Chartplotter location

[stranded]

Finally had to accept that our old chartplotter is dead so have bought a new Raymarine C125. Had assumed that we would just put it where the old one was - under the sprayhood on a trunion. But having spoken to the very helpful electronics chap, now accept that need a pod and am contemplating putting it atop the steering binnacle. Dunno, what do forumites think. Possibly relevant info includes:

UK
centre cockpit sloop, single wheel
tend to use plotter as map rather than the fancy functions (like waypoints!) - never allow it to drive the boat
sail out of season as well, when much of the time helming from under the sprayhood with a remote control; rest of time tend to use auto helm
my eyesight cannot see the old one from the helm which is a bit of a pain when alone in cockpit in tricksy waters (and hard on my knees to climb on seat round wheel to get forward)
will have an ipad wireless repeater for whereever the plotter ain't
on binnacle it wouldn't block vision forward when standing (which is what i tend to do when manual steering)
individual instrument displays are under sprayhood
binnacle top handold would be re-engineered to ensure continued usefulness
cost difference not really significant i dont think

Are there any clear advantages/disadvantages or is it just personal preference?

 

[johnalison]

It depends so much on your sailing habits that everyone will have his own idea. Sometimes the crew/spouse may prefer the plotter to be somewhere they can see it and it depends to what extent the iPad will serve this function.

 

[Gwylan]

We just came to similar decisons on moving to electronics. The old Philips GPS teamed to the Yeoman stopped telling us an accurate date and it seemed only a matter of time before something even worse happened.

We succumbed to the flog off offers for the Standard Horizon and it seems to do everyhing that we want and a few that we do not understand but look interesting.

Anyway since the helm and the navigating officer are usually one and the same we put the unit at the helm. On a simple bracket that we fabricated, doubles as a mug holder too!

Worked well all this summer. The mounting head allows it to be rotated through 180 degrees so we can also sit in the cockpit, let someone else helm and fiddle with the chart plotter. The whole thing can be taken off and stored below for security when we leave the boat.

The eyesight thing precipitated a trip to SpecSavers and we now function with contact lenses - and very nice it is too.

One disadvantage is that you cannot sit at the nav station and plan tomorrows route and waypoints, but it is a small price to pay.
We have a plan to install a connection for the unit at the nav station, but that is a winter project.

 

[Monique]

The c125 is a very large beast. When I fully realised how big it was, I down sized to the a98.

Otherwise, your pod will be huge!!!

GL

 

[stranded]

The c125 is a very large beast. When I fully realised how big it was, I down sized to the a98.

Otherwise, your pod will be huge!!!

GL

Its not THAT big! Looked at it next to our E120 when I chopped it in and about the same screen area - bit wider, bit lower, but overall hardly at all because the non-screen area whatever its called is much slimmer. I hope!

 

[pvb]

Finally had to accept that our old chartplotter is dead so have bought a new Raymarine C125. Had assumed that we would just put it where the old one was - under the sprayhood on a trunion. But having spoken to the very helpful electronics chap, now accept that need a pod and am contemplating putting it atop the steering binnacle.

Why does your very helpful chap say it has to be in a pod? It's waterproof enough to be trunnion-mounted under the sprayhood, my old C120 was mounted like that very happily for years. And, with a trunnion mount, you can take the plotter off easily for safe storage when the boat's unattended. Like you, I often helmed lazily using the autopilot from the shelter of the sprayhood, and the plotter location was ideal. With a 12" screen size, visibility from the helm was still OK, even for my eyes.

 

[prv]

Another fan here of the plotter under the sprayhood. It works particularly well in my case as I have a fixed windscreen (the hood sits on top of it) so the back of the plotter is protected from ropes or feet on the coachroof when the hood is folded.

This position means that everyone in the cockpit can see what's going on, including the skipper when he is not steering (either because someone else is or because the autopilot is on). Personally I can see the screen adequately for most purposes from the wheel, especially since setting the projected heading / track lines to the "thick" mode. But, since I wasn't sure about this when installing it, I also have a small and relatively cheap Lowrance 4m mounted on the binnacle for the helmsman's personal use. It's nearly always turned off, but can be useful when entering an unfamiliar harbour, you can't reach the main plotter to zoom it in, and in any case your crew are milling about in front of it with sails or warps and fenders.

But at the end of the day, it's personal preference that depends on how you sail your boat.

Pete

 

[stranded]

"say it has to be in a pod"

Well he doesn't say it has to be. But apparently the new ones are just a weedy little ethernet connection rather than all those chunky multi-pin plugs on the 120s. Ethernet connection is not as strong and is susceptible to uv etc. and gets brittle and breaks. I trust that advice. (Plus I just received a Raymarine trunion I ordered online - nasty bendy plastic thing - nothing like the chunky metal job on the 120 - certainly wouldn't fancy its chances if I fell against it - should have guessed for £50). So it will be a pod. Just interested in other views before deciding where to put it.

 

[stranded]

Thanks Pete - yes we have fixed windscreen too. Everyone being able to see iut is winning out at the moment - otherwise it will be constant 'are we nearly there yet' from daughter! I'll then just have an ipad in a w/proof case clipped to the binnacle or something (my eyes couldn't see the track lines on 120 but maybe sharper screen will help). Will have to get power run to binnacle to keep it going.

 

[pvb]

"say it has to be in a pod"

Well he doesn't say it has to be. But apparently the new ones are just a weedy little ethernet connection rather than all those chunky multi-pin plugs on the 120s. Ethernet connection is not as strong and is susceptible to uv etc. and gets brittle and breaks. I trust that advice. (Plus I just received a Raymarine trunion I ordered online - nasty bendy plastic thing - nothing like the chunky metal job on the 120 - certainly wouldn't fancy its chances if I fell against it - should have guessed for £50). So it will be a pod. Just interested in other views before deciding where to put it.

You could easily sleeve the ethernet cable to give UV protection. Pods are huge ugly things.

 

[stranded]

You could easily sleeve the ethernet cable to give UV protection. Pods are huge ugly things.

Well the only huge ugly thing allowed on Nooka is me, so I had better check that out! Surely there must be some barely bigger than the display.

 

[prv]

my eyes couldn't see the track lines on 120

Neither could I really, on the default "thin" setting. Since discovering the setting deep in the menus to turn them to "medium" or "thick", I can now see both of them clearly from the helm.

Pete

 

[estarzinger]

I don't put ours on the binnacle for two reasons: (1) we are mostly under autopilot, sitting under the dodger, and rarely at the helm. (2) it is simply better protected from the sun and weather under the dodger and thus I suspect will last longer and function better there.

 

[prv]

Well the only huge ugly thing allowed on Nooka is me, so I had better check that out! Surely there must be some barely bigger than the display.

Mine had to fit into quite a precise space - on a curving deck, under a windscreen, and aesthetically lining up with the existing instrument row above the hatch. So I ended up making the pods (I have a matching one on the other side for the AIS screen and stereo remote) myself from fibreglass, starting with clay plugs modelled in situ.

Pete

 

[[3889]]

Another fan here of the plotter under the sprayhood.....

+1
Personally, for this reason alone, even though I've only got a 5 incher

This position means that everyone in the cockpit can see what's going on, including the skipper when he is not steering (either because someone else is or because the autopilot is on).

 

[stranded]

Mine had to fit into quite a precise space - on a curving deck, under a windscreen, and aesthetically lining up with the existing instrument row above the hatch. So I ended up making the pods (I have a matching one on the other side for the AIS screen and stereo remote) myself from fibreglass, starting with clay plugs modelled in situ.

Pete

Ah - you'll be one of those handy people. I'm still trying to work out how to fit my new (well they were in June) cupholders to the pushpit.

 

[prv]

Ah - you'll be one of those handy people.

Possibly...




One of the girls I shared a house with at Uni stuck this picture on the outside of my door:

Pete

 

[Lucky Duck]

You could easily sleeve the ethernet cable to give UV protection. Pods are huge ugly things.

A couple of years back I replaced my old C120 "Classic" with a new C125, the cables and the connectors into the back of the unit for the STng and the radar appear little different to those that plugged into the back of the old one.

Certainly they look waterproof but can't confirm as the unit is at the chart table (the iPad is used outside when required + you get a reasonable view from the when sat by the wheel on the port hand side where the Bluetooth remote is fitted to the wheel)

 

[Concerto]

I fitted a Raymarine E7 over the top of my instrument box, so it is under the sprayhood to protect it from the elements. It did require a piece of plywood to move it slightly further aft to stop rubbing against the sprayhood. The additional bonus is that I can remove it and keep it below when not on the boat. Being on the centre line, it does not obscure my vision or suffer from oblique angled viewing. The only downside is being so far forward, I have to move and stretch to alter the zoom.



So far I have not needed to punch in any waypoints, but am planning to add an extra cable so I can do this at the chart table. Probably will also get a net book and use the wifi feature to link the two, so the cable may not be necessary.

PS If you increase the photo size you will see I am sailing directly into wind according to the wind instrument. This was a novel trick as at the time the wind strut was missing.

 

[stranded]

Cor blimey - just seen the price for the pod they recommend - £400! Big ugly things! Think I'll stick with trunnion.