NateHanson
Sustaining Member
Personally I don't think binnacle mounted radar is a good idea. How often do you use your radar? For me it's about 1 in 10 days on the boat, and even at that fairly high rate, I wouldn't want it cluttering my binnacle the other 9 days, serving no purpose.
I'd either leave it below, where you can see it by poking your head through the companionway every few minutes, or mount it on an arm that keeps the display below, but can be swung into view in the companionway on days when you need it. The display head will last longer this way too, as it's not exposed to the elements.
Nate
I'd either leave it below, where you can see it by poking your head through the companionway every few minutes, or mount it on an arm that keeps the display below, but can be swung into view in the companionway on days when you need it. The display head will last longer this way too, as it's not exposed to the elements.
Nate
Radar Ramblings
All personal experience tends toward the Very Subjective... but here is a penny's worth:
I had four coastal deliveries this summer. The longest was from San Diego to SF, for 5 days. That Petersen 44 had a CRT unit with a very-well-thought-out cable routing scheme for moving the display from nav desk mounting to the top of the companionway for cockpit viewing. We moved it "outside" (under a dodger) when we drove into fog and big seas at Pt Concepcion, and kept it there until the boat got home to San Francisco.
Another trip was up the Washington coast with a Raymarine LCD radar display and GPS charting display at the helm in a Catalina 42. One trip down down the WA coast with only a chartplotter at the helm; and the last trip was down the WA coast with a chartplotter at the helm of an E-32/3 and a new LCD radar inside at the nav table, but visible from the companionway.
Opinion: If I am in fog or darkness, I *want* my radar visible right at the helm. Having it below decks works fine as long as someone else can stare at it and futze with the settings and cogently report out to the helm what is "out there."
Having the chartplotter beside the display is wonderful. We also had packup charts and used them for closeup navigation -- that little glowing screen on the Garmin is great but still a bit less useful for narrow channels at night than a paper chart. (IMHO)
Since this was the first year I had used GPS chartplotting at the helm, I am now a believer and would never ever be without it. And, if forced to choose between radar and charting, I would reluctantly choose the radar (and paper charts). After all, only knowing your correct position will not protect you from the ship or fishing boat about to crush you in the fog.
There are practical and pragmatic concerns -- you might want the outside radar (and plotter) removable for theft deterrence. Their proximity to your compass is important to preserve its accuracy (and any wiring to them, as well).
We used the ships compass to run down a position line at night, when the little "boat icon" on the plotter was moving around a lot due to our being in 6 foot seas -- it was easier to steer by compass and adjust our steering to stay within the swinging arc of the card and keep on course at that point. As they say, you need to also get your head out of the boat and not find yourself treating the electronics like a "video game."
:eek:
As for protecting the display from the elements, keep it covered or move it below decks when not in use. Everyone does, AFAIK.
Our boat came with an Apelco LCD radar with its display mounted at the nav desk, and I will leave it there for now. Since it was new in 1988, I figure that it's on borrowed time anyway. When we get a new one, it will go on the wheel guard, someday...
Sorry for rambling on and using up so many zeros and ones...
Loren in PDX
Olson 34 #8
All personal experience tends toward the Very Subjective... but here is a penny's worth:
I had four coastal deliveries this summer. The longest was from San Diego to SF, for 5 days. That Petersen 44 had a CRT unit with a very-well-thought-out cable routing scheme for moving the display from nav desk mounting to the top of the companionway for cockpit viewing. We moved it "outside" (under a dodger) when we drove into fog and big seas at Pt Concepcion, and kept it there until the boat got home to San Francisco.
Another trip was up the Washington coast with a Raymarine LCD radar display and GPS charting display at the helm in a Catalina 42. One trip down down the WA coast with only a chartplotter at the helm; and the last trip was down the WA coast with a chartplotter at the helm of an E-32/3 and a new LCD radar inside at the nav table, but visible from the companionway.
Opinion: If I am in fog or darkness, I *want* my radar visible right at the helm. Having it below decks works fine as long as someone else can stare at it and futze with the settings and cogently report out to the helm what is "out there."
Having the chartplotter beside the display is wonderful. We also had packup charts and used them for closeup navigation -- that little glowing screen on the Garmin is great but still a bit less useful for narrow channels at night than a paper chart. (IMHO)
Since this was the first year I had used GPS chartplotting at the helm, I am now a believer
and would never ever be without it. And, if forced to choose between radar and charting, I would reluctantly choose the radar (and paper charts). After all, only knowing your correct position will not protect you from the ship or fishing boat about to crush you in the fog. There are practical and pragmatic concerns -- you might want the outside radar (and plotter) removable for theft deterrence. Their proximity to your compass is important to preserve its accuracy (and any wiring to them, as well).
We used the ships compass to run down a position line at night, when the little "boat icon" on the plotter was moving around a lot due to our being in 6 foot seas -- it was easier to steer by compass and adjust our steering to stay within the swinging arc of the card and keep on course at that point. As they say, you need to also get your head out of the boat and not find yourself treating the electronics like a "video game."
:eek:
As for protecting the display from the elements, keep it covered or move it below decks when not in use. Everyone does, AFAIK.
Our boat came with an Apelco LCD radar with its display mounted at the nav desk, and I will leave it there for now. Since it was new in 1988, I figure that it's on borrowed time anyway. When we get a new one, it will go on the wheel guard, someday...
Sorry for rambling on and using up so many zeros and ones...
Loren in PDX
Olson 34 #8
Jeff Asbury
Principal Partner
Radar Swing Arm
I know I have a much smaller boat than you, but I am happy with the swing arm set up. Swing arm was about 60 bucks from WM a couple of years ago.
I know I have a much smaller boat than you, but I am happy with the swing arm set up. Swing arm was about 60 bucks from WM a couple of years ago.
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Radar mount
The radar mount on my boat is a fixed mount at the chart table and then there is a second mounting bracket on the underside of the companion hatch. I like this set up as you can see tha display from any posion in the cockpit and the display is protected from the eliments.
cheers Gord
Huckleberry 35-2
The radar mount on my boat is a fixed mount at the chart table and then there is a second mounting bracket on the underside of the companion hatch. I like this set up as you can see tha display from any posion in the cockpit and the display is protected from the eliments.
cheers Gord
Huckleberry 35-2
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Geoff Johnson
Fellow Ericson Owner
Looks like a real headbanger. (I've banged my head on a partially closed hatch. I hate to think what that aluminum bracket would do to the old noggin.)
With the new networked systems you can get a single display at the helm that can be used primarily as a chartplotter. You can add radar as needed without having to add a dedicated radar screen.
With the new networked systems you can get a single display at the helm that can be used primarily as a chartplotter. You can add radar as needed without having to add a dedicated radar screen.
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Richard Elliott
Member III
Radar Display
On our E34 I am using the same swing mount as Jeff except on the port bulkhead next to the companionway with a Furuno LCD. A Simrad chartplotter is on the binnacle guards. I find that with the radar swung out into the companionway I can see it clearly from the helm as can my crew sitting in the cockpit. A large block of experience this summer running in fog in Puget Sound from Port Ludlow out the Strait of Juan DeFuca and outside Vancouver Is. to Barkley Sound. Fog all the way with visibility at times down to 100ft.
On our E34 I am using the same swing mount as Jeff except on the port bulkhead next to the companionway with a Furuno LCD. A Simrad chartplotter is on the binnacle guards. I find that with the radar swung out into the companionway I can see it clearly from the helm as can my crew sitting in the cockpit. A large block of experience this summer running in fog in Puget Sound from Port Ludlow out the Strait of Juan DeFuca and outside Vancouver Is. to Barkley Sound. Fog all the way with visibility at times down to 100ft.
I gotta go with the companionway and swing-out mounts, Hodo. My little RL-9 is at the nav table, but also has an extension cable that reaches to the binnacle, courtesy of the previous owner. It has a bracket on a clamp to hang it on the tubular guard over the top of the rest of the gauges up there. The two times I've used the radar, I just went below since the viz wasn't that bad (autopilot!). If it really gets sour, tho, I'll take the time to bring it up to the cockpit.
(Do you have the Espar heater? I'm getting ready to buy and haven't decided which one.)
Cheers,
(Do you have the Espar heater? I'm getting ready to buy and haven't decided which one.)
Cheers,
u079721
Contributing Partner
Topsides!
I have to agree with Loren on this one. Chartplotters and radars at the helm are such a convenience when things go to hell at night or in the fog that you will wonder how you ever got along without them. Being down below just isn't the same. First choice should be at the helm. Second option would be on a long enough cable to mount under the dodger on the cabin house when needed.
I have to agree with Loren on this one. Chartplotters and radars at the helm are such a convenience when things go to hell at night or in the fog that you will wonder how you ever got along without them. Being down below just isn't the same. First choice should be at the helm. Second option would be on a long enough cable to mount under the dodger on the cabin house when needed.
Radar mount
Hi,
We are very happy with our mounts. We have both Radar and GPS chartplotter mounted on swing arms. Because of the grabrails on either side of the companionway stairs, we needed a double articulating arm to get around the rails. After looking at lots of marine mounts we bought 2 great mounts built for plasma television screens (Sanus systems VM3). Our theory behind the swing arm is twofold. First of all protecting the electronics from both weather and theft. Secondly, everyone in the cockpit can see both screens as we often make decisions together. Lastly, it's nice the night before to be able to use the GPS as a planning tool from inside when discussing places, distances etc for the next day (especially when it's pouring rain out!!!)
Steve Gabbott
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Vancouver, BC
Hi,
We are very happy with our mounts. We have both Radar and GPS chartplotter mounted on swing arms. Because of the grabrails on either side of the companionway stairs, we needed a double articulating arm to get around the rails. After looking at lots of marine mounts we bought 2 great mounts built for plasma television screens (Sanus systems VM3). Our theory behind the swing arm is twofold. First of all protecting the electronics from both weather and theft. Secondly, everyone in the cockpit can see both screens as we often make decisions together. Lastly, it's nice the night before to be able to use the GPS as a planning tool from inside when discussing places, distances etc for the next day (especially when it's pouring rain out!!!)
Steve Gabbott
E35/3 Silent Dancer
Vancouver, BC
mark reed
Member III
swing arm
I have been very happy with my JRC 1800 radar/plotter on a RAM swing arm, as shown in the picture (it is being inspected by Grogan, the "assistant wharfinger" at Zeballos, BC). It was a pragmatic decision, as I felt the unit was too cumbersome to attach to the binnacle anyway. It has gotten hundreds of hours of use in fog and on night passages along the BC, WA, and OR coastline. My favorite night watch position is seated in the companionway, with dimmed radar/plotter display right in front of me, and center dodger window zipped open for better viz. Previous owner thoughtfully added an autopilot remote in starboard cockpit cubbyhole.
I have been very happy with my JRC 1800 radar/plotter on a RAM swing arm, as shown in the picture (it is being inspected by Grogan, the "assistant wharfinger" at Zeballos, BC). It was a pragmatic decision, as I felt the unit was too cumbersome to attach to the binnacle anyway. It has gotten hundreds of hours of use in fog and on night passages along the BC, WA, and OR coastline. My favorite night watch position is seated in the companionway, with dimmed radar/plotter display right in front of me, and center dodger window zipped open for better viz. Previous owner thoughtfully added an autopilot remote in starboard cockpit cubbyhole.
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