Who has a 12" chartplotter...

[garyf]

... and where the heck did you put it? Haha. (22 cruiser)

I'm sure I'll make it work, but I thought I'd ask if anyone is/was either really happy or really unhappy with where they put theirs.

Looking through some pictures in here, it looks like someone has a sizeable unit on the dashboard shelf at the helm, but that's currently where my compass is located so I'd have to move that. Might be the way to go, but I want to make sure before I do it.

The same shelf over on the port side of the boat actually doesn't seem bad... I can see it clearly from the helm and it doesn't block my view out the widows... but that puts it out of easy reach and I'm wondering how often I'd need to reach to operate it while underway.

When I was playing around with a cardboard mockup, I was thinking it'd go well on the center shelf above the passage into the v-berth, but not liking that spot so much with the actual unit for a couple of reasons... so definitely not my #1 choice.

I have the old overhead electronics shelf, but it's not currently installed - there's been so many things installed up there, the shelf looks like swiss cheese! I'm thinking I'd replace the shelf completely if I need it - and if I go that route, I'd love to hear suggestions for a better material to use... lighter and thinner, if possible, without losing too much of the strength.

Part of the equation is wondering how well these units deal with heat (sun) blasting on them . Has anyone had problems in that? I would assume they're built to handle sun/heat but better safe than sorry... and of course I would prefer to learn about that problem (if it exists) before I drill holes in the fiberglass.

Worse case, I may figure out a way to drop back to the 9" but it just seemed like too big of a jump between 12" and 9"!! - and no one in or near town had 12" for me to put my hands on.

Anyway - creative input appreciated.

[hardee]

I have the Raymarine C-120, and I love it. And yes, it is right in front of my helm seat, above the wheel. I'm not tall, but I sit quite vertical, and it does not bother my vision to the front and up close. I would say you want it close enough to be able to reach easily. I use mine frequently, AIS inputs to check, screen ranges to adjust (I run split screens, 1 closer in 1-3 miles, and 1 at 6 - 12 miles). The 1-3 has the radar overlay, and the 6-12 is more for the AIS and the general lay of the land (or sea). The radios are overhead because once they are adjusted, there is very little to do with them except access the mic.

When docked or anchored, I cover the Helm unit with a towel to shield it from the direct sun, and the C-120 still works perfectly. I keep covers on all of the radios and screen devices and when towing I put window shades in to keep prying eyes out.




Last one, the photo was taken from the center isle and camera was lowered to get the falls into the shot.

Harvey
SleepyC

[gstraub]

Ours is a 10" and set up just like Harvey's. I don't have a current pic. Our compass is on the centerline above the doorway to the vee berth just like the electronic compass in Harvey's picture. Ours compass isn't electronic, so I don't like it a lot there and if steering by compass from the seat, I use one of the 45 degree lubber lines as a reference, although with the chartplotter, I rarely steer by compass anyway.

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

[Pacificcoast101]

I replaced my Raymarine C-80 with a C-120 and put it in the same spot. I have to look around it at times but there is already a blind spot there between the windows.

[thataway]

On our last 22, we had the 10" Garmin over the helm (Radar and small scale chart), with a 5" Garmin outboard AIS, and a 7" on the shelf entrance to the V Berth ( depth sounder, down view and/or large scale chart).

You really want to be able to get to the chart plotter--and you defeat the purpose of a large plotter by putting it 5' away. Also it is an advantage to have the major chart plotter just below your line of view forward. You can reference the chart/radar/ digital info without looking around for it.

The major advantage of a large plotter on the 22 is that you can then slice it up into various quadrants: Radar, Chart large and or small scale, down view or side view sonar, and AIS etc

[ssobol]

The thing I don't like about current generation chartplotters is the unused margin around the screen. A 12in chartplotter (actual display size) has about a 15" diagonal screen before you start with the part that has the buttons. This makes the chartplotter larger than necessary.

If they can make laptops with very narrow bezels (my current laptop has a bezel of about 1/4" around the screen), why can't they make chartplotters the same or similar?

Yes, I know I could use a laptop as a chartplotter to get the narrow bezel, but that's not what I'm talking about.

[Another_cdory]

If you go to my album, I just added an older image of my Simrad plotters when I was testing the radar in my driveway. Note that neither the 12" or 7" unit block the windshield view. I did recess the top shelf mount for the smaller one.
--Chelsea

[WeekiTiki]

My Goodness!

Helm on my boat looks nothing like those

Can only imagine all the wires

[hardee]

Bob makes a good point here:

[gulfcoast john]

Gary,

The large compass interferes with being able to mount a display aft of it. The compass will often be affected by the metal in the display chassis.

You can select a compass lubber line option on most any modern display.

I removed the big compass, and located a small, non-backlighted one lower on the helm panel. We have red headlamps and red helm station lighting if navigating at night, which we avoid like COVID-19. Maybe even more so.

Eileen's display (port) pivots towards her, and folds 90 degrees to get out of the way of berth egress on a pivoting RAM 3 way mount. Displays are networked so either of us can choose whatever parameters on the system we want to see. I like nav chart, overlay #1 radar targets and MARPA, #2 AIS targets including reaching out to them with a one touch "CONTACT TARGET BRIDGE MMSI" option. We like all engine parameters, fuel calculations and CHIRP on her display. You can see how the bottom is closing in on our keel in an orange picture that is much easier to interpret quickly than digital numbers among dozens of others.

On the other hand, here I am just taking photos of a 1.8 ft depth that's getting even more shallow. Maybe as Acting Captain she should have let the 'cat out of the bag'.

You’ll find something that works for you!

Even if it’s a big compass and papyrus charts and a sextant and a Cat O’ Nine tails (sorry) for misbehaving crew!



Cheers!
John

[Pat Anderson]

We tried a number of different solutions for the Great Loop. What we ended up with was our Raymarine C-80 just above the helm and our iPad on a RAM mount hanging down from the electronics shelf. The C-80 (from 2005) only was useful for depth and recording mileage, as we had no cartography for it. The iPad was both a monitor for the laptop on the center shelf and running Garmin Blue Chart. The laptop was running Coastal Explorer with the lid closed. The iPad was the monitor for the computer with a nifty little program called Duet. We mainly used the computer with our AIS receiver, and did most navigation with the iPad. It worked out great for us. The photo shows pretty well where everything was. This, minus the computer, is what we still use today, except we have cartography for for the Raymarine from here to Alaska and we use either Navionics or Aquamap on the iPad. All we lost was the AIS receiver screen, and here in the PNW that does not seem significant.

[thataway]

John's post about "Eileen's display" brings to mind another option, which we use. Most of the modern MDF will send the information to an I PAD (I don't know about android tablets). On our boat we will put one of the displays on an I pad for Marie to watch, such as the Radar, and depth. That way I can concentrate on eyes on the water and the chart display...The Larger I pad Pro's are excellent and bright enough for in the cabin of the C Dory line...

[garyf]

Thanks everyone for input... I'm currently leaning towards moving the compass and dropping the MFD right down in front. Looking into what it'll take to transplant the compass tomorrow. If that goes well, might just keep rolling - we'll see.

I do appreciate all the advice! The unit I have is the Garmin 1242xsv+, which is all touchscreen... no buttons, so it's a little smaller than most of the other 12 inch units I think. I agree it'll be nice to have it right in front. I'm still learning its capabilities, but it seems like it can combine into one display what used to be shown on multiple displays. I'm sure there are advantages to keeping things broken out on different displays as well... but one step at a time, and I'm trying to keep things fairly simple and functional.

I'll update when I get it figured out! Looking forward to the flexing the capabilities of this baby!

[thataway]

Your plan is solid. If you add AIS you may want an inexpensive, or older chart plotter to have that information displayed. The AIS will clutter up the screen of the main chart plotter.
"
The place where I found a lot of AIS "clutter was major ports, such as San Francisco. Not only did the commercial boats, freighters, but also all of the committee boats of St. Francis YC, and many recreational boats...