A long journey in narrow waters, no chance to leave the wheel for a moment. It would be important to know whether the fuel is still sufficient and whether the alternator is really charging after the repair in the last harbour. But the gauges are below deck.
Almost every modern electronic component today has an NMEA2000 interface that can be used to retrieve data from the AIS, the engine, a tank and battery monitor or even from the modern lithium battery. This turns the plotter at the helm into a multifunctional instrument that can be used to monitor every instrument on board.
However, simply connecting two devices - such as the plotter and the AIS - does not work. For networking, it is necessary to achieve a complete NMEA2000 network.
Digital-Yacht has summarised how this works in a clear guide. Here is the link: NMEA 2000 Network Guide - Digital Yacht Germany
