Sailing instrument location

[p424owner]

All,

My new Raymarine ST60 Tridata and Wind Instruments arrived, along with my nifty c70 chartplotter. I am considering appropriate locations for mounting them, and I am not sure that I am clear on the options:

1. Mount c70 below, out of the weather, so no need to touch the pedestal and guard. Mount sailing instruments in port or starboard cabin wall, like Third Day.

2. Spend the dough, mount c70 and instruments in nice Navpods on the pedestal. (I know Drew did this with Dosia, but he has not posted here for a while.)

I will be sailing at night, in off-shore conditions from time to time, so visibility is pretty important. I will not be behind the wheel all the time (autopilot, next year project).

Your opinions and comments are most welcome.

Thanks

[SailingSeaDragon]

Below is a link to Sea Dragon's electronics layout.

http://www.sailingseadragon.com/Instruments.htm

I considered mounting the instruments at the helm but after sailing on several boats with the instruments at the helm I decided that did not work for me... The reason... I could see them ONLY when I was at the helm.. On the cabin wall you can see them from any where in the cockpit... The down side is from time to time passengers will sit under the dodger back against the cabin and block you view.

The best location, in my opinion, would be in the sea hood over the companionway so they are out of the way but visible from any where in the boat and even when going in and out of the boat..

Garner

[Dale Tanski]

Garner,
Question on your Navpod AG10.  In the picture on your web site, is that the stock height or did you cut it down at all?  I am looking to do the same thing for my chart plotter (Simrad took very good care of me and I have the 6" unit) but it will involve an offset pedestal guard.  Yours looks perfect.  The Edson offset pedestal guard looks excessively high.  It is listed as 58" high.  
Sorry I missed you guys down in Annapolis by the way, looked like fun and I would have loved to shake all of your hands and meet you.  Next year for sure.
I have narrowed down the mast pulpit design.  I like the Slocum 43 version and I was on a Mason 43 in Annapolis that was also very nice.  It is amazing how few pulpits are out there.  Island Packet has them, but I do not like the way they look.  I am bending up a conduit prototype and will post a few pictures when I get that done.
Dale

[JRICH526]

On TNT I have a Garmin 2010C chartplotter mounted on a West Marine swing arm that allows me to use it from the chart table or in the cockpit. I'm not always at the helm especially in bad weather. I sit in the companion way under the dodger and can moniter the chartplotter as well as radar while still keeping a visual watch and staying dry and out of the wind. Also if I set the anchor drag I can moniter it from below.
When in port I remove the chartplotter and put up a platform I made to support my laptop which seconds as a tv. Again adjustible to be viewed while on deck or below.
The other instruments are mounted in the port cabin wall but as Garner says it does create a problem if someone leans back against the cabin.

[SailingSeaDragon]

Dale,

I too am sorry we did not get a chance to meet in Annapolis... We will get together at some point.

As for the Navpod AG10, I did not cut it down. I used it as came out of the box... I considered lowering it to make it easier for my wife to see the screen, but in the end I was concerned about having the chart plotter too close to the compass. So I did not modify the height.

I can not wait to see your pulpit design.

Garner

[Richard]

I mounted my depth and speed instruments to port of the companionway.  If I install a wind instrument, I will probably put it on the starboard side.

I originally had a Garmin 162 down below, but found I kept going below to look at it.  I eventually made a box for it (I could not find a ready made one, strangely enough), and mounted it on a small Edson arm on the binnacle tube, so it can be seen from the wheel.  I have a chartplotting program on my laptop that is fastened down to the chart table.  My radar is down below too.

This works well, although having a larger, color, chart display in the cockpit somewhere might be nice.  I have an extra Raymarine monochrome radar display that I could mount above decks, but have not felt the need for it yet.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Here's what we did.





Location works out great for us and I have extra room for a future Depth display.