[C320-list] Helm instruments

Fri Oct 5 13:00:56 PDT 2018

Those considring tablet based navigation may wish to consider the Seapilot app. Theres a free version and a paid version with enhancements. Obviously US charts are free to download. In the UK we have to pay for them, but price is very reasonable so I pay about $20 a year for the entire UK and use the free version of Seapilot.
I do have a helm mounted Standard Horzon plotter so the tablet is the cabin “repeater” that enables me to keep an eye on progress etc if not actually topside!
I was put onto this by the “on the Wind” podcast, which is worth a listen, especially their subsidiray series “How I think about Sailing”

Graeme
#366, 1996, UK

> On 5 Oct 2018, at 20:49, jackbrennan <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> 
> Hi Warren:
> Thanks for the reassurance.
> The west coast of Florida can be tricky. Lots of shallow water and sandbars. So some type of chart plotting is handy.
> We have a full bimini and dodger too. Shade is mandatory this far south. It"s still 95 every afternoon. So I should be OK with the tablet. Also, it has a screen adjustment for outdoors. 
> I'm in NYC visiting my daughter. I plan to dive in to the project as soon as I return home.
> Jack BrennanSonas, 1998 Catalina 320, no. 528Tierra Verde, Fl.
> Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android 
> 
>  On Fri, Oct 5, 2018 at 12:35 PM, Warren Updike<wupdike at hotmail.com> wrote:   Jack, I've been using a tablet with MX Mariner for several years. I'm sure CPN is as good or better. Other than a hand-held GPS, I've never used a plotter for helm navigation. Never thought it necessary on the Chesapeake Bay as legs are usually 4-5 hrs, and land usually in-sight. 
> One problem with a tablet is excessive glare in direct sunlight. Not so good. We have a bimini and mostly use a connector between the bimini and dodger to limit our sun exposure. This proteces the tablet from sun glare. 
> With the hand-held, a phone, and two tablets, that's a total of 4 GPS onboard. With charts stored on the devices, that's pretty good backup. Navigation is almost as good as a typical low-end plotter.
> I'm no Luddite but don't see the need for a plotter.
> 
> Warren and Pattie Updike
> 1994 C320 "Warr de Mar" #62
> Middle River, MD (Chesapeake Bay)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jack Brennan [mailto:jackbrennan at bellsouth.net] 
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2018 7:53 PM
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Helm instruments
> 
> Hi Chuck:
> 
> It's a tough decision. I've used Raymarine, too, on my previous sailboats 
> and liked them.
> 
> However, I'm tempted to give a tablet with Open CPN a try for a couple of 
> months. I was hoping there was an owner who had done this before me. If it 
> doesn't work out, I can always use the tablet for movies, etc.
> 
> Two pods seems like a lot, especially because I also have a pod for the 
> Yanmar instruments. I gotta have somewhere to see!
> 
> Hard to believe I once sailed a 19-foot sailboat all through the Florida 
> Keys with nothing but a handheld compass, a pair of binoculars and two 
> foldable charts the size of gas station maps. (Remember those?)
> 
> Have you considered shooting the new transducer through the hull? Get a 
> piece of PVC pipe with a cap and glue it to the bottom of the hull forward 
> with an adhesive sealant. Clear flashing sealant from DAP for roofs works 
> great.
> 
> Anyhow, you fill the pipe with non-toxic coolant (not the regular stuff), 
> like you put in water systems for the winter, drop in the transducer and 
> screw down the cap, leaving a small hole for the wire to get through.
> 
> On my Bristol 30, which had a much thicker hull than the 320, it could read 
> depths to about 200 feet instead of the usual 400. (Where I live, most water 
> is less than 20 feet deep, so it doesn't matter ...)
> 
> Some sailors prefer this because it means on less hole in the bottom.
> 
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas, 1998 Catalina 320
> Tierra Verde, Fl.
> Dolphin Cruising Club of Tampa Bay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Chuck Mueller
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2018 7:17 PM
> To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Helm instruments
> 
> 
> Hi Jack - This year I updated the instruments on my 320, using the Axiom 7,
> EVO-100 wheel pilot, and a new speed, wind and depth package from Raymarine.
> I initially had a single pod with 4 instruments, but switched over to two
> pods.  The lower pod is on the slanted portion of the pedestal and has the
> Axiom and the autopilot.  The upper pod has wind speed and depth.  I'm
> really happy with the combination except for the fact that the new depth
> instrument won't work with my old transducer.  But I have the new transducer
> and will install it when the boat gets pulled.  The Axiom allows you to
> update all Raymarine instruments in the system, plus the auto-routing
> feature is really nice.  And the standard Axiom 7 without all the fancy
> fishing depth options, is quite reasonable.
> 
> Chuck Mueller
> Northwind #676 Yr. 2000
> Holland, MI
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2018 22:20:05 -0400
> From: "Jack Brennan" <jackbrennan at bellsouth.net>
> To: <C320-list at catalina320.com>
> Subject: [C320-list] Recommendations on helm instruments
> Message-ID: <14F990814CF943FC89B8D7F8E6D4E446 at jackPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> Hello all:
> 
> I?m a good way through the refit on my new-to-me 320, so I?m starting to
> think about helm instruments and wondering what people on the list
> recommend.
> 
> I now have an old B&G pod with a functional depth/speed instrument and a
> dead wind gauge. The wind instrument will disappear when I get the boat
> rerigged (I?m old-fashioned). Some of what I?m considering:
> 
> * A Navpod with pre-cut holes for a Raymarine depth sounder, EV-100
> autopilot and Axiom 7 chartplotter.
> 
> * Some type of waterproof tablet and Open CPN, which I have on my phone and
> really like. A big question here is how to mount the tablet. I might be able
> to keep the B&G pod with depth instrument and alter it to accept the
> autopilot instrument.
> 
> * Buy a Raymarine Dragonfly chartplotter/fishfinder, which is an intriguing
> alternative. This can be inexpensively mounted on the pedestal. The
> remaining question would be how to mount the autopilot and depth sounder.
> 
> Each seems to have its advantages and disadvantages.
> 
> In some ways, the Axiom seems to be overkill for what I need. It?s big
> selling point is networking, but that?s overkill for what I need. Also, I
> don?t want to lose everything if the Axiom dies.
> 
> I like the simplicity of the tablet, but don?t want it sliding all over the
> cockpit and eventually going overboard.
> 
> The Dragonfly has Navionics charts, which means paying for them forever.
> Also, it has button control instead of touch screen and a smaller display.
> 
> Any ideas and recommendations?
> 
> Jack Brennan
> Sonas,
> 
> 
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