To those responding you have been very helpful, reinforcing my thoughts and pointing out things I had not thought of.
First about Size: T12 vs T8
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Ramblinrod wrote:
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Here is some friendly advise.
1. That is one big beautiful plotter. IMHO, too big for the boat. As you are finding it is difficult to find a suitable mounting location for a plotter that size. For your size of boat I generally recommend a 7", maybe a 9".
All modern plotters have WIFI, so if you are visually impaired, just call it up on a 24" or larger smart TV down below. ...But to each their own
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Jim Cate wrote:
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I was kinda afraid to make this comment, but I'm ok with endorsing Rod's professional advice: if you can't easily find a place to mount it, it is too damn big for your application IMO.
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Orion Jim wrote:
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Also if you haven't yet bought that large a plotter give it a second thought. I have a Raymarine plotter with an 8" screen and it's more than sufficient. I have mine mounted in a pod at the pedestal.
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Defender had a great fall sail. I decided to buy the
Simrad 4G
Radar and with the double $400 rebates they had the ZeusT12 for an additional $500. I asked but there were no more T8" left for that
sale. My options were just the
radar or radar + 12"
chartplotter for $2100.
My eyesight is worse, 4 years ago no glasses for reading. Would I
trade a new T12 for a new T8? yes maybe. The T12 has an extra
nmea connections but the T8 might do the same job. The T12 uses 2 amps and the T8 uses less which is appealing to me. If someone nearby had a new T8 from the same
sale but wants T12, I might really consider it!
More about this Bristol 32, 1981 and our use
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We are replacing a 1993
Autohelm Raytheon RL9 Radar which is mounted on a Waltz backstay support. The small monochrome display mounted on a pod off the
Edson Steering tube to the port side. It still works but I have removed it. I found this location got in the way of my wife and I getting aft around the radaar to the port side and stepping over the mainsheet track at the same time. The display was hard to operate and in a cramped position.
In front of the
Edson Wheel is the mainsheet track, pretty close to the Edson Pedestal.
I am from a
racing background, and to get my weight out of the stern (Full
Keel CCA design by Ted
Hood 1969), I generally sail forward of the mainsheet track with one arm controlling the wheel. If I am sailing using the
compass, which is often, I just add or subtractt 90 and look at those lubber lines. If it is really rough and heavy wheel activity or tight quarters, or I want better visibility I stand up behind the helm. We have a small but very nice dodger.
We had a friend with a
Sabre 30 and a Chartplotter
installation above the Edson Helm and the boat was small enough so I thought it looked ridiculous, I would rather not have that look, but I also want this to be as functional as possible. Also mounting the old radar was difficult because it affected the compass in the wrong place, the same will happen with the T12. I believe our compass is right on, with no corrections needed.
Our boat is only 2' longer and definitely heavier. I sail forward of the main sheet generally. We have found that having our Tablet mounted under the dodger with a 1.5" ram mount long arm and pipe clamp is reasonably visible (shaded most times) and somewhat protected (Tablet is not waterproof). A similar location for the ZeusT12 might be fine.
An alternative location might be more centered under the dodger in the companionway on a swing out, or mounted on our sliding companionway
hatch (so it can rotate). Then when we need to go below, we would slide the
hatch back or we would need to swing the swing arm back.
One of you pointed out that we need to be able put the bottom companionway board in and still see the plotter on the swing arm. Good point! We will check this.
Another one of you advised that if the plotter is on the cabin top it is very useful to have it rotate, so that in bad
weather you can be on
autopilot under the dodger in the companionway and see the plotter. In fact I was thinking I would make a small seat that fits over the top edge of the bottom or middle companionway board for that same purpose. Then I might want to move the
autopilot from it's present rather impractical position aft down low under the seat & wheel, to somewhere closer to the companionway (some day).
Nothing is led back to the cockpit really, and we have slab reefing, I don't expect that to change much, so the area under the dodger is pretty clean.
What Next?
Get the Waltz backstay support plate modified for the new radar.
Old one was 12 lbs ----> now 16 lbs will use less
power + instant on and off.
I think we need to find out some more about swing arms and bracket dimensions and then go to the boat with the plotter and see about the ergonomics with the swing arm and bracket dimensions.
If you have any other thoughts or suggestions, or specific manufacturers of swing arms and brackets other than Ram Mount, I am all ears. I heard back from Navislide about their nicely designed SS arms and they have closed shop unfortunately.
Still thinking about the T8 vs T12, but am sort of ambivalent if I can
work out a good plan.
Thanks very much.
Rick