Instrument mount location

tue · 10 March 2004, 08:48

I have a dual width ways console for my RIB. It has a compass mounted in the centre already, and I am going to fit my Lowrance sounder and a Garmin GPS map 182.

Is it more important to have the GPS in front of me and the sounder to one side or vise versa?

MeMe · 10 March 2004, 08:54

much difference as anything over displacement speed with make both rather difficult to read.

jwalker · 10 March 2004, 10:55

Speak for yourself.

There's a huge difference in ride quality between a wee 4.8 and a 6.5mtr.

Put the plotter in front of you.

MeMe · 10 March 2004, 11:20

good point.

p.s "Wee" - now now, less of that - mine can cope with exactly the same conditions as yours !

Brian · 10 March 2004, 11:34

Plotter in front of you definately.

simmons0 · 10 March 2004, 13:31

Id say sounder in front of you and plotter in the middle of the console where someone else can sit typing in waypoints without gettign in your way as you drive.

MeMe · 10 March 2004, 13:45

we heard you the first time.

ooppps, with the need for political correctness please forgive me, it could be that you have a sta sta sta stammer

Richard B · 10 March 2004, 21:59

Difficult one, this!

When I got Blue Ice, I thought that a "tidy up" of the console would be a job to be done PDQ. But this wasn't the case for two main reasons:
1. Nothing's very far away on a mid-size RIB, so it's no big deal what goes where.
2. The current arrangement actually works very well.

Now, this may be an irrelevant point as it sounds like your compass is already immovably fixed, but that's the one instrument I reckon must go directly in front of the skipper. Why? Because the other LCD electronic devices won't suffer from parallax errror, but the compass will as its got a separate pointer and card. And for me, with just a hint of rag-and-stick background, that's more important than the chartplotter. It only displaces the plotter a few inches to the left. The sounder can display in large text mode (thanks Daniel!), as can the 2nd GPS on the far left, so everything is easily visible.

jwalker · 11 March 2004, 11:52

Some LCD's view better from the left or the right and they all have a limited viewing angle. If the mouning surface is flat, you may not be able to read something which is mounted away from you. Also, the vertical angle of mounting matters because you can end up with reflections on the screen which make the image very difficult to read, especially in low light. Why anti-reflective screens aren't used beats me.

Richard has them all bracket mounted and angled in. So this limits the problem.

Message to manufacturers: I used to have a Koden radar which had a matt finish anti-reflective screen. It was a treat to use. My new Garmin has anti-reflective coating but it is limited in its effectiveness.
Time for some development.
Also, how about user selectable screen content so we can put on the screen just what we prefer and can size it in a window to suit our needs.

Sorry, I got carried away there.

Rupert Bear · 11 March 2004, 12:12

Mine is only 5.3m and I have no problem reading any of the instruments at speed, pressing the buttons is another matter if it is at all bouncy!
I didn't fit a compass as I reckoned trying to get it set up accurately with all the power and pulses from the sounder and plotter was going to be impossible plus I would only use it if the plotter went Bang!
I carry a handheld compass in my spares box and haven't regretted so far doing this, it is only an emergency thing anyway in poor viz.
I would put the plotter where you can see it clearly, it doesn't stop you needing to know how to navigate but it makes for confidence when navigating waters in good visibility where you don't know every rock off by heart. After some months comparing position and charts locally I am now pretty confident it is accurate enough to steer by witout much worry.
Have even been out on dark nights and entered harbour navigating solely by the plotter with no worries

tue · 12 March 2004, 19:17

My console as it stands now. (I am throwing away the pathectic excuse for a control box and getting a proper Quicksilver Command 4000)

tue · 12 March 2004, 19:19

Possile location for sounder, with GPS infront of helmsman.
Also anyone have or now of an online manual for that sounder (Eagle Ultra 3)

Tekkie · 12 March 2004, 20:37

Hi Tue,
Try http://www.eaglegps.com/Downloads/Manuals/default.asp

I obtained my Eagle Accunav 2 manual from them, it took 3 days and about $5.00 yep Do$$ars.

Good luck