: Best for navigation safety, but your wallet will feel the collision.
FLIR: Best for search and rescue or James Bond vibes, but prepare for sticker shock.
IP67 IR CCTV: Best for security and monitoring, and your wallet will actually thank you.

In the end, I realized it’s not about choosing one—it’s about layering them. Radar keeps me safe in fog, FLIR makes me feel like a superhero, and CCTV keeps an eye on the boat when I’m ashore. Together, they’re the trifecta of marine vision.

Final Laugh

Boating rule of thumb: If you want to see everything, you’ll spend a fortune. If you want to see enough, you’ll spend wisely. And if you want to see your buddy fall off the dock in HD, you’ll buy the CCTV.

How to Protect Indoor‑Only Gear in a Marine Environment

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:18:51 +0000

Boaters are an optimistic species. We believe we can dock perfectly on the first try, that the weather will “probably hold,” and that our delicate, indoor‑only electronics will somehow survive in a floating saltwater sauna powered by vibration and regret.

But before we get too far, let’s talk about the one thing that kills this optimism faster than a dead starter battery.

The Insurance Elephant in the Engine Room

Insurance companies hate non‑marine electrical gear on boats. Hate it. Even if you waterproof it like Fort Knox, they’ll still give you the same look a surveyor gives when you say, “Don’t worry, I fixed that leak with Flex Tape.”

So everything below is about protecting equipment, not convincing your insurer you’re a marine electrical genius. When in doubt, check your policy before building a floating data center.

Give Your Gear a Proper Home

If you’re bringing landlubber electronics aboard, start by giving them a real enclosure — not a tackle box, not a sandwich container, and definitely not “the driest spot in the bilge.”

Use a proper IP‑rated polycarbonate or fiberglass enclosure. These won’t turn your gear into a slow‑roasted salmon fillet like metal boxes do under the sun.

Vent It, or Regret It

A sealed box without ventilation becomes a sous‑vide machine for circuit boards. Add a breathable vent plug — the marine equivalent of a porthole that lets air out but not water in — and mount the enclosure somewhere shaded so your electronics don’t sweat like a deckhand in July.

Seal the Cables Like Your Boat Depends on It

Water loves cables. It runs down them with the enthusiasm of a sailor heading for shore leave. Without proper cable glands and drip loops, water will find the one microscopic gap you missed and stroll right in.

Silicone alone? That’s just optimism in paste form.

Fight the Fog (Condensation Happens)

Even if you seal everything perfectly, condensation will still sneak in because the marine environment is basically a sauna with waves. Use desiccant packs, breather vents, and in colder climates, anti‑condensation heaters to keep your enclosure from turning into a tiny fog bank.

Respect Electricity — Seriously

Water and AC power are not shipmates. They’re sworn enemies. Use GFCI protection, keep power supplies dry, and call a real marine electrician — not your buddy who once rewired a bilge pump with duct tape and dreams.

Why Marine‑Rated Gear Still Wins

Even if you do everything right, your insurer may still insist on marine‑rated equipment. And honestly, they’re not wrong. Marine gear is built for corrosion, vibration, temperature swings, and the occasional “oops, that wave was bigger than I thought.”

So while you can protect non‑marine gear, the safest long‑term move — for your boat, your wallet, and your insurance premiums — is to use equipment that actually wants to live on the water.

Bottom Line

You can’t turn non‑IP67 gear into Poseidon‑proof tech, but you can give it a fighting chance with the right enclosure, ventilation, cable sealing, condensation control, and electrical safety.

Do it right and your electronics will survive spray, humidity, and the occasional rogue wave. Do it wrong and you’ve built a very expensive, very soggy lesson in marine engineering — plus a deeply uncomfortable chat with your insurance adjuster.

Why Fresh Water Still Wrecks Your Tech

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:18:45 +0000

Boating on the Great Lakes is incredible. Big water. Big waves. Big confidence. And for some reason, we all believe our indoor‑only electronics will survive out here just because the water isn’t salty. Spoiler: fresh water is still fully committed to ruining your gear. It just does it politely, like a Canadian storm.

Boats don’t just break electronics. They nibble on them. They snack. They graze. The moment your gear steps aboard, it starts aging in dog years. One minute it’s brand new. The next, it looks like it’s been living in a damp basement since 1987.

Corrosion still happens in fresh water — just slower and sneakier. It doesn’t explode into green fuzz overnight like it does on the ocean. Instead, it creeps in quietly. Moisture settles on connectors. Dew forms inside panels. A little rust appears. Then a little more. Before you know it, your wiring looks like it’s been through three seasons of “Deadliest Catch,” even though you’ve never left Lake Ontario.

And then there’s vibration. Fresh water doesn’t save you from that. The Great Lakes can get choppy enough to make ocean sailors nervous. Engines shake. Hulls flex. Waves slam. Everything vibrates like a washing machine with one sock stuck to the drum. Over time, screws loosen, connectors wiggle apart, and your once‑tidy wiring harness turns into a plate of electrical spaghetti. Your electronics may work perfectly at the dock, then die the moment you hit cruising speed. That’s the boat reminding you who’s really in charge.

Fresh water also brings its own brand of mischief. Temperature swings are brutal. One day it’s warm. The next morning your enclosure looks like it’s been storing fog. Condensation forms inside boxes like a tiny haunted house. Rainstorms appear out of nowhere. Spray soaks everything. And somehow, even on a calm day, something always ends up mysteriously wet. Boats are talented that way.

So how do you slow the destruction? You protect your gear like it’s treasure. Use IP‑rated enclosures. Add vent plugs so your electronics don’t cook themselves. Seal cables with glands and drip loops. Fight corrosion with proper materials and sprays. Mount everything so it can survive vibration. And whenever possible, choose marine‑rated components — even on fresh water. They’re built for this madness.

In the end, the Great Lakes may not have salt, but they still have moisture, movement, and mischief. Boats will always try to eat your electronics. It’s part of their charm. But with the right protection and a bit of humour, you can keep your gear alive long enough to enjoy it — and maybe even impress your insurance company.

Fishing Was Hot. The Water… Not So Much.

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:13:35 +0000

September 2025.

The fish were practically volunteering for the frying pan. Four‑hour limit, perfect skies, and the kind of calm water that makes you think you’re in a tourism commercial.Naturally, I pointed the bow home, cranked the throttle, and let the heavy metal blast through the speakers. Because everyone knows horsepower increases by at least 12% when Metallica is involved.But halfway back, something felt off.Not the music — the water.My depth sounder started whispering numbers I didn’t like. So I did what any responsible captain would do:I turned down the metal, put on something calm, and pretended that would somehow raise the water level.Electronics are fun like that.

Mouse Trails and Mild PanicThankfully, I had my Garmin mouse trails on — the digital breadcrumbs that remind you where you didn’t hit anything last time.

Good thing too, because the approach to my marina is a nautical obstacle course: dotted islands, narrow cuts, and a shallow stretch that demands you lift the stern drive so high it feels like you’re trying to dock a unicycle.

Normally I have a comfortable 4 feet under me.Not today.Three feet.Then 2.5.Then 2.3.

At this point, the depth sounder wasn’t giving numbers — it was giving attitude.

And then… thunk.

Followed by another thunk.

And then a scrrrrraaaape that sounded like a kraken waking up from a nap and choosing violence.

Thankfully, I was only doing 3 mph, and the boat had enough momentum to slide over whatever logs or river debris were auditioning for the role of “Hull Inspector #1.”By the time I reached the marina, the docks were sitting in less than 50 cm of water. Sailboats were stuck like decorative lawn ornaments.Something had clearly changed — and fast.

So… Was This a Seiche?Nope.Not even close.A seiche is basically a giant lake‑sized slosh — a standing wave caused by strong winds or rapid pressure changes. Think of the lake as a giant bathtub. Push the water to one side, and it comes back with enthusiasm.

Lake Erie is famous for seiches because it’s long, shallow, and shaped like a wind tunnel designed by someone who hates marinas.

But here’s the thing:A seiche can move water levels by feet in hours… …but this wasn’t one.There was no wind setup.-No pressure swing.-No lake‑wide oscillation.-So what happened?

The Real Culprit: Lake Management + Seasonal DropIn late summer and early fall, Lake Erie levels are often lowered to support outflows into Lake Ontario. This is part of the International Joint Commission’s regulation plan — a balancing act between hydropower, shipping, flood control, and not flooding Toronto’s waterfront condos.

Combine that with:

A dry late summer
High evaporation
Lower‑than‑average Great Lakes levels in 2025…and suddenly your river loses depth like a teenager losing interest in chores.
The Grand River responds quickly to changes in Lake Erie’s level, especially near the mouth. So while you were out catching dinner, the lake was quietly draining like someone pulled the plug.

Does This Happen on Georgian Bay?Short answer: yes, but not the same way.Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron — a massive, open basin that doesn’t slosh dramatically like Erie. Seiches do occur, but they’re smaller and slower.What you do get on Georgian Bay:

Wind setup (water pushed toward or away from shore)
Pressure-driven changes
Short-term lake-wide fluctuations
Shallow inlets that exaggerate everythingSo yes, Georgian Bay can surprise you — but it’s less likely to drop a foot in a few hours unless the wind is doing something theatrical.

How to Predict Water Levels (So You Don’t Star in Your Own Kraken Story)Here are the best tools for boaters who want to avoid unplanned hull exfoliation:

Canadian Hydrographic Service – Water Level ForecastsSeasonal and monthly lake-level predictions.
Environment Canada Marine ForecastsWind + pressure = short-term water level changes.
US Army Corps of Engineers Lake Level BulletinsGreat for understanding lake-wide trends.
Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA)Real-time Lake Erie levels near Port Maitland, Port Dover, and Port Colborne.
NOAA Great Lakes Water Level DashboardExcellent for tracking seiches, wind setup, and hourly fluctuations.

Final TakeawayWater levels are getting more dynamic — whether you’re on the Grand River, Lake Erie, or Georgian Bay. Understanding the forces behind them helps you boat smarter, safer, and with fewer “kraken encounters.”And remember:If your depth sounder starts counting down like a rocket launch,it’s time to slow down, lift the drive, and maybe switch to jazz.

Nautical Intelligence

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:13:29 +0000

I’ve spent my career helping businesses go through digital transformation—taking clunky, electronic and paper‑driven processes and turning them into sleek, connected systems. So when I look at my own boat, I can’t help but see the same opportunity staring back at me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my boat. But it’s not my dream boat. My dream boat doesn’t just float—it thinks. It’s fully automated, with voice commands that actually work. I want to be able to say, “Set course for the marina,” and have the boat respond without me juggling three screens, two manuals, and a half‑charged flashlight. If cars can drive themselves down a six‑lane highway at rush hour, why can’t my boat handle a straight shot across the bay?

That’s what I mean when I talk about a Digital Boat. It’s not science fiction—it’s the natural next step. Just like businesses had to move from filing cabinets to cloud platforms, boats are moving from analogue chaos to digital clarity.

A Digital Boat is a vessel where the systems, logs, and electronics don’t just exist—they talk to each other. Instead of a GPS here, an AIS there, and a fish finder doing its own thing, everything is connected through backbones like:

NMEA 2000: The marine industry’s universal language, letting your GPS, engine, depth sounder, and sensors share data on one cable.
Ethernet: High‑speed connections for chartplotters, radars, and cameras.
Wi‑Fi & Bluetooth: The bridge to your phone, tablet, or laptop, so you can check fuel burn from the dock or update charts from your couch.

Think of it as wiring up your boat’s nervous system. Without these backbones, your devices are just shouting into the void. With them, they’re a choir.

The Instruments: Eyes, Ears, and Memory

Once the backbone is in place, the fun begins:

GPS + AIS: Not just “where am I?” but “who else is out here, and are they about to run into me?”
Modern fish finder/sonar: No longer just about finding fish—these units can log depth, bottom contours, and water temperature, building a living map of your cruising grounds.
OpenPlotter (open‑source magic): Running on a Raspberry Pi, it can capture logs, integrate sensors, and even serve as your DIY chart-plotter. It’s like giving your boat a brain upgrade without paying yacht‑club prices.

The Smartphone: Your Pocket Bridge

Your phone isn’t just for selfies at the helm. With the right setup, it becomes:

A remote display for instruments.
A messaging hub for weather alerts, AIS collision warnings, or maintenance reminders.
An update tool for charts, firmware, and even your own logs.

It’s the tether between your boat and the rest of your digital life.

The Next Step: AI as Your First Mate

Once your boat is capturing and storing all this data, AI can step in to:

Spot patterns: “Hey, your fuel burn has crept up 10%—time to check that prop.”
Predict maintenance: “Based on hours and conditions, you’ll want to service the impeller in 20 hours.”
Assist in navigation: “Given the tide, wind, and your past routes, here’s the most efficient course.”

It’s not replacing the captain—it’s like having a first mate who never sleeps and actually reads the manuals.

Why Upgrade?

Because the analogue alternative is fumbling through a soggy binder while your engine sputters. The digital alternative is:

Safety: Better situational awareness.
Savings: Lower fuel costs, fewer breakdowns, better insurance rates.
Satisfaction: The confidence of knowing your boat is organized, connected, and ready.

A friend once asked me why I was so obsessed with digitizing my boat. I told him it’s because I’ve lived the alternative. Picture this: we’re halfway through a trip, the depth sounder starts acting up, and suddenly everyone’s looking at me like I’m the “tech guy.” I dig around, pull out a binder that looks like it survived a hurricane, and start flipping through pages that smell like diesel and mildew. After ten minutes of squinting, I realize I’m holding the manual for the microwave.

That was the moment I decided: never again. If my boat can’t tell me what’s wrong in plain English—or at least let me pull up the right manual on my phone—it’s not the dream boat I’m working toward.

Bridging Analogue and Digital: My First Upgrade

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:08:20 +0000

When the boat is wrapped up for winter and the snow is falling, that’s when the ideas start flowing. I’ve spent decades in IT, helping companies digitize and disrupt, so of course I can’t help but look at my 1994 Monterey and think: how do I bring her into the digital age?

The first step was small but meaningful: streaming Spotify through the original analogue radio.

The Simple Solution

Instead of tearing apart the dash or rewiring the boat, I found a $25 gadget that plugs into the 12‑volt socket (what used to be the cigarette lighter). It’s a Bluetooth FM transmitter.

Pair your phone to the transmitter.
Tune the boat’s radio to an unused FM frequency.
Match the transmitter to that frequency.

That’s it. Music plays through the old speakers, hands‑free calls work, and the USB ports even charge your phone. One tiny device turned my “lipstick boat” into a Spotify cruiser.

Know Your Load (The Easy Way)

Here’s the thing: even small gadgets use power. And when you start adding more tech — fish finders, chart-plotters, Wi‑Fi, lights — it adds up.

Think of your boat’s batteries like a water tank:

Every device you run is like opening a tap.
The more taps you open, the faster the tank drains.
Unless you refill it (with the alternator, shore power, or solar), you’ll run dry.

That Bluetooth transmitter barely sips from the tank. But add a few screens, pumps, and chargers, and suddenly you’re draining fast. That’s why planning your power is just as important as planning your electronics.

The Bigger Picture

This little upgrade proved something important: I can bridge analogue and digital without losing the boat’s character. But it also raised the next challenge — power management. If I want to add networks, sensors, and automation, I’ll need to think about batteries, charging, and solar.

For now, though, I can sit back, turn the key, and let the music play my play list Yacht Rocks.

Black Friday, Big Upgrade

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:08:14 +0000

Every boat project has a turning point. For me, it came on Black Friday.

I’d been limping along with a 1990s Lowrance fish finder — the kind of unit that belongs in a museum more than on Lake Erie. It showed a boat icon floating on blue nothingness. No detail, no charts, no real situational awareness. It was time to move on.

Out With the Old, In With the Garmin

The deal was too good to pass up: a new Garmin fish finder/chart-plotter. Suddenly, I had modern mapping, depth, and the ability to expand into a full electronics suite. But the Garmin wasn’t just a replacement — it was the start of a bigger plan.

Building the Backbone: NMEA 2000

If you want your electronics to talk to each other, you need a common language. That’s where NMEA 2000 comes in. Think of it as the backbone of a digital boat: one cable “spine” that lets devices share data — GPS, depth, engine info, fuel, weather, and more.

By adding an NMEA 2000 backbone, I wasn’t just installing a fish finder. I was laying the foundation for everything else I want to do.

OpenPlotter + Raspberry Pi

Of course, I can’t resist open source. Alongside the Garmin, I set up OpenPlotter running on a Raspberry Pi 4B. With the Copperhill PICAN-M hat, the Pi connects directly to the NMEA 2000 network.

That means I can:

Capture and log all the boat’s data
Build custom dashboards
Stream information to tablets or phones over Wi‑Fi
Experiment with automation and alerts

It’s the bridge between the commercial marine world and the DIY hacker world.

Making Analogue Digital: CX5106 Converter

Here’s where it gets really interesting. Boats like mine are full of analogue gauges — tachometers, fuel, oil pressure, trim. They look great, but they don’t talk to anything.

Enter the CX5106 Multi-function NMEA 2000 Signal Converter. This little box takes the signals from those analogue gauges and converts them into digital data. Suddenly, my old dials can also show up on the Garmin screen or inside OpenPlotter.

That means:

Engine RPM, fuel, and trim data on one digital display
Redundancy — analogue gauges stay, but now I have digital backups
A step closer to automation and smarter alerts

Why This Matters

This wasn’t just a Black Friday deal. It was the first real step in turning my 1994 Monterey into the boat I’ve been envisioning:

Analogue bones, digital brains
Open source at the core
A foundation that can grow into voice control, automation, and smarter navigation

The Garmin gave me charts. The NMEA 2000 backbone gave me integration. The Raspberry Pi gave me flexibility. And the CX5106 gave me a way to bring the old gauges into the future.

The project boat is becoming a platform.

Digital Upgrade: Powering the Future

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:03:04 +0000

Adding a Garmin chart-plotter, an NMEA 2000 backbone, OpenPlotter on a Raspberry Pi, and a CX5106 converter was a huge leap forward. Suddenly, my 1994 Monterey wasn’t just a boat with good bones — it was a platform for digital innovation.

But here’s the truth: none of it matters if the power doesn’t hold.

Why Power Matters

Every new gadget — from a Bluetooth transmitter to a chart-plotter — draws from the same source: the boat’s batteries. And unlike a house, there’s no endless supply. If you don’t plan, you’ll either drain the bank or spend your day listening to alarms instead of music.

Think of it like this:

Batteries = water tank
Electronics = taps
Charging = the hose filling the tank

Open too many taps without refilling, and you run dry.

Stage 1: Know Your Loads

I started by listing what I actually use:

Garmin chart-plotter/fish finder
Raspberry Pi with OpenPlotter + PICAN-M
CX5106 converter feeding digital gauges
Bluetooth/FM transmitter for music
Cabin lights, bilge pumps, and the usual essentials

Each one sips or gulps power differently. The Garmin might draw 20–30 watts, the Pi another 10, pumps spike when they run, and lights add up. It’s not about exact math — it’s about awareness.

Stage 2: Build the House Bank

The original setup had one engine battery and one house battery. That’s fine for 1994, but not for a digital boat. The plan:

Upgrade to a larger house bank (AGM or LiFePO₄)
Add a smart charger for shore power
Use an automatic charging relay (ACR) so the alternator tops up both banks without draining the starter

Stage 3: Silent Replenishment

Running the engine just to charge electronics is noisy and wasteful. The solution: solar. Even 100–200 watts of panels can keep the digital layer alive at anchor. With an MPPT controller, every ray of sun goes to work.

Stage 4: Efficiency Wins

Swap cabin lights to LEDs
Put electronics on labeled switches so I can shut them off when not needed
Use battery monitoring to see real-time draw and state of charge

Why This Upgrade Matters

This isn’t just about keeping Spotify playing. It’s about building confidence. When I know my power system is solid, I can push further — longer trips, more tech, even overnighting without fear of a dead bank.

The digital backbone is in place. Now the power foundation is catching up.

Digital Upgrade: Building the Power Foundation

Electronics are only as good as the power behind them. With a Garmin chartplotter, OpenPlotter on a Raspberry Pi, and an NMEA 2000 backbone in place, it was time to face the next big question: how do I keep it all running without fear of draining the batteries?

The New Power Bank

The answer started with batteries. I added two 150Ah lithium batteries as the heart of the new house bank. Compared to lead‑acid, lithium gives me:

More usable capacity (you can safely use 80–90% of the charge)
Faster charging
Longer lifespan

That’s 300Ah of reliable power — a serious step up from the original setup.

Solar for Silent Charging

Next came 200 watts of solar panels. Even on cloudy days, they’ll trickle in enough to keep the digital layer alive. On sunny days, they’ll top up the bank while I’m at anchor. With a proper MPPT controller, every watt gets used efficiently.

Shore Power Integration

When I’m tied up at the dock, I can plug into 120V shore power. A smart charger will handle the lithium bank, topping it up without overcharging. This way, I start every trip with full batteries.

Alternator Charging: DC‑to‑DC

But what about when I’m underway? That’s where a DC‑to‑DC charger comes in. It takes power from the boat’s alternator and safely charges the lithium bank while also protecting the starting battery. The benefits:

Keeps the engine battery isolated and safe
Provides the correct charging profile for lithium (which alternators alone can’t do)
Lets me use engine run time to replenish the house bank

Safety First: Fuses and Shutoffs

Adding power isn’t just about capacity — it’s about control and protection. Every new circuit needs:

Proper fuses sized for the load and wire gauge
Manual shutoffs so I can isolate batteries or devices in an emergency
Clean wiring runs with marine‑grade connectors to prevent shorts and corrosion

This way, if something goes wrong, I can shut it down before it becomes a bigger problem.

Why This Matters

This upgrade isn’t flashy like a new radar dome or autopilot, but it’s the foundation. With a solid power system, I can:

Run digital electronics without fear of draining the bank
Stay at anchor longer with solar keeping things topped up
Charge underway, at dock, or off the sun — three ways to stay powered
Build confidence that every new gadget has a safe, fused, and controlled place in the system

The dream of a digitized, automated boat doesn’t start with software. It starts with power. And now, the foundation is in place.

Digital Upgrade: When the Boat Talks Back

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 18:02:56 +0000

With the Garmin installed, the NMEA 2000 backbone humming, OpenPlotter running on a Raspberry Pi, and the CX5106 converter turning analogue gauges into digital data, the boat finally has a voice. The next step? Teaching it to speak up when something’s wrong.

Why Alerts Matter

On an older boat, you rely on your eyes and ears. You glance at gauges, listen for odd sounds, and hope you catch problems before they catch you. But with digital data flowing through the network, I can go further:

Set thresholds for engine temperature, oil pressure, or voltage
Trigger alerts when something drifts out of range
Log events so I can see patterns over time

Instead of staring at dials, I can focus on the water — and let the system tap me on the shoulder if something needs attention.

OpenPlotter in Action

OpenPlotter makes this possible. With the Raspberry Pi connected to the NMEA 2000 backbone, I can:

Create custom dashboards that show RPM, fuel, trim, and depth in one view
Configure alarms that pop up on screen or send notifications to a tablet or phone
Log data for later analysis — spotting trends like a belt slipping or a battery slowly losing capacity

Practical Examples

Here’s what I’m setting up first:

Low voltage alert: if house batteries dip below 12V, I get a warning before electronics shut down
Engine temperature alert: if cooling fails, I know before damage happens
Fuel level alert: a nudge when it’s time to think about the next fill‑up
Bilge pump runtime alert: if the pump runs too long, it could mean a leak

Why This Upgrade Matters

This isn’t about replacing me as the captain. It’s about adding a co‑pilot that never blinks. The analogue gauges stay for redundancy, but now I have a digital safety net that watches 24/7.

It’s also a step toward automation. Once the boat can sense and alert, the next logical move is to let it act — adjusting stabilizers, managing power, or even routing data to voice prompts.

The Bigger Vision

This is how a 1994 Monterey becomes more than a project boat. It becomes a platform:

Analogue bones for reliability
Digital dashboards for awareness
Alerts and automation for safety and confidence

The boat doesn’t just move me across the water. It talks back, it learns, and it grows with every upgrade.

Back to the Water: Fishing Smarter

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:57:46 +0000

After weeks of talking about batteries, dashboards, and winterizing, it’s time to get back to why I bought this boat in the first place: fishing. Because at the end of the day, all the upgrades and planning only matter if they help me spend more time on the water, catching more fish, and enjoying it with family and friends.

From Guesswork to Guidance

Back in the day, fishing was part skill, part luck, and part superstition. You’d watch the birds, read the water, and hope you were in the right spot. With the old Lowrance, I was basically staring at a cartoon boat floating on blue nothingness.

Now, with the Garmin chart-plotter tied into the NMEA 2000 backbone, I can:

See detailed contour maps of Lake Erie
Track depth changes where fish like to hold
Mark way-points when I find a productive spot
Overlay weather data so I know when conditions are shifting

It’s not about replacing instinct — it’s about giving instinct better tools.

OpenPlotter as a Fishing Log

With OpenPlotter running on the Raspberry Pi, I can log every trip:

GPS tracks of where I trolled
Water temperature and depth at each catch
Time of day and conditions

Over time, this builds a personal fishing database. Instead of relying on memory (or fish tales), I can see patterns: where the walleye bite in June, or how depth changes affect the catch in August.

Smarter Rods, Better Results

The tech doesn’t stop at the helm. With the right gear setup:

Rod holders keep lines consistent while trolling
Down-riggers let me control depth precisely
Digital speed and heading data help me keep the boat moving at the sweet spot for the lure

It’s the combination of old‑school technique and new‑school data that makes the difference.

Why It Matters

Fishing isn’t just about filling the cooler. It’s about the experience:

The anticipation when the rod tip bounces
The scramble to grab the net
The satisfaction of knowing your planning and setup worked

The upgrades — Garmin, OpenPlotter, NMEA 2000 — aren’t just gadgets. They’re tools that make the time on the water more productive, more fun, and more memorable.

Annual Pilgrimage: The Toronto Boat Show

Don Moskaluk — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:57:40 +0000

Every January, my brother‑in‑law and I make our annual trip to the Toronto Boat Show. He and I go way back—we were friends before I met his sister (now my wife). We’ve always shared interests: me with technology and boating, him with contests and games. It’s a good match, and this show has become our tradition.

This year marked six months since I bought Our Time, so I was especially excited. Not just to see the shiny new boats, but to check out the vendors, take in a few seminars, and maybe even pick up some wisdom for my growing checklist.

Meeting Familiar Faces

One highlight was catching up with Steve Bull, the former owner of Our Time and a familiar face from TV. He was giving a talk on renting boats as a way to get on the water. We swapped a few stories, and he told me about the time he was in New York Harbour, right in the ferry crossing lanes, when the fan belt broke. Not much detail, but I noticed extra belts on board later and silently thanked him for the foresight.

As a bit of a celebrity, Steve had managed to get Our Time featured in videos at various stalls, showing off the swim platform and the Toronto‑to‑NYC series. At one point, Neil deGrasse Tyson even chimed in with some physics‑flavoured boating commentary. (Side note: I still don’t agree with him on Pluto not being a planet—just because one family member is a little different doesn’t mean they’re out.)

Boats, Vendors, and Discoveries

This year, the show didn’t have the massive centre console with six 500‑horsepower outboards. Probably not many buyers for what I call “carbon tax boats.” Fun to dream about, but I wouldn’t want to see that fuel bill at the marina.

What I did find, though, was a wealth of vendors that could help me with my checklist. Some I expected—electronics, safety gear, and accessories. Others were surprises:

OEM parts for older boats (a goldmine for a 30‑year‑old vessel like mine).
Toronto marinas selling supplies at good rates.
Marine toilet upgrades—including a unit with a built‑in macerator and electric flush. (Currently, I’m pumping 25 times just to get things moving. Enough said.)

The Value of the Show

That’s the beauty of a big boat show: the knowledge, the contacts, and the chance to see what’s out there. I even noticed the same faces at smaller shows—new boaters, first‑time owners, all of us comparing notes. Vendors can spot us a mile away, but that’s part of the fun.

For me, the Toronto Boat Show isn’t just about shopping or seminars. It’s about tradition, community, and seeing how each year adds another layer to the story of Our Time.

Digital Boat Lesson: Not Everything’s on the Internet

We live in a world where you can order almost anything with a click. Need a fuse box? Amazon. Need a dog life-jacket? Costco. Need a part for a 30‑year‑old boat? Maybe AliExpress if you’re willing to wait.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned: not all the information you need is online.

That hit home at the Toronto Boat Show. Walking the aisles with my brother‑in‑law, I found vendors I didn’t even know existed—OEM parts for older boats, marinas that sell supplies at fair prices, and specialists who could answer questions in plain English. I could ask about my specific boat, my specific problem, and get an answer right there. No search engine required.

The same goes for fishing shows and sportsman shows. You meet people who’ve been there, done that, and are willing to share what worked (and what didn’t). You see gear in person, touch it, ask questions, and sometimes even hear the backstory from the folks who designed it. That kind of knowledge doesn’t always make it into a product description online.

Why It Matters

When you’re building a checklist for your boat—or just trying to avoid the next breakdown—there’s no substitute for face‑to‑face conversations. The internet is great for price comparisons and overnight delivery, but the wisdom of the boating community lives in places where people gather.

Digital Boat Lesson

“Not all answers are online. Sometimes the best upgrade comes from a handshake at a boat show.”