Where's Your Chartplotter?

[svDragonfly]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Looks like we're across the board on placement, but maybe agreed on functionality - most everyone would agree that they spend less time behind the helm once underway than anywhere else in the cockpit.

Love the idea of a swivel-mounted system - answers the problem of versatility and avoids the cost of replicate systems all over the place.

Anyone have there chartplotter under the dodger on the cabintop?

[BlueSovereign]

Prior to my current upgrade there was only a chart plotter at my pilot-house station and not in the cock-pit, though near everything else was already duplicated.

I found that to be a PITA, at certain times, and thus am now in the process of duplicating everything in the cock-pit (which means adding a charter-plotter and anchor depth reading capabilities).

A guy near my berth, with a designed (by him) and custom built charter yacht has his cock-pit located instrumentation located under his "hard dodger":

Spontaneous | Blake Sailing

Unfortunately Grant doesn't have any photos on his web site that show this arrangement, however be assured it's "slick and very functional".

I suggest you email Grant directly, mention that Bill from Blue Sovereign suggested you contact him, and perhaps he can offer some advice or photos. Personally I think Grant is a "class-act" ...

[roger.waite]

Yes, I loved the way the swivel mount was used.

FWIW I thought there was reasonable concensus that a unit should be clearly visible from (& operable from) the helm? But space constraints / history / protection requirements probably spread electronics around a bit.

People who bought multiple units or repeaters also had one at the nav station. PCs are safer down below.

My preferred solution is a bulkhead mount, only because I have a tiller not a wheel / binacle. In close pilotage situations I seldom run on autopilot, and I want the ability to relate the map directly to what I see (without popping up and down the hatch). I also want a plotter in reach of the helm to read details, manipulate the display, read off safe bearings, etc.

That said, my sounder display (which is set to display a bottom profile & huge numbers) is where it can be seen down the hatch. (For protection.)

[bobfnbw]

Our radar isdown in the nav station with repeter instruments. Plotter is a small garmin on the binicle. I don't like the configuration.
I would like to upgrade to a larger display, one that can read both chart and radar data and place it under the dodger where it can be seen from anywhere inthe cockpit, as well as a 2nd display in the nav, but that would be only if I had lots of extra money.... lol as if there isn't enough of other stuff to spend it on.

[svDragonfly]

Just found this arm from Ram.