Getting the Most out of the SSCA Equipment Survey Presented at the SSCA Melbourne Gam November 2013 Copyright 2013 Sherry McCampbell ssca.org

2 Soggy Paws - CSY 44 (1981) Our boat, our home

3 Our Background Fitting Out Soggy Paws Bought out of bareboat charter in 1996 In terrible shape gear-wise, but sound hull Fully upgraded for Caribbean cruise Cruised 4 years around the Caribbean Upgraded again for Circumnavigation Still upgrading

4 Soggy Paws Overview Hawaii French Polynesia Easter I Galapagos Tonga Fiji Marshall Islands 2013 *

5 Our Background Fitting Out Soggy Paws Last 5 Years (while cruising!) Upgrades –Watermaker 2007 Guatemala –Dinghy 2008 Panama –AIS Receiver2008 Panama –Refridge / Freezer2010 Hawaii –More Solar Panels2010 Hawaii –AIS Transceiver2010 Hawaii –EPIRB w/ GPS2012 Fiji –Arch/Dinghy Davits2013 Fiji –Wind Instrument2013 Fiji –New Anchor ??2014 ??

6 Equipment Survey Past & Present Past… Paper Surveys (2000, 2004) –Laborious to fill out, compile, & publish –Expensive to distribute survey questions –Expensive to distribute results –Not available to new members –Less than 200 responses in 2004

7 Equipment Survey Past & Present Current Survey –Major development effort up front in 2008 –Using professional survey- development software –Survey team developed over 300 questions about cruising gear & lifestyle –Survey tool allows for cross-correlation of answers

8 Equipment Survey Past & Present Current (since 2008) –Online, ongoing, continuously available –Easy, periodic re-publishing of survey results –Immediately available to new members –Easy reference –A significant SSCA membership benefit 2400 Survey Responses to Date !!

9 The Policy: You Must Take It to View It Forces people to contribute to the knowledge pool It is the only reason we HAVE so many results You dont have to take the whole survey at one sitting

10 Taking or Viewing the Equipment Survey You must be Logged in to see the Equipment Survey link ?? No Equipment Survey Link

11 Taking or Viewing the Equipment Survey

12 Errors Trying to Access the Survey You are not signed in - or - You havent taken the survey yet - or - You took the survey under a different account number (spouse or renewal issue)

13 Taking the Survey Step 1 address is… - Optional, but encouraged - Never published - Never shared - Only used for survey support

14 You can stop any time and come back later to finish if you want. "Submit this Page and Continue –saves your input from that page –advances to the next page To Exit at ANY point in the Survey, click "Submit this Page and Continue" on the page you are working on & just close your browser. Taking the Survey - Basic Instructions -

15 Returning to the Survey On the Survey Start Page Jump straight to where you left off Or start from beginning and review previous answers

16 Taking the Survey - Basic Instructions - If a question doesnt apply to you, skip it DO NOT ANSWER WITH BOGUS DATA! Use Back Button to go back, not browser At end of the survey, on The End page –Hit "Final Submit & Survey Completion" button –Notifies the survey team of a survey completion.

17 Types of Questions Drop-down box

18 Types of Questions Drop-down box Permits only one answer Always has an Other answer

19 Types of Questions Radio Button Only one Answer Permitted Free-form text If Other selected

20 Types of Questions Disabled fields Disabled, because #2 not Other

21 Types of Questions Ratings

22 Types of Questions Comments Comment blocks are located after every section Comments are completely optional Free-form textsay what you want (up to 640 characters) Not connected with other entries Make sure you specify the equipment you are commenting about

23 What If I Dont Own A Boat? 1. Select None in Boat Make 2. Put something here 3. Submit

24 Viewing the Results

25 Viewing the Results

26 Categories & SubCategories Boat Info –Boat Make –Hull Design –Size/Performance –Registration/Doc –Comments Cruising Lifestyle –Type of Cruising –Crew Size –Mail Forwarder –Internet Banking –Comments Engines –Engine Make –Drive & Cooling –Performance/Failure Rate –Fuel System –Exhaust –Transmission –Shaft Seal –Propeller –Bow Thruster –Engine Comments –Repowering Comments –Prop & Bow Thruster Commts

27 Categories & SubCategories Rig & Sails –Standing Rigging –Rigging Comments –Sail Configuration –Mainsail –Headsail –Spinnaker –Sail Config Comments –Headsail Furling Syst –Mainsail Handling Syst –Sail Handling Comments On Deck –Dodger/Bimini –Windlass –Anchors –Anchor Rode/Chain –Sea Anchor –Anchor System Comments –Hatches & Portlights –Nav Lights –Deck Lights –Exterior LEDs –Mast Steps –Lightning Systems –Deck Safety Gear –Deck Comments

28 Categories & SubCategories Energy –Energy Config –Alternators –Diesel Generators –Portable Gensets –Batteries –Battery Monitor –Battery Isolator –Inverters & Chargers –Solar Panels –Wind Generators –Water Generators –Energy Comments Electronics –Binoculars –Night Vision Glasses –Chartplotters –Hand-Held GPS –PC Navigation –Radars –Sonar/Depthfinders –Knotmeter/Logs –Wind Instruments –Radar Detectors –Radar Deflectors –Autopilots –Comments

29 Categories & SubCategories Communications –Fixed/Handheld VHF –Marine SSBs –Ham Radios –SSB/Ham Comments –Telephone Systems –Satellite Systems –Tele/Sat Comments –Navtex –EPIRBs –AIS – Connections –Wifi Adapters –Comments Below Decks –Bilge Pumps –Float Switches –Bilge Alarms –Watermakers –CO/Propane Detectors –Refrig Systems –Stove/Oven –BBQs –Air Conditioners –Cabin Heaters –Cabin Lights –Toilets / Holding T Gauges –Comments

30 Categories & SubCategories Getting Off the Boat –Dinghies –Outboard Motors –Life Rafts –Bicycles –Comments Survey Comments

31 Typical Results Page - Type of Boat & Assoc Data - Summarizes 6 Questions into one Table

32 Typical Results Page - Main Engine -

33 Engine Summary By Engine Manufacturer Total # of Engines Avg Horsepower Avg Hours Avg Age in Year Avg # of Breakdowns –Per engine –Per 1,000 hours –Per year Subjective Ratings –Overall Performance –Service Manuals –Ease of Routine Maintenance –Availability of Service –Availability of Parts –Cost of Parts

34 PerkinsYanmar # Engines in Survey356 15%981 41% Avg Horsepower6252 Avg Engine Hours3,0001,700 Avg Age of Engine34 Years19 Years Breakdowns –Per engine –Per 1000 hours –Per Year Perkins vs Yanmar Average Data

35 Perkins vs Yanmar Subjective Ratings Ratings (1=best)PerkinsYanmar Overall Performance Service Manuals Ease of Routine Maintenance Availability of Service Availability of Parts Relative Cost of Parts3.0

36 Perkins vs Replacements Subjective Ratings Ratings (1=best)PerkinsBeta Cummins Overall Performance Service Manuals Ease of Routine Maintenance Availability of Service Availability of Parts Relative Cost of Parts Also… check out the Repowering Comments

37 Unstructured Comments Located at the end of every topic Allows free-form comments on the topic Interesting reading and can be insightful Searchable text

38 Comments Pages

39 Searching In Comments Search Box Ctrl-F opens…

40 Searching in Comments Open with ctrl-f (for find) Location on browser screen varies –Chrome upper right, IE upper left Find any specified text on current page Great for browsing comments for specific info Browser Search Box Go to Next Occurrence Go to Previous Occurrence Number of Occurrences

41 Searching in Comments Jumps to the next occurrence of Irwin and highlights it

42 Works on Any Web Page All occurrences highlighted

43 Water Generator Example Water Generators Costs $1,000-2,000 Should I buy one? Which brand?? What should I look for when buying?

44 Water Generator Summary Page

45 Water Generator Comments Hamilton Ferris Towed-Water-Generator, works great.....but does take sometime learning how to rig/deploy in changing weather/sea conditions.... But, Worth every dollar!!!

46 Water Generator Comments Hamilton Ferris water generator: amps at 5.5 kts boat speed -10-plus amps at 6.3 kts boat speed and above. It can put out so much, even with 4Kw radar, nav lights, GPS and nav instruments, I have had to turn it off for an hour to prevent overcharging. (Output is unregulated)

47 Water Generator Comments I have had very good luck with this device and it is easy to use. It is a favorite on sailing passages as I usually don't have to run the engine for charging if boat speed stays above 5 kts. Hamilton Ferris was very helpful and quick to supply what was required to convert from wind to water generator.

48 Water Generator Comments Just purchased Hamilton Ferris Next Gen Generator--needs a little more development to become a workhorse. I have a Redwing water generator that I didn't use on my last trip because it puts noise on my ham radio.

49 Water Generator Comments On my previous boat I had a Fourwinds II wind and trolling generators - they were very good. The down side was the need to anchor in windy spots and when boat speed was greater than 8 knots the trolling unit would not stay in the water.

50 Water Generator Comments The Hamilton Ferris towed water generator twisted the tow line in loops with the regular prop on my 50 foot boat. I replaced with low rev prop. The connection of the line at the prop sheaves itself to death after a while. The edge of the fitting is too hard and will eventually break the line. Replaced with loop sewn together. The line is too firm for splicing.The magnets broke inside and I had to remove loose pieces.

51 Water Generator Example Summary Numbers indicate how popular option is Be wary of ratings on items with few responses (one response can skew) Understand that new items will be under- represented Comments can be invaluable

52 Known Issues with Current Survey Some questions need updating –Power cruiser questions –New electronics & communications questions –Remove obsolete and add new equipment options –Review other answers and incorporate into the mainstream Automatically correlate comments with users equipment 300 questions is A LOT –But what would you leave out?

53 Known Issues with Current Survey 2008 Data is obsolete for some equipment –But not for others (obscure Bluewater cruising equipment) –It is possible to filter out old responses before publishing the results (but were not doing that now) No correlation by type of cruising –Casual vs Circumnavigator

54 Issues with Existing Survey Tool Survey Crafter Professional Requires someone to retrieve new survey data, check it, and publish new report Requires an expert in the tool to formulate new questions and data correlations Extremely difficult/impossible to change questions once you have existing data

55 Future Plans Update question pool Add a structured query capability for existing data –Select by boat type/make/model –Select by cruising style –Select by date range of responses –Similar to Amazon selection

56

57

58 The End