where to site my chart plotter

I think the radar on the wheel pod is a real no-no too, there is no way that someone can concentrate on steering and watching a developing situation on radar. Autopilots Rule OK in my book in fog, they don't get disorientated and sail in circles! Once you accept the role of the autopilot then the radar position can only be on the coachroof for all to see or down below at the Nav Table where the best expert on board can study it properly. In our case the radar is below, at the Nav Table but immediately next to a chart plotter and a second autopilot control head and multi-instrument repeater so course changes can be made from there and any bearings taken when we are 'on' course. I can see some advantage to radar on deck but not at the wheel on a yacht -mobos are a different case though.
 
The Cockpit is the most common mount and double cable or swinging arm are also good, the only thing not mentioned is the location of your steering compass, a chart plotter will cause some error, this can be reduced or even eliminated by tilting the plotter top toward the compass (assuming it's above the plotter) till the unit lines up with the middle of the compass.

I discovered this by accident when doing a fix the old way, I asked the helmsman to tilt the plotter back so I could see the ships compass, and noticed it swing a good 5 degrees, pulled it back upright and the swing returned. Raymarine unit.

Avagoodweekend
 
Providing you can adequately dim the screen for night vision at the helm.

When at the chart table you can use charts and almanacs but if it all goes pear shaped in bad weather and you end up effectively sailing the boat in bad weather (taking 100% concentration) its the one at the helm that makes it easy to go close inshore to find a counter current or to make the harbour entrance.

I say the above from experience as on our 1st boat we only had one at the chart table. Since then I have always gone for a repeater at the helm but if only one unit my preference would be the helm position.
 
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I've just gone down this path, passage planning, longer distance, channel etc works best on paper chart at the chart table. A zoomed in view on a chart plotter half way across the channel will give you a little arrow and a lot of blue.

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true only if your plotter has a small screen. Thats why I can do this on my much larger screen on the planning system, and the small plotter is then used in a more magnified scale for near distance nav.
 
[I say the above from experience as on our 1st boat we only had one at the chart table. Since then I have always gone for a repeater at the helm but if only one unit my preference would be the helm position. ] /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

on our first boat the only electrics we had were lights, n pleased to have em /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

As for Plotters Im with Robin. plotter + good A/h /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I've wired my Navman 5600i to be available aloft and below (I have a deck saloon so often con from below). I take it where I need it - depends on the circumstances. If you can't do this, then put it in the cockpit.

The combination of a radar and plotter (not necessarily on the same screen or part of the same system) is magic in bad vis. in pilotage conditions, if they are in the cockpit. Once you've tried it you will never want to be without it.
 
With the chart plotter mounted in the cockpit, possibly at the for'rd end, what about glare at night and loss of night vision - surely in a night close quarter situation you need maximum night vision to see lit marks (or even unlit ones).
 
On the normal 'sunlight' setting it becomes very bright as the light levels drop but we can turn the backlight brightness down until it is no problem at all, about as bright as an LCD watch light. It is certainly a lot better in our case for night vision than nipping below and using the chart light, even with a red filter. Our instrument lights can also be dimmed with 3 levels of brightness or even 'off', as we have most of these over the mainhatch and in line of sight we do sometimes dim these too but it isn't really a problem.
 
My Navman has a special night colour scheme. It also has a plastic display cover which I put on when I want to preserve my night vision to the maximum /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Night setting ....

Even my cheapo Lowrance 3500C has a backlight dimmer - via the power switch - like most other GPS sets / plotters in fact.

It seems to me that a few posts on here are possibly made by those who haven't actually mounted a Plotter on their own boats ... even possibly are THINKING what would be problems etc.

Mine is not permanent mounted yet .... best would be under sprayhood - as I don't have wheel steering and pedestal ... but my compromise is on top of engine box to port when entering cabin ... the U brcaket is fixed by one self-tapper through centre hole and whole affair can swivel round to face into cabin or out for helm to see ... the power button when tapped once dims screen, tap again dims lower ... tap again full bright ....

At end of day ... the idea of a plotter is convenience - let's get away from this cr*p about Lat and long on charts etc. The world moves on I'm afraid. So helmsman is the most important person to know Where TF he is ... and a plotter stuck in front of him at helm station is the idea. If you are so stuck on charts and your 2b pencil .... then because it's in the warm and dry - can have whatever light on it you like .... get your PDA or PC notebook connected via NMEA at the chart table ..... from your plotter .......... all it needs is cheap telephone multi-cable etc.

It's honestly sometimes that boating gets stuck in a time warp ..... but new technology nibbles away at the edges ...

Go back a few hundered years .... the users of Octants poo-poo'd the new fangled Sextants ..... old-hands preferred their Lunar Tables to those new fangled Stellar Almanacs .....

I do agree with paper charts and plots - don't get me wrong ... but most yotties are not crossing oceans, are not "relying" on nav to get there etc. C'mon - crossing Channel - south you hit France, North you hit uk .....

So what is problem ???????????
 
Position depends on your sort of sailing. In close quarters situation in Swedishh skerries - then it must be usable from the helm.
If in open water then it can be below. You probably only look at it once per hour.
If in the cockpit, it's a pain to program - best done below, in comfort, with references available.
My solution is to have a Lowrance 3600ci with internal antenna, buy a cigar lighter lead instead of the very complicated do everything lead supplied, and move it from cockpit to saloon as needed.
 
I'm not sure how this has reared it head 10 months after me posting it!
For the record, i ended up having it at the chart table because the fitting was easier and i was told i would need a new (expensive) instrument pod at the helm. Having used it for the season i think there is a good argument for both positions, at the helm being obvious and at the chart table for planning.

If i did it again I'd have it at the helm!
 
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