Homer J
Well-Known Member
Look on line for a ‘lifeproof’ Cover. Fully waterproof.
iPad at the binnacle - genius or madness?
- Thread starter MagicalArmchair
- Start date
Graham376
Well-Known Member
I think plotters below are a throwback to the days of paper charts and chart tables ... the plotter was put where traditionally the navigation would be done - and people were initially very suspicious of the electrickery. In the distant past, plotters were nowhere near as capable as today, and they were certainly not multi-function displays - so people just bolted them next to the chart table and many older boats therefore have that configuration by default. The tablet in my picture above is covering the hole where a monochrome plotter used to live.
Tradition takes a long time to change .... people stick to what they are used to.
PS: Before I get savaged by the paper-chart brigade or Tablet users, I'm not advocating getting rid of paper, or belittling the use of tablets - your boat - your rules
I'm obviously out of step with the majority. Like you, I can't understand why plotters and radar are mounted down below where they can't be seen from the helm. Our chart table is still used as I like paper navigation and the gps is there as well for easy entering of waypoints. OTOH, I can't understand why anyone would want to have to stand at the helm to view any instruments or plotter.
Our boat use isn't the norm when compared to weekend users who enjoy going out for a bash for a few hours. When we leave the mooring, our nearest destinations are 5 - 8 hours away, depending on whether heading east or west so, 95% of the time we're on autohelm. Instruments & gps repeater are over the companionway, chartplotter (if in use for pilotage) is under the sprayhood and radar, VHF and autohelm remote are there as well, where they can be seen and operated. All sail handling is done from the cockpit as well.
Do people actually like standing behind the helm all the time or, is it because they have to?
thinwater
Well-Known Member
The answers may not always be what you expect, because every boat is different.
On my cat, the best view and most comfortable seat was the helm. Out of the sun and rain too, since it was forward, under the hard top. The instruments never got wet. I kept a chart plotter and an Ipad there. It was like an extension of the salon.
But no, I don't like staring at instruments. I wondered around under passage. Yes, most of my sailing on that boat was all-day passages. I converted my nav station to a work bench/tool storage, with a few paper charts stashed.
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westhinder
Well-Known Member
We have pretty much the same set up: sailing instruments over the companionway, VHF and autopilot remote just inside the companionway and in easy reach, plotter under the sprayhood. On long passages everything is managed from the cockpit under the sprayhood or sitting in the companionway.
When handsteering the plotter is easily viewable from behind the wheel, even with my weak eyesight.
I do have the paper chart open on the chart table, next to it is a separate gps, so the two ways of navigating coexist.
For planning purposes I remove the plotter and put it at the chart table.
XDC
Well-Known Member
Why do you think people stand behind the helm (wheel) all the time?
I can sit on the coaming or anywhere across behind the binnacle including a large seat behind the wheel.
I can also stand on a floor that angles the nearer it gets to the sides.
At all times I can see my instruments.
Nothing exceptional about this, it seems the norm
RupertW
Well-Known Member
Why do you think people stand behind the helm (wheel) all the time?
I can sit on the coaming or anywhere across behind the binnacle including a large seat behind the wheel.
I can also stand on a floor that angles the nearer it gets to the sides.
At all times I can see my instruments.
Nothing exceptional about this, it seems the norm
I’m not sure it’s the norm - we rarely go behind the wheel except when mooring up. With a big single wheel the cockpit feels very protected forward of it, so anything on the binnacle would be invisible to us. We have thought of more bulkhead mounted displays (just wind, speed and depth now) but as a peek down the hatch can clearly see the iPad on the chart table then it’s not much of an advantage. For those who hand steer or lounge behind the wheel then fair enough.
Graham376
Well-Known Member
Why do you think people stand behind the helm (wheel) all the time?
I can sit on the coaming or anywhere across behind the binnacle including a large seat behind the wheel.
I can also stand on a floor that angles the nearer it gets to the sides.
At all times I can see my instruments.
Nothing exceptional about this, it seems the norm
Nothing wrong with it if that's what you like. Just that when we're out and about, we sit forward of the wheel reading or nipping down below for a beer or coffee etc. and can see everything from there. Only go behind the wheel when I have to use it, usually for anchoring, docking etc.
AngusMcDoon
Well-Known Member
No space at the helm for me, small tiller steered boat, no binnacle, no bulkhead space. I cope with it down below, 46k miles on my boat's log now, all of them mine, all rocks avoided so far.
Baggywrinkle
Well-Known Member
There is no one-size-fits all .... it depends on the type and layout of the boat, the use it is put to, the climate where the boat is used and the preferences of the skipper and crew.
My boat is a med based AWB with rear cockpit and swim platform - traditional in that it has a seperate permanent chart table, which is no longer the trend - but it is still an AWB.
The weather is mostly hot and sunny so we live outdoors - rarely going below during the day. I usually spend anywhere from 2-6 hours underway each day and it's a mix between motoring on autopilot and sailing - where I prefer to hand steer. There are no tides to speak of and the navigation is straightforward. I just like messing about on my boat, going from A to B with no fixed plan and no stress.
My boat has a binnacle in front of the wheel, so it's the obvious place to put the instruments. I've got a tablet plotter, a VHF, and a complete set of paper charts as back-up below. This works very well for me - and that's the point - I set my boat up so that it works for me.
I'm always interested in how other people set their boats up because perhaps I can use their knowledge and ideas to improve my own boat - new tech brings new possibilities.
My boat is a med based AWB with rear cockpit and swim platform - traditional in that it has a seperate permanent chart table, which is no longer the trend - but it is still an AWB.
The weather is mostly hot and sunny so we live outdoors - rarely going below during the day. I usually spend anywhere from 2-6 hours underway each day and it's a mix between motoring on autopilot and sailing - where I prefer to hand steer. There are no tides to speak of and the navigation is straightforward. I just like messing about on my boat, going from A to B with no fixed plan and no stress.
My boat has a binnacle in front of the wheel, so it's the obvious place to put the instruments. I've got a tablet plotter, a VHF, and a complete set of paper charts as back-up below. This works very well for me - and that's the point - I set my boat up so that it works for me.
I'm always interested in how other people set their boats up because perhaps I can use their knowledge and ideas to improve my own boat - new tech brings new possibilities.
Stemar
Well-Known Member
My boat is similar, so depth, GPS and compass are built into a box that fits on the rear of the companionway hatch. My tablet or phone, running Navionics, go next to it, visible from the tiller.
I think Baggywrinkle has the right of it - no one size fits all...
It's probably going to be a good bit harder to fit a plotter where the helm can see it in a tiller steered boat, much easier with a wheel. If the helm has a tendency to watch the screen rather than what's going on around him, FFS take the damn screen away, but going up a twisting channel like the entrance to Bembridge, I like the idea of being able to see what's what and where on the plotter, so I don't try and miss out a buoy. I've seen what happens when you do that, especially on a falling tide and, even with bilge keels, there's no way you're going to convince anyone you meant it!