Plotter touchscreens

[C08]

In a marine environment are touchscreens an advantage or just something else to go wrong?

 

[TradewindSailor]

Never used them, but the last thing I want is greasy finger prints hiding info on my chart in poor light conditions.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I'd call them a preference rather than an advantage personally. I've only used Garmin touchscreens in anger and they're absolutely great but I think half of that is a well-designed menu system which is much better than early Simrad or Raymarine to my mind. Later Simrad/Lowrance and Raymarine seem to be better (Simrad especially). I suspect that the less-intuitive ones become less of a problem on your own boat - rather like getting to know a car dash layout. I've never known or heard of a problem with greasy fingerprints or water stopping things working on touchscreens. Remember that you're eliminating a load of switches that are potential weak points for both failing and water ingress. In practice a touchscreen is probably more reliable.

 

[Seajet]

When I was a photographer for BAe, the Harrier GR5 with multi function displays came in.

My speciality was cockpit photo's for briefings and I soon found I had to get hold of the special cleaning fluid to use before pics, as everyone seems to jab their greasy fingers on the b****y screen even though they were surrounded by buttons !

I note touchscreens are not used in military aircraft, most likely because of the difficulty when the aircraft is manouvering or in turbulence, which will be much worse in a boat.

I will not be having touchscreen displays.

 

[johnphilip]

Two Luddites so far, any more in denial of progress?

 

[Seajet]

Two Luddites so far, any more in denial of progress?

If you mean me, I'm basing it on experience; I have a good plotter and over 40 years at sea, and worked with screen displays as mentioned.

'Progress' is sometimes trendiness and posing.

 

[TradewindSailor]

And my experience is not with touch screens ..... but with greasy / dirty plotter screens. I wouldn't have thought it would take a genius to make this connection. I smell a troll!!

 

[Ripster]

Touchscreens are great in the correct application. If things are smooth and calm, then yes they work great and beat buttons hands down. But try operating one effectively on a bumpy Powerboat or Rib - buttons give you more control and a faster result. All IMO of course!

 

[johnphilip]

If you mean me, I'm basing it on experience; I have a good plotter and over 40 years at sea, and worked with screen displays as mentioned.

'Progress' is sometimes trendiness and posing.

I had a button operated plotter and upgraded to a touchscreen. Admittedly it was also the software was greatly improved but the ease of use was so much better. It was no longer just the skipper who could readily navigate.
This was real progress

 

[nigelmercier]

I have enough trouble hitting the right touchscreen key when I'm sitting in an armchair at home, even more difficult on a train. On a boat, forget it.

With a proper button you have haptic feedback before you fully depress it, not so with a touchscreen.

 

[BERT T]

I had a button operated plotter and upgraded to a touchscreen. Admittedly it was also the software was greatly improved but the ease of use was so much better. It was no longer just the skipper who could readily navigate.
This was real progress

Have you tried operating your touchscreen on a power boat doing 50 knots. I can speak from experience and can tell you it was a total waste of time even trying.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I note touchscreens are not used in military aircraft, most likely because of the difficulty when the aircraft is manouvering or in turbulence, which will be much worse in a boat.

Partly that but also so that you can have buttons in different shapes and in different places so you can get the right button/switch/knob by feel and no need to look. From the Jag and Harrier (GR3 I think) multi-function buttons came in whereby you would turn to a selection and then press to activate it. The position of the unit at the base of the column and the need to look meant that at least 3 Jaguars were lost whilst try to update the Nav Control Unit. It was completely redesigned and moved up on to the cockpit coaming and the problem went away.

The other issue in an a/c is pulling g of course - it's very hard to hold your hand in the right place if the pilot suddenly whacks on several G.

 

[Little Sam]

I'm about to set sail on a pretty longish voyage with my new all singing and dancing SH CPN 700i touchscreen plotter. We are likely to encounter very varied conditions both day and night so watch this space for the verdict.

 

[Pasarell]

I've had a Garmin 750 touchscreen plotter for 3 years now and find it very easy to use. Greasy fingerprints have never been an issue despite many different people wanting to have a go. It would be wrong to say I've never touched the wrong point, especially in rough weather, but no more of a problem than with buttons. I can see it would be more difficult on a fast power boat though!

 

[johnphilip]

I have enough trouble hitting the right touchscreen key when I'm sitting in an armchair at home, even more difficult on a train. On a boat, forget it.

With a proper button you have haptic feedback before you fully depress it, not so with a touchscreen.

"Haptic" Real buttons or touchscreen?

 

[johnphilip]

Have you tried operating your touchscreen on a power boat doing 50 knots. I can speak from experience and can tell you it was a total waste of time even trying.

I'll plod along sailing slowly with my touchscreen plotter thank you. I have no wish to be on a 50 knot carbon burner.

 

[David2452]

Have fitted and operated a number of TS units, I certainly wouldn't want one on an open cockpit boat with big gloves a fish blood & guts on my hands, but... in the right install they have advantages, more screen size for the same footprint on a crowded helm for a start, the Garmins are very intuative and simple to use, that said I wouldn't want one on my boat, my Shogun has TE for navigation, 'phone control, sounds etc and that is bad enough over rough ground, not a fan at all and I am anything but a Ludite.

 

[rivonia]

We have the GARMIN 5012 touch screen and use it all the time in good or very bad weather . It works perfectly and would not dream of having any other system. It does NOT get greasy finger prints onit. Where does that come from. I zoom in and out, see contours, see the sea bed etc etc.

We recomend it to all and sundry. Including fellow ludites as I am a true ludite.

 

[johnalison]

I've used a Raymarine e7 for a season and found it quick and convenient in use, and it looks like being even better with its update. The only problem I've had was before the season when I had very cold hands and it didn't always respond.

On the e7 the touch-screen can be disabled.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I have enough trouble hitting the right touchscreen key when I'm sitting in an armchair at home, even more difficult on a train. On a boat, forget it.

With a proper button you have haptic feedback before you fully depress it, not so with a touchscreen.

I don't understand.

You can touch a button or hold a knob but other than that, what form does the feedback take? The ones on my plotter don't start vibrating or wriggling about.

(Just for the record, I also prefer buttons and knobs.)