Integrating Chartplotter, Radar, AIS

[BlueSky2]

Hi I am looking for some help and suggestions on what instruments would fit with what I have. I hope some members here would have some thoughts on this and may have had similar issues.

At present the boat (38' CC) has a Raymarine 435i Chartplotter + wind + auto-pilot-control-head, all on a Navpod at the wheel. Below decks the only navigation is a handheld Garmin GPS 76Cs and paper maps.

I now want to upgrade the system. I intend installing radar(new broadband), AIS(TX/Rx) and want a set up that could show all these things, both at the helm and below decks. (I will also be installing a new VHF with remote helm hand-controller.)

AFIK there appears to be no way to leverage the map cartridges used in the 435i without replacing the 435i. I would rather not buy and run two different map types actually 3 map systems if you include the Garmin charts as well.

Option 1 – Replace the 435i at the wheel with a multifunction display/repeater that fits in the 435i cutout in the pod (does such a thing exist?). Install a multifunction display below deck that can be used for radar, plotting, AIS, display weather overlays etc. Tie it all together.

Option 2 – Leave the 435i where it is and purchase maps for a dedicated navstation laptop. Perhaps using the same charts as the Garmin 76Cs, if there is any advantage there. The only problem with this solution is that the helmsman will not be able to see or control the radar or the AIS information.

Option 3 - ???

The Navpod itself is expensive, so if I was replace the 435i the replacement instrument should preferably fit into the cutout or at most be just a little bit bigger.

I have a few spare laptops that I could use e.g. two for personal use and as backups to the dedicated ship computer, but I don’t feel I have to use these if there are other better solutions.

Perhaps the laptop should be in a addition to multifunction displays. Can anyone recommend any particular multifunction display?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.