keninmed
New Member
I want to position the chart plotter at the chart-table and have a GPS repeater in the cockpit.
Can anyone recommend a suitable lower priced repeater?
Can anyone recommend a suitable lower priced repeater?
Repeater for Garmin451s Chartplotter
- Thread starter keninmed
- Start date
prv
Well-Known Member
What exactly do you mean by a "GPS repeater"? A second display of charts, or just a set of numbers giving distance and bearing to waypoint, etc?
In the latter case, NASA do such a repeater and I doubt anyone will be cheaper than them. Raymarine used to do one in their ST50 range, which you may find secondhand eg on eBay - I have this as a cockpit repeater when navigating using charts and a Yeoman (but only because it was on the boat when I bought it).
If you want a second interlinked chart display, then I'm not sure that's available with the smaller Garmins, though I could be wrong as I've not used them much myself.
In my opinion you're going about it back-arsewards by putting the plotter at the chart table, but feel free to ignore my opinion
Pete
In the latter case, NASA do such a repeater and I doubt anyone will be cheaper than them. Raymarine used to do one in their ST50 range, which you may find secondhand eg on eBay - I have this as a cockpit repeater when navigating using charts and a Yeoman (but only because it was on the boat when I bought it).
If you want a second interlinked chart display, then I'm not sure that's available with the smaller Garmins, though I could be wrong as I've not used them much myself.
In my opinion you're going about it back-arsewards by putting the plotter at the chart table, but feel free to ignore my opinion
Pete
salar
Well-Known Member
Nasa Clipper GPS repeater will do what you want. It will talk NMEA0183 to your Garmin. Bear in mind it will only show course and location, not map so I would have thought you would want the map display in the cockpit and the repeater downstairs.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Strange, do you steer from the chart table?
keninmed
New Member
Thanks for the info. Garmin confirm that the 451 will send the necessary 0183 messages to give full info on the nasa gps repeater.
For pvb,s elucidation , down here in the west boyo 'tis sometimes wet and windy, as i type its f7/8 sse and tipping down.
I like all my paper charts ,tide tables, tidal streams,almanacs and pilotage info in the dry down below where i can then plan and change a passage. All the helmsman needs is a course to steer.
On the boat in the med where the weather is not always lovely the plotter has been fixed immediately in front of the wheel where only the helmsman can piss about with it--not the best in some times crowded waters
For pvb,s elucidation , down here in the west boyo 'tis sometimes wet and windy, as i type its f7/8 sse and tipping down.
I like all my paper charts ,tide tables, tidal streams,almanacs and pilotage info in the dry down below where i can then plan and change a passage. All the helmsman needs is a course to steer.
On the boat in the med where the weather is not always lovely the plotter has been fixed immediately in front of the wheel where only the helmsman can piss about with it--not the best in some times crowded waters
pvb
Well-Known Member
Your boat, your choice. Most plotter threads on these forums tend towards a majority opinion that the helmsman needs to see the plotter.
prv
Well-Known Member
I like my paper stuff at the chart table as well. My submersible, waterproof electronic stuff, however, I like in the cockpit where I can see it. I have the plotter in a home-made "pod" just under the windscreen/sprayhood, and I tend to "conn the ship" standing at the front of the cockpit, with plotter, radar, AIS, and compass-binos at my fingertips and the horizon all round me.
The boat came with the plotter at the chart table and it took me a year to get round to moving it. During that year I hardly used the plotter at all because its location was so inconvenient. If I was going down to the chart table anyway, I found it easier to just use the chart. If I had bought the plotter rather than acquired it with the boat, what a waste of money that would have been.
But each to their own.
Pete
prv
Well-Known Member
I would modify that slightly and say that the short-handed skipper-navigator's job is better done from the cockpit. That's not the same thing as steering by plotter.
Down below in most boats, all you have is your chart and some instruments. On deck, you can see what's around you - and nowadays also have your (electronic) chart and instruments. Why deliberately blindfold yourself by leaving the "bridge"?
Pete
jacktarjohn
Member
I fixed my Garmin 451 to a small swing arm designed for a flat screen TV. It is positioned where it can be swung through the hatch to be seen from the helm or in the cabin over the chart table. A cheap and practical solution. IMO.
salar
Well-Known Member
Neat idea!
keninmed
New Member
I always sail with a crew so I do not have the same problems as a single handed skipper. I have for a good many years navigated by plotting the route on a laptop sending this to the GPS which then sends to the GPS repeater in the cockpit which is really all the helmsman needs, so all the tricky stuff is done below in the dry.The trouble I found on the shared boat was that the new stand alone chart plotter was mounted on the binicle so that only the helmsman could get at it. Since the auto pilot was not working he/she had to do both jobs even if someone acted as lookout.I just thought there must be a better way.
