Chartplotter & AIS at helm - all in one solution

[yachtorion]

Garmin all the way....

Garmin GPSMAP 551 (waterproof, swivel mount, no pod needed) - £410
Charts covering the entire UK and nearby coastlines - I think including much of North West france but check - £ Included.
Digital Yacht AIS100 - £130

Total: £540 excluding the antenna of your choice.

If you do need an additional chart for North West France then Garmin EU457S is a download at £112, which would take you to £652.

Optional extra - £130 - Actisense DST2 - lets you connect your existing depth, speed and temperature sensors to the plotter via NMEA0183 and thus view and alarm on them all from the plotter.

This (including the DST) is the setup on my boat and it works a charm.

 

[doug748]

This thread is really excellent! After a fortnight short-handed in the Baltic, I am considering a plotter mounted above the Main hatch on the Rival - 5" screen plotters are attractively priced, but perhaps a bit difficult to see from the tiller of my boat.......

I have this sort of set up for singlehanding on a similar boat and it works very well. The small screen is fine at distance for pilotage, tho I have to use my reading bins at close range. For strategy on the grand scale I use charts below decks.