Raymarine Axiom/B&G Vulcan touchscreens

[James W]

So how much of a pain are they to use on a sailing boat? A salesman told me today that they were all but useless in the wet and even alluding to them possibly being dangerous!

Is this just spin or are they perfectly fine to use on a rolling boat in the rain?

Thanks!

 

[Norman_E]

I have a Vulcan 7 which was the biggest plotter I could fit into the small place available at the helm. I don't get much rain where I sail, but it has been hit by spray plenty of times and I have no problems with it. Had I the space I would have liked one with knobs and buttons, but in the space available I would have had a much smaller screen. In the photo the menus are on the right of the screen, making it look smaller than it is..

 

[jwilson]

My Vulcan 7 works just as well wet as dry. My only complaints are:-

1 - the screen is sometimes slow to redraw when you pan or zoom, a second or two occasionally the worst case.

2 - The menu structure is quite complex, but you can work it out. The only real snag is that if it's in a very dim night mode and then turned off, and you turn it on again in bright sunlight, you ca't see the menu to know where to touch to get the brightmenss turned up. Eyes shut for a while, then hang a coat over the plotter and put your head in like a old-time photographer to read the menus. The same thing could happen on my previous Raymarine C70, but it had buttons and a two-button press adjusted brightness from night dim to almost bright enough to just see with difficulty in sunlight. At least the Vulcan is visible in most conditions.

 

[James W]

Thanks guys, it seems the Vulcan is up to the job. How about the Axiom, has anyone got any experience of them? (I’m only asking as all of my other instrumentation is Raymarine)

 

[pvb]

I prefer some buttons!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks guys, it seems the Vulcan is up to the job. How about the Axiom, has anyone got any experience of them? (I’m only asking as all of my other instrumentation is Raymarine)

If the AP is under deck Raymarine, stick with the Axiom, it should control the AP, the B&G will not.

 

[James W]

								If the AP is under deck Raymarine, stick with the Axiom, it should control the AP, the B&G will not. It’s an old type one Autohelm Paul, do you think it stands a chance?

 

[James W]

If the AP is under deck Raymarine, stick with the Axiom, it should control the AP, the B&G will not.

Or maybe the Element’s not a bad shout.....just doesn’t have Lighthouse 3 software and looks a bit agricultural!

 

[PaulRainbow]

								It’s an old type one Autohelm Paul, do you think it stands a chance?

Not sure if the Axiom will control that James, i'd drop Raymarine a line to be sure.

 

[James W]

Not sure if the Axiom will control that James, i'd drop Raymarine a line to be sure.

Thanks Paul

 

[Daverw]

Just to add, if you want to use normal gloves for the touch screen, small blob of dried silicone on finger tip makes it work

 

[ithet]

Or..
You can add the buttons to a touch only Axiom with the RMK panel, maybe later if necessary? This also give more options for fitting a bigger screen as the keypad can be mounted portrait or landscape. Also this combination seems to be cheaper than the equivalent Axiom Pro.

 

[James W]

Or..
You can add the buttons to a touch only Axiom with the RMK panel, maybe later if necessary? This also give more options for fitting a bigger screen as the keypad can be mounted portrait or landscape. Also this combination seems to be cheaper than the equivalent Axiom Pro.

Now that’s an idea! Thanks for that

 

[Ian_Rob]

post deleted

 

[Ningaloo]

I have both Zeus (with buttons) and Vulcan (touch only).
No problem with the Vulcan for general navigation but I do still tend to rely on the decicated Triton autohelm control rather than via the Zeus/Vulcan.

In response to getting the screen back in bright sunlight after brightness has been turned down, this was a serious issue for me however I understand that a quick double press on the on/off button resets this. (Something I learned recently and not yet tested myself)

 

[Boathook]

								It’s an old type one Autohelm Paul, do you think it stands a chance?

I have a raymarine eS mfd and it does basic controls on my raymarine smart pilot x5.
To the OP the mfd is both touch screen and knob/button. In rough weather the knob/button is easier to use.

 

[Robin]

Thanks guys, it seems the Vulcan is up to the job. How about the Axiom, has anyone got any experience of them? (I’m only asking as all of my other instrumentation is Raymarine)

We have a brand new Axiom9 touchscreen but due to lockdown untested out at sea. I added a remote keypad just in case of touchscreen probs, way cheaper than going for the axiom 'pro' just to get built in buttons.

Or..
You can add the buttons to a touch only Axiom with the RMK panel, maybe later if necessary? This also give more options for fitting a bigger screen as the keypad can be mounted portrait or landscape. Also this combination seems to be cheaper than the equivalent Axiom Pro.

that is what we chose, installed last January so not tested at sea yet. ours will not run an ancient RM pilot unless we change the course computer not bothered with that..

 

[James W]

We have a brand new Axiom9 touchscreen but due to lockdown untested out at sea. I added a remote keypad just in case of touchscreen probs, way cheaper than going for the axiom 'pro' just to get built in buttons.


that is what we chose, installed last January so not tested at sea yet. ours will not run an ancient RM pilot unless we change the course computer not bothered with that..

This is all great stuff, thanks for that.

Buttons are clearly the way to go if the plotter is at the helm. The Axiom and Remote Buttons option sounds perfect, at a fraction of the cost of an Axiom Pro ??

 

[Robin]

This is all great stuff, thanks for that.

Buttons are clearly the way to go if the plotter is at the helm. The Axiom and Remote Buttons option sounds perfect, at a fraction of the cost of an Axiom Pro ??

Our Axiom 9 is at the flybridge helm and at the downstairs one we have an android notebook linked to it by wifi, streams whatever the axiom is showing including radar and can also control the axiom. I have to say I use the touchscreen mostly but that may change when we get to go 'out' properly especially if it is bumpy or rains....

 

[Cardinal]

Would the Axiom instead act as a slave to the notebook below and show e.g. navionics chart by Bluetooth from the notebook?