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

johnalison said:
It's the Royal Harwich, with the Orwell bridge in the background.
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“Don’t tell him, Pike!” The Orwell is a perfect river from the messing about in boats point of view - big port with all weather access and world class navaids at the entrance, Officially Famous Sailing Pub, Mentioned by Arthur Ransome, In Own Bay, With Hard, country seats of heroic Naval Officers of the age of sail, Posh Boatyard, trad boatyards, six marinas, Scenery (woods and cliffs, with public footpaths) and not actually crowded.

It’s hard to think of anything that the Solent has got, that we haven’t got, apart from high prices and crowds

In the words of my former employers’ unofficial toast, “Life’s Hell in the East!”
 
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Kukri said:
“Don’t tell him, Pike!” The Orwell is a perfect river from the messing about in boats point of view - big port with all weather access and world class navaids at the entrance, Officially Famous Sailing Pub in Own Bay, With Hard, country seats of heroic Naval Officers of the age of sail, Posh Boatyard, trad boatyards, six marinas, Scenery (woods and cliffs, with public footpaths) and not actually crowded.

In the words of my former employers’ unofficial toast, “Life’s Hell in the East!”
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Which is why it is a favourite destination for yachtsmen/women from this side of the North Sea. Ignoring any TSS or windfarms, maintaining your course when you leave the Nieuwpoort harbour channel, takes you straight to Harwich entrance.
 
Baggywrinkle said:
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.
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That makes sense - although if the plotter and pilot are from the same manufacturer then you can generally avoid the second step. Then you can have a pilot head near the wheel for conveniently handing over to and from hand-steering - including quick “hold the heading while I adjust this sheet” type use - and use the plotter at the front of the cockpit to operate the pilot for navigation tasks.

When my pilot is steering, there’s a pop-up window on the left hand side of my plotter screen that lets me control it from there, whether it‘s in full route-following mode or just a basic heading hold.

Pete
 
prv said:
That makes sense - although if the plotter and pilot are from the same manufacturer then you can generally avoid the second step. Then you can have a pilot head near the wheel for conveniently handing over to and from hand-steering - including quick “hold the heading while I adjust this sheet” type use - and use the plotter at the front of the cockpit to operate the pilot for navigation tasks.

When my pilot is steering, there’s a pop-up window on the left hand side of my plotter screen that lets me control it from there, whether it‘s in full route-following mode or just a basic heading hold.

Pete
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I can hear my plotter muttering , «Look at me! Brain the size of a planet...I can run the whole boat, engine, bilges, batteries, radar, AIS and anything else, whilst navigating her through some of Slartibartfast’s finest work, and all this idiot wants me to do is show him where he is on a chart...! »
 
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prv said:
That makes sense - although if the plotter and pilot are from the same manufacturer then you can generally avoid the second step. Then you can have a pilot head near the wheel for conveniently handing over to and from hand-steering - including quick “hold the heading while I adjust this sheet” type use - and use the plotter at the front of the cockpit to operate the pilot for navigation tasks.

When my pilot is steering, there’s a pop-up window on the left hand side of my plotter screen that lets me control it from there, whether it‘s in full route-following mode or just a basic heading hold.

Pete
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Sounds emminently sensible .... dedicated plotters are making a shift to multi-function displays that contain all the instrument data and control. I would like to have just a screen at the helm, which I could configure for all the instruments for sailing, or motoring, or pilotage etc.

.... a project for the next boat ?
 
Kukri said:
A friend and fellow member of this place suggested it and I rubbished the idea saying I wanted my chart plotter at the chart table.

Now I am having second thoughts and thinking of adding another plotter, at the wheel.

(The boat is not an ideal ditch crawler.)

What do people think?
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Some excellent thoughts and comments in the responses already but I wish to add a couple of thoughts. We often operate in areas with no Aids to Navigation, shore lights or any evidence of humanity. What we find in these areas at night is that even a slight glow from a plotter or other lights destroys all ability to differentiate the various greys and shapes of the land. This also affects depth perception in these no/low light conditions. In these cases we utilise the plotter at the chart table, with the radar, to navigate with verbal commands to the helm in the cockpit. With the cabin in blackout we get no light at the helm or anywhere on deck. A cockpit plotter would not be as good. This method works well for us and we can use a tablet in the cockpit when we need.

In 99% of most peoples boating I would go for an external plotter over internal if I had to choose. Having both is ideal.

happy sailing
 
elenya said:
Some excellent thoughts and comments in the responses already but I wish to add a couple of thoughts. We often operate in areas with no Aids to Navigation, shore lights or any evidence of humanity. What we find in these areas at night is that even a slight glow from a plotter or other lights destroys all ability to differentiate the various greys and shapes of the land. This also affects depth perception in these no/low light conditions. In these cases we utilise the plotter at the chart table, with the radar, to navigate with verbal commands to the helm in the cockpit. With the cabin in blackout we get no light at the helm or anywhere on deck. A cockpit plotter would not be as good. This method works well for us and we can use a tablet in the cockpit when we need.

In 99% of most peoples boating I would go for an external plotter over internal if I had to choose. Having both is ideal.

happy sailing
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As I said in an earlier post we have both. Plotter at chart table and one under sprayhood. One is 14” the other 12” both with AIS.
We very rarely use the plotter below even entering an anchorage at night. I prefer to use the plotter in the cockpit with the radar overlay turned on and the brightness turned down to night setting. Wife would be on the foredeck as we enter an anchorage with a powerful head torch if needed. For me having both sets of eyes on deck is more important than half the crew below. The wife on the foredeck has no loss of night vision unless she uses the head torch but that would only be if she was concerned about something and felt the need.
 
Like many of us, I fancy, I think that one ought always to be able to single hand a boat, just in case one ever needs to do so. My 1930s gaff cutter had a 1900s singlehander’s “dodge” - a little chart table which slid under the companion hatch. On the same basis I have come to think that, on a more modern boat, an autopilot, a roller headsail, winches reachable from the helm, powered windlass and a chart plotter at the helm are essential single handing tools.
 
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Kukri said:
Like many of us, I fancy, I think that one ought always to be able to single hand a boat, just in case one ever needs to do so. My 1930s gaff cutter had a 1900s singlehander’s “dodge” - a little chart table which slid under the companion hatch. On the same basis I have come to think that, on a more modern boat, an autopilot, a roller headsail, winches reachable from the helm, powered windlass and a chart plotter at the helm are essential single handing tools.
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Essential or nice to have?
I would go with nice to have. Single handing may not be literal. It might be single hand on watch. The ability for a single person to sail the boat from the cockpit certainly is essential if you are sailing by yourself. The tools to make it easier are nice to have.
A shaft brake on the wheel, a piece of rope or bungee for the tiller, I can reach the sheets, halyards, and other bits and bobs. Roller furling is very nice to have,
I can nip bellow, with the boat balance, and be back, pretty quick, although I don’t like to leave the stove unattended JIK. So a cuppa May have to wait if I haven’t got a flask.
One day I will get an auto pilot, it will be nice to have, so will a spray hood, heater, hot water ect. In the mean time I get by.
while I enjoy company, I also quite enjoy sailing by myself.
 
Uricanejack said:
Essential or nice to have?
I would go with nice to have. Single handing may not be literal. It might be single hand on watch. The ability for a single person to sail the boat from the cockpit certainly is essential if you are sailing by yourself. The tools to make it easier are nice to have.
A shaft brake on the wheel, a piece of rope or bungee for the tiller, I can reach the sheets, halyards, and other bits and bobs. Roller furling is very nice to have,
I can nip bellow, with the boat balance, and be back, pretty quick, although I don’t like to leave the stove unattended JIK. So a cuppa May have to wait if I haven’t got a flask.
One day I will get an auto pilot, it will be nice to have, so will a spray hood, heater, hot water ect. In the mean time I get by.
while I enjoy company, I also quite enjoy sailing by myself.
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I have tiller pilot and with the wired remote - I can go forward to do all those jobs up front ...

I often sail alone ... the most important items that allow me to do that easily in order of important :

1. Furler
2. Tiller Pilot
3. Me !!
 
Kukri said:
Like many of us, I fancy, I think that one ought always to be able to single hand a boat, just in case one ever needs to do so. My 1930s gaff cutter had a 1900s singlehander’s “dodge” - a little chart table which slid under the companion hatch. On the same basis I have come to think that, on a more modern boat, an autopilot, a roller headsail, winches reachable from the helm, powered windlass and a chart plotter at the helm are essential single handing tools.
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I think essential is pushing it too far.

An autopilot yes for me, but I have no need or wish for winches near the helm and much prefer them on the coach roof at the front of the cockpit where I can stand and use maximum leverage. I would prefer roller but was quite happy in a cruiser/racer having halyards at the mast and changing jibs either using the main to keep the boat upwind or much better chugging along under main alone and autopilot.

I have never needed a chart plotter visible when out at sea and doing sail changes etc, and before GPS I knew I’d be fine once in sight of harbour with a pilot book to glance at. Nothing has changed since then.
 
Kukri said:
Like many of us, I fancy, I think that one ought always to be able to single hand a boat, just in case one ever needs to do so. My 1930s gaff cutter had a 1900s singlehander’s “dodge” - a little chart table which slid under the companion hatch. On the same basis I have come to think that, on a more modern boat, an autopilot, a roller headsail, winches reachable from the helm, powered windlass and a chart plotter at the helm are essential single handing tools.
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Come on Kukri, man up! Half the point of being a boat owner is to be able to boss the crew about, whilst reserving the fun (ie steering) for oneself.
 
Resolution said:
Come on Kukri, man up! Half the point of being a boat owner is to be able to boss the crew about, whilst reserving the fun (ie steering) for oneself.
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... and one cuts a far more imposing figure standing, swathed in Musto’s finest, feet encased in Dubarrys and planted apart on the teak grating, grasping a destroyer wheel and looking at the windward horizon with ones eyes screwed up, ready to bark the next order, than one ever did, sitting hunched up on the windward side of a cockpit, with a cold drip running down one’s neck, holding a tiller...

... I knew there was a reason why I bought a Seventies offshore racer!
 
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mjcoon said:
Is that a talking plotter as might be used in a boat set up for a blind navigator? If not, would that be a Good Thing?

Mike.
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I like the idea of that! the ability to set a course and have spoken command to say go left/right and the amount. As you say it likely exists for blind sailors. A great thought, I like your style.
 
geem said:
As I said in an earlier post we have both. Plotter at chart table and one under sprayhood. One is 14” the other 12” both with AIS.
We very rarely use the plotter below even entering an anchorage at night. I prefer to use the plotter in the cockpit with the radar overlay turned on and the brightness turned down to night setting. Wife would be on the foredeck as we enter an anchorage with a powerful head torch if needed. For me having both sets of eyes on deck is more important than half the crew below. The wife on the foredeck has no loss of night vision unless she uses the head torch but that would only be if she was concerned about something and felt the need.
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Two sets of eyes are always useful if they can be there safely. We find the person below navigating in safety and comfort more desireable in the conditions and locations we sail. Unto each their own. The ability to do either, with two plotters, is even better. Options are great.
 
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Kukri said:
I can hear my plotter muttering , «Look at me! Brain the size of a planet...I can run the whole boat, engine, bilges, batteries, radar, AIS and anything else, whilst navigating her through some of Slartibartfast’s finest work, and all this idiot wants me to do is show him where he is on a chart...! »
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You need to have a demonstration like the Philosophers.

You know - they were waving placards outside the building that housed the super computer 'Deep Thought'

Their message on the placards was " We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty "

Like we had before GPS..........................
 
rotrax said:
You need to have a demonstration like the Philosophers.

You know - they were waving placards outside the building that housed the super computer 'Deep Thought'

Their message on the placards was " We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty "

Like we had before GPS..........................
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Dunno about others - but as a professionally trained Navigator - I took immense satisfaction out of making landfall at desired point BEFORE SatNav ..... the job was interesting then.
 
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