How important is it to have a chart plotter at the wheel pedestal?

Kukri said:
If you see it as primarily a radar display you are going to want to reach the (touch) screen from the helmsperson’s position, ie on the steering pedestal.
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That assumes that the skipper (or watchkeeper) is also hand-steering, which seems unlikely on several counts, at least on my boat. Most of the situations where radar is important, the autopilot will be steering. And if it isn't, then it's just as likely to be someone else on the wheel as me. More so if the situation is somehow tricky, so that I can concentrate on the nav/pilotage/traffic and not neglect the steering while I do it.

I'm a firm believer in having radar, plotter, AIS, and binoculars all together under the sprayhood at the front of the cockpit. I have a Yeoman plotter and chart down below for passage navigation on longer legs.

Pete
 
So my boat, that I can't get to because of the plague has 2 independent plotters but it does have 2 helm positions. Radar / Sonar only on the newer pilothouse plotter. Not sure about the ergonomics of 2 models of plotter.
 
Daydream believer said:
Don't you mean "I"-- it would not be single handed if there was a "we" onboard:unsure:
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No, I said "effectively" single handed. Two on board but one asleep for maybe 6 hours at a stretch or off watch cooking, reading etc. Fortunately, my crew (wife) is quite able to stand extended watches alone. These days we mostly day sail from anchorage to anchorage but the boat is still set up the same.
 
Kukri said:
So...

A majority of those who have kindly replied want an electronic chart display (radar, AIS, chart) in the cockpit.

If you steer with a tiller, it’s going to go on the aft cabin bulkhead.

If you steer with a wheel, it’s going to go on the bulkhead or at the wheel, depending on whether the cockpit is short (Amel Maramu) or long (Westerly Sealord).

If you see it as primarily a radar display you are going to want to reach the (touch) screen from the helmsperson’s position, ie on the steering pedestal.

It is less likely to be damaged if located on the bulkhead.
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Actually, I haven’t seen many plotters on the bulkhead, most plotters in the cockpit that are not at the wheel, seem to live on a bracket under the sprayhood, either over the companionway or to port or starboard of it. A plotter on a bulkhead will be obscured by crew sitting against or in front of it and might well be damaged by someone leaning or falling against it.
mine is on a bracket at the companionway, where I also have easy access to the autopilot remote, the VHF and all the other instruments, creating a Compact and sheltered ‘command centre’, ideal for night watches
 
We have a bit of a different situation as we have a wheelhouse and we now use a tablet at the helm. Before the tablet we used a laptop & USP gps. At sea "Arnold" our intellectually challenged pilot is mostly in charge of the wheel while I fiddle with the sails.
I never sail without a paper back-up. We use it for planning and I regularly make note of our position and progress.
Until we got this boat I had never used this type of electronic navigation and it certainly was an eye-opener for me. No doubt it is an incredible tool, but I feel strongly that it can create a dangerous sense of dependency and complacency.
A couple of years ago we did a 1600 mile tour of the Baltic. I was too cheap to buy the extra electronic charts for Denmark and decided to do that part the traditional way. It was quite a wake-up call for me. After a life time of doing it all by hand, I felt strangely insecure without the video game of driving my little avatar through the Danish isles on a plotter.
I got over it quickly of course and found going without the plotter quite satisfying; plotting courses, taking bearings, trying to spot the numbers on the buoys etc ... it felt surprisingly "real" ... again.
 
Daydream believer said:
Don't you mean "I"-- it would not be single handed if there was a "we" onboard:unsure:
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Sometimes I sail single handed accompanied by Me, Myself and I, I don't use the royal we.
I also sail single handed when. We go sailing, Me, my wife and sometimes the dog, The Dog and I sail the boat, While the royal we does as she pleases. :)
My daughter joins us occasionally, I still sail single handed, assisted by the dog.
 
Kukri said:
If you steer with a tiller, it’s going to go on the aft cabin bulkhead.
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I wouldn't want mine bulkhead mounted, partly because it will be obscured by anyone sitting in front of it, but mainly because I value highly being able to tilt and turn the plotter to suit. Mine was mounted above the bulkhead on the cabin top on my previous boat (not quite sorted the current one). For general 'keeping an eye on it' I'll have it one angle if I'm on the tiller, another if I'm sitting on the opposite side of the cockpit, and a different one again if I'm doing detailed work on the plotter (scrolling around, checking detailed info, or plotting way marks or whatever).

That tilt/turn adjustment may not be so important if the plotter is bigger than my little (7" screen?) SH CP300i, and has better visibility if you are viewing from to one side, or higher/lower, rather than perpendicular to the screen.

By the way, a couple of comments above seemed to suggest plotters were dangerous and couldn't be relied upon. They can be a bit of a slippery slope, I agree, but I don't see plotters like that.

As someone said, they're just a tool. I don't treat what's on the plotter as necessarily accurately representing reality, but more as a general guide - something to organise, and compare and contrast, with what I'm seeing by eyeball, depth sounder, etc.. I can no longer update the charts on my plotter (due to software limitations), but I don't find that much of a drawback at all.
 
Rafiki said:
Mine is at the chart table, but that's partly because it was the easiest place to install when I was in a hurry having just purchased the boat. In the cockpit and under the sprayhood I have a Raymarine Graphic display which is set up to show the bearing and distance to the waypoint and course over ground. I never sail single handed and therefore this arrangement isn't a problem. I agree that a plotter under the sprayhood or at the helm would be ideal.
Just a heretical thought ................ isnt it all getting just a bit too easy, plotter at the helm with AIS overlay plus autopilot to do the actual steering, might it be easier to catch a ferry and stay in a shoreside hotel !
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Heresy to some.
Or just a part of the pleasure to others. In my own perverse way I prefer to sail with just the basics. I am happy with nothing more than an HBC, a weight on a string, some wool on the shrouds and a star to steer by.
Occasionally I succumb to modern convenience and use the donkey.

I enjoy not having the fancy tech. Weird? yep.
 
Uricanejack said:
I also sail single handed when. We go sailing, Me, my wife and sometimes the dog, The Dog and I sail the boat, While the royal we does as she pleases. :)
My daughter joins us occasionally, I still sail single handed,
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That is not really single handing , simply because when something goes wrong, there is another pair of hands to grab a rope or the helm for a couple of minutes. That can make a big difference. Does your wife or daughter stay sleeping whilst berthing?
My wife would if I were to let her. But then she does not come with me. :D
 
Kukri said:
If you steer with a tiller, it’s going to go on the aft cabin bulkhead.
Click to expand...
Why?


Picture No 9 (600 x 402).jpg

I now have a new removable 9 inch Garmin to fit there & i have a clear cover for it in heavy weather It is on a rotating base
The lorenze had 2 base stations so I could move it down below as well if I wish & that base station is on a long wandering lead so I can look at it to check AIS whilst laying in my bunk.
Autopilot control underneath
So having it behind me I now know where I have been, even if i do not know where i am going(y)
 
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One thing not yet mentioned, or perhaps I missed it, is the interaction of plotter/autopilot. I set a waypoint on the plotter and press "goto", then I need to press "track"on the autopilot, which is easier if they are next to each other, and the autopilot is near the wheel.

So one at the wheel ....

IMG_1857.JPG

... and one downstairs ....

20190624_181744.jpg
 
My boat has twin steering wheels so the articulated plotter is located between the two. Close enough to be of use, far away enough not to be a distraction in pilotage/shoal waters. It has a reasonably large touch-screen which works well, even when wet. It also links to a Tablet as a below deck repeater. When on passage, I still prefer to have the appropriate chart open as I find detail and perspective it easier to read.

Skylark%20in%20Portavadie.jpg
 
I have a chart plotter under the spray hood and Navionics on IPad and IPhone. Both the iPad and iPhone have a super tough, waterproof case and a motor cycle handlebar mounting that allows them to be slotted onto the wheel pedestal.

I hardly ever use the chart plotter now. Usual set up is iPad on pedestal plugged in to power and phone in pocket. Only real issue is very strong sunlight which can mean that the pedestal iPad display is hard to see, If I was ocean sailing I would add a laptop at the chart table.
 
This is where it gets interesting ......... apart from connecting autohelm to plotter - there really is no need for helm placed plotter now. The abundance of excellent tablets iPad / Android and a holder makes it so easy to have nav wherever you want it now.

I have thought about moving my plotter from just inside the companionway - but why ? I can now have a tablet at hand and use that ... the plotter there as the primary of course.

Ok - so some are going to shout AIS ... but if the plotter has alarm function for CAS ... then what's problem ?
 
westhinder said:
most plotters in the cockpit that are not at the wheel, seem to live on a bracket under the sprayhood
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That assumes that you have a sprayhood.
LittleSister said:
I wouldn't want mine bulkhead mounted, partly because it will be obscured by anyone sitting in front of it,
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True, but
  1. You don't look at it all the time
  2. You can ask them to move
  3. If you are solo it's you that is sitting in front of it
 
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