Touch Screen Experiences

[belizesailor]

Just before a recnet run from NYC to Bermuda, I installed brand new Raymarine Axiom 9s on a friend's boat. 1 at rhe helm, one at nav station...pretty slick. However, we got into some heavish weather offshore and took heavy spray in the cockpit a few times. Saltwater spray on the Axiom caused it to behave erratically...to the point we had to enable "touch lock" making the touch screen inactive. We could only manage to do this after drying the screen well, otherwise the touch screen would just behave erratically when touched (or even not touched! ). Even with "touch lock" enabled salt spray would sometimes cause the screen to respond randomly.

Apparently Raymarine intended these devices for boat shows/fair weather sailors/interior use only!

Have others had similar experiences?

[Snore]

I regularly advise customers to avoid touch screens. They work great—- at the dock. Between the spray, and movement of most boats under 60’, they are a PITA to use.

Good news is that Ray makes a supplemental joystick, keyboard add on. Looks like the controls they used to have as part of the older devices.

[billknny]

I agree with Snore, almost completely. Navico has a similar detached control arrangement that is a nice addition on a lot of boats if they have room for it.

If you look back at the development history of MFD screens, you'll see manufacturers bouncing around between touch screen only, keypad only and hybrid designs as they try to sort out these issues.

For route planning and working at the dock, I DO like the touch screen It can be a lot faster to pick locations, and information off the screen. An excellent interface IMO for a below deck nav station.

On our 52 foot boat, we have no trouble using the 12 inch cockpit touch screen when underway, even in the roughest conditions. Our touch screen is located well under a hard dodger, and spray rarely gets to it. If it gets salty enough however, it does go all funky. That's when it is nice that it has a hybrid interface, and we can do ALMOST everything with the knobs and buttons.

I am mystified how people driving center cockpit fishing boats are supposed to use touch screens while underway bouncing off waves, and with spray flying everywhere. That is a larger market these day than us sailors, and I haven't seen good solutions there--yet.

[Dave_S]

B&G had this issue but resolved it with the Zeus 3. It seems to work fine.

[StuM]

I haven't used a touch screen other than below deck that doesn't have moisture problems at sea - and I've used quite a few (I must admit, I haven't used a Zeus 3, so I'll reserve judgement on that.)

[FlyingScot]

B&G Zeus 3 12". Touch works better than the videos I watched before purchase (HUGE SURPRISE!). Wet or dry. It has knobs and buttons and I find myself using both the touch and the buttons depending on the function.

[Diamond Life]

I had the same problems with that brand (Raymarine) on a yacht I was delivering. Twin helm with a screen at each, totally useless once it became wet in somewhat average conditions. It even started dropping MOB markers every few minutes and on one occasion it went into simulation mode, I had imaginary ships going everywhere..... eventually I powered them both down and just used the master screen below. Great system for around the harbour when racing...