My new nav pod for the Garmin Brothers = 0 $

[Dean5735]

We got this nice new Garmin chart plotter, we named Ponce (DeLeon = fountian of youth, more later) but he needed a place to sit. I have always hated the big intrusive nav pods, but what are you supposed to do, not really many choices out there, and they are way to much money for what you get.
Well after a few days of "in my head engineering" I came up with this idea of using some of my "salvage yard" white board, yup I brought some pieces with me, and got out my hand saw and put this together at the dock in about an hour. Wiring it took longer and required moving almost everything.
I still need to sand the edges and replace the drywall screws with ss but I have used it 3 days now and it will be ok.
Enjoy, Capt. Dean

 

[Dean5735]

oops here they are

bad connection, will send later

sorry, Dean

 

[JonnyQuest]

Re: oops here they are

Please do post the pix. I am pondering where to put a chart plotter as well, albeit it is a smaller tiller steering boat. Any other ideas and pix posted here would be welcomed by all I am sure.

 

[FourPoints]

here is where I mounted the plotter on my boat. This pic was from the spring before she was launched, hence the empty spinlock

 

[JonnyQuest]

Plotter mount looks great and would work for me too

here is where I mounted the plotter on my boat. This pic was from the spring before she was launched, hence the empty spinlock

Fourpoints, that looks awesome! Is that a GPSMAP 421 Chartplotter? Do they come with gaskets or a lip for mounting into the fiberglass? And how will they fare being left out exposed to direct sunlight? Is that an issue? Do people cover or remove them? Please tell me more.

 

[FourPoints]

Re: Plotter mount looks great and would work for me too

Gpsmap 540s, sounder is epoxy bedded to shoot through the Hull under the v berth.

That's the waterproof flush mount kit from Garmin ($20 at the defender spring sale). The unit is waterproof to something like 3 meters underwater, so rain and spray are of no concern. It also came with a cover that stays on the unit whenever it is not in use so it doesn't get UV abused. The kit has a tight rubber gasket, and I have yet to notice any water that has leaked through, but even if it did, behind that bulkhead is access space from the fender / line locker in the cockpit so it wouldn't matter if it got a few drops in there now and then.

BTW, with the flushmount kit the chartplotter cannot be removed without access from behind to release the latches, so it is safer from theft than using the regular brackets.

 

[larryw]

The problem with those bulkhead mounts is you're always asking someone to move so you can see the display, unless, of course, you're singlehanding.

 

[FourPoints]

Yeah, that sometimes happens, but unless you are navigating an anchorage, you don't normally need to be looking at the plotter all the time, just a quick glance every few minutes to confirm your still traveling on the correct COG, and check your speed...

That small inconvenience of asking someone to lean forward or back so I can see the screen is A) worth not taking up any cockpit space and B) necessary when you have a tiller, and no wheel post to mount things to.

Granted you can do things like mount in on a swing arm in the companionway, or make a new bottom slat with the plotter installed in it, and sail with the plotter in the bottom of the companionway. I liked neither of those options, and found none better, so the bulkhead mount was my choice, and I'm glad I did.