Messing About In The Boat

Most of the galley is standard Beneteau for now. The biggest change so far is the replacement of the fallen vinyl headliner to paint. I feel this is a better choice behind the stove. It is MUCH less a fire hazard, and spatter from cooking cleans up much faster. I did Sailrite hulliner in the rest of the boat, but the prospect of trying to clean spaghetti sauce out of the white carpet sealed the deal for me. More to come.

That's the brand-new Fusion Audio MS RA-200 controller. I've been waiting for months for it to finally start shipping. I talked to a Fusion product manager this week, and he confirmed that they expected it to ship to distributors around May 13. I cannot wait. Fusion totally gets digital media. The 200 supports both iPod docking, as well as USB memory sticks. Because there is no need at all for a CD slot, the unit is very small. Here is a video after the install!

I replaced the old VHF radio in Jackdaw with a new DSC-ready unit. Beyond the ability to make DSC calls, this West Marine unit also can interface with my chartplotter to include my exact location in any Distress call.  See and hear more after the break.