Raymarine Axiom installation for twin helms

[rjmcl]

Hi, my Jeanneau 45 (in Greece) was struck by lightning, and I am replacing all existing defective Raymarine electronics.
Yacht is 2008 and has twin wheels. Initial plan was to install Axiom 9 MFD at chart-table and an i50 Tridata and i60 wind display at each of the helms. Basically replacing my existing E80 and ST 60 instruments with like for like.

However, the electronics installer tech in Greece has suggested that instead of having an i50 and i60 at each of the helming positions, I fit an Axiom 7 MFD at each wheel. This saves some money since two Axiom 7s are cheaper than two i50s and two i60s.
Phoned Raymarine technical support, who say that it will work ok - with three Axioms on same network.

Now wondering if this is a practical proposition? Has anyone done / considered this option. What are the pros and cons?

One pro is that yacht will then have navigation chart at each helm, as well as instrumentation. Currently I mount a 10" tablet on the aft end of cockpit table. Works OK, but is difficult to see in sunlight, vulnerable to getting bashed, and has to be moved somewhere safer in significant rain / heavy weather. (We have another RAM mount under sprayhood)
One significant con is that there will be some glass fibre work required for a different cut out configuration. Axiom 7 will not fit into current instrument display niches moulded in side decks by wheels

I would welcome any advice / thoughts on this installation.

Kind regards, Richard McLellan

 

[AngusMcDoon]

The Axiom MFDs have been superseded by the Axiom+ range now, with higher resolution and brighter displays. The Axiom+ 7 is a fairly small screen and using part of the screen to display boat data means that the chart display part will be pretty small. I realize that you will have a bigger Axiom+ 9 inside, so not a major problem.

I believe that the i50 and i60 displays will drive the transducers but the Axiom+ displays will not. You'll need the same transducer interface box to get the data on your N2K network as if you were installing i70s displays. I'm sure Paul Rainbow will be along soon to verify that.

Apart from that, sounds a good idea if you have sufficient electrical power to run 3 Axiom+ MFDs as they will use more juice than the dedicated displays.

 

[rjmcl]

Thanks for helpful reply. I had not considered extra power demands. Also, requirement for additional ITC-5 interface box makes this not so economic.
Finally, I have used internet to dredge up some photos of Jeanneau 45 helm instrument installations. Axiom 7 will not fit without significant fibreglass butchery. Doubt it would ever look correct.
Back to original plan of i50&i60 combo at each helm.
Richard

 

[PaulRainbow]

The Axiom MFDs have been superseded by the Axiom+ range now, with higher resolution and brighter displays. The Axiom+ 7 is a fairly small screen and using part of the screen to display boat data means that the chart display part will be pretty small. I realize that you will have a bigger Axiom+ 9 inside, so not a major problem.

I believe that the i50 and i60 displays will drive the transducers but the Axiom+ displays will not. You'll need the same transducer interface box to get the data on your N2K network as if you were installing i70s displays. I'm sure Paul Rainbow will be along soon to verify that.

Apart from that, sounds a good idea if you have sufficient electrical power to run 3 Axiom+ MFDs as they will use more juice than the dedicated displays.

It's correct that the Axiom won't configure the transducers if they are connected via an ITC5.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks for helpful reply. I had not considered extra power demands. Also, requirement for additional ITC-5 interface box makes this not so economic.
Finally, I have used internet to dredge up some photos of Jeanneau 45 helm instrument installations. Axiom 7 will not fit without significant fibreglass butchery. Doubt it would ever look correct.
Back to original plan of i50&i60 combo at each helm.
Richard

How about fitting the Axiom under the cockpit table, preferably in a pod that tilts/swivels, and have the tablet down below, out of the Sun or rain ? With the Axiom you can install the Raymarine app' on the tablet and completely control the plotter from down below.

 

[ashtead]

Personally I hate having the chart plotter ray marine E behind the starboard wheel on a twin wheel boat so ideally would have fitted by table -this is the Dufour approach , however our table is removable as opposed to grp 9advantage is clean cockpit to walk though with just a rail/bar The best place would seem to be in a pod under the hood as seen on Najad but as said option is a paired iPad so you can sit under the screen/spray hood at night watching plotter via Bluetooth and move about freely. Much simpler to lift an iPad closer to face than kneel down to a fixed plotter. Clearly if you can mount in table end and no large pod in way best bet. Or change to boat with a pedestal large enough to top mount plotter you look down at but rather extreme solution. Guess it depends how you use plotter though as to what works best.