Where to put electronics?

[flynhi4u]

With the Memory Maker back on the water and the restoration all but complete we have started thinking about outfitting her for our honeymoon voyage on the North Channel next summer.
We are curious where to put the vhf radio and the chart plotter/gps depthfinder? We are looking at a Cobra class d vhf radio, and a Lowrance Mark 4 GPS Chartplotter. There is not a whole lot of room in the cockpit to mount radios where they will be clearly visible during all points of sail. If I mount them to the outside of the cabin wall above a cockpit bench then they will not only poke through into the cabin but also make it uncomfortable to lean back against the cabin there. If they are buried in the cabin then they will obviously be out of sight the majority of the time. I was looking yesterday while we sailed and I was curious about maybe mounting the GPS below the top rudder pin mount bolts on the back stern wall. The tiller being above that area kind protects it but I really did not like that idea either as I could just see something hitting it at some point.
So where do you all mount your radios, depthfinder, GPS units in 20-24 foot range boats? All ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks
Sam in IN

 

[Jackdaw]

Some thoughts.

First, there is a world of difference between a 20 footer and a 24 footer. They have different requirements.

For a nifty little 20, I'd have a handheld VHF, and a bulkhead mounted depth (and speedo). I can't image why you would need a chartplotter, but if you do again I'd go with a hand held.

Beyond the complexity and mounting/space issue, you will now be dependent on house power to make all your gadgets work.

 

[flynhi4u]

Probably do not need the chart plotter but with the price of electronics today you can get a lot of information for not much money compared with just a few years ago.
They recommend a full power vhf radio for the North Channel sail. Do they make a handheld with 25 watts output?
We have a solar panel with deep cycle battery and all led lights and stereo. With everything on now we are less than a 3 amp load and it is very rare that everything is on so we are good on power for the additional radios.
I am reminded a lot about the difference between a 20 and 23 footer by the real Captain of our boat, Miss Cindy...

 

[Jackdaw]

Probably do not need the chart plotter but with the price of electronics today you can get a lot of information for not much money compared with just a few years ago.
They recommend a full power vhf radio for the North Channel sail. Do they make a handheld with 25 watts output?
We have a solar panel with deep cycle battery and all led lights and stereo. With everything on now we are less than a 3 amp load and it is very rare that everything is on so we are good on power for the additional radios.
I am reminded a lot about the difference between a 20 and 23 footer by the real Captain of our boat, Miss Cindy...

Good points.

If your REALLY need VHF range than fixed with a masttop wand is the way to go. As you say go fixed. No such thing as a 25 watt handheld.

For sure a good panel with keep up with that type of load; just be careful with the plotter power demands. The HDS-5 gen 2 is a great unit.

 

[Bill Roosa]

You only need the VHF to be in ear shot. I've never looked at the VHF except to set the channel. You will need an antenna as high as possible and half way up the mast will present some serious impedance problems with the mast being metal. Also consider having a remote speaker in the cockpit with the VHF down below out of the weather.
from WM:
"
What are the limits of range and power?

Handhelds are limited to a transmit power of six watts, compared to 25 watts for fixed-mount radios. Remember, VHF range is more dependent on antenna height and antenna gain than on transmit power, so you can add significantly to your range by connecting an external antenna or by transmitting from the highest location available. For normal handheld use (at five-watt transmit power), figure on a 3-8 mile range from a small boat, compared to 15-20 miles with a fixed-mount radio (at 25 watt transmit power.)"
think that last statement assumes a mast head antenna mounting.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

What many do not realize about VHF, it is a line of sight style receiver. Thus the higher the antenna the better it is. A three foot like shakesspear makes is a suggestion. Also Shakespear builds a two inch thru deck to accept a Pl259 on each side and there is a cover cap for the outside. In other words, you take the cap off and plug into the deck plug which is a lot easier than running a cable thru when taking the mast up and down. Jackdaw I believe is correct there is no hand held 25 watt VHF and if there was, not sure if it would have to be liscensed.

 

[Chief RA]

Mount an antenna on the top of the mast and run a cable down inside the mast. Buy a cable extension that will then run to the cockpit from the base of the mast cable. Remove the portables antenna and connect extension cable to hand held radio antenna connector. Now your range has been extended considerably. Remember that the wattage output is not as critical as the antenna elevation. The added cable length signal attenuation will be compensated for by the superior 1/4 wavelength antenna mounted so high.
Chief,FCC lic#1890

 

[flynhi4u]

That is my plan, to install a mast head antenna with a hull fitting to plug it into when the mast is up and cap it off when the mast is down. Also plan to install a splitter in the antenna wire to help our fm reception. I did not want to drill another hole in the deck to put a fm antenna so I have a rubber whip style tucked in under the port cockpit locker lip. You can't see it but reception is not the best.

Sam in IN

 

[Chief RA]

Beware of using a splitter! Keep FM off your VHF coax as you will blow your FM rcvr when transmitting VHF! It can also degrade your VHF/UHF reception. Just run a wire to a shroud line for your FM antenna. What did you decide, 25w fixed or handheld 5w, or both? Chief

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Beware of using a splitter! Keep FM off your VHF coax as you will blow your FM rcvr when transmitting VHF! It can also degrade your VHF/UHF reception. Just run a wire to a shroud line for your FM antenna. What did you decide, 25w fixed or handheld 5w, or both? Chief

Good advice on not using splitters. In addition to the above, all splitters increase loss and obviously increase the number of connections,both of which can more than offset whatever benefit(s) potentially gained. They also can fail causing further problems.

 

[flynhi4u]

Thanks for the advice. I will look into tying into the shrouds for the fm antenna. I plan on getting a fixed mount vhf so I can have the full 25 watt transmit power. If I can pick up a used handheld off C list for not too much I will probably get one of those as well.
I need to go to some place that has the GPS chartplotters in stock so I can see how they mount and how far the will stick off the cockpit wall as that would be the best place to mount one.
There is a inner and out hull skin with a gap between the two. I am hopeful that I an run the wires for the plotter in that space and not have them show inside the cabin wall. The binocular holder I made is on the inside of the cabin wall oppistied where I hope to mount the plotter so I guess I could modify the holder to hide the wires. That would be the best place viewing wise from the tiller and keep the wire runs as short as possible. I think if I kept it as high as possible it would not affect the seating area too badly. I will put the compass on the starboard side to keep it away from the electronics.

Sam

 

[Jackdaw]

For mounting a plotter on a small boat, look at the LCD TV wall mount arms. Done properly, they allow the plotter to be viewed either inside or outside, depending on how the arm is set. The trick is to mount well the side on the bulkhead as it is subjected to quite a bit of leverage.

 

[flynhi4u]

That is a pretty slick idea. Will have to look for ones with the lock screw on them as the ones I have are free swingers. Might be hard to keep them in the right position with no lock screws on the pivot points.

Sam

For mounting a plotter on a small boat, look at the LCD TV wall mount arms. Done properly, they allow the plotter to be viewed either inside or outside, depending on how the arm is set. The trick is to mount well the side on the bulkhead as it is subjected to quite a bit of leverage.

 

[jcrumpley]

For mounting a plotter on a small boat, look at the LCD TV wall mount arms. Done properly, they allow the plotter to be viewed either inside or outside, depending on how the arm is set. The trick is to mount well the side on the bulkhead as it is subjected to quite a bit of leverage.

The cheapest place to buy those mounts is likely monoprice.com

 

[CharlzO]

Mine are just inside the cabin on mine. Screen capture from a video clip, so don't mind the quality, but the plotter is there, and I can loosen the thumbscrew and rotate it farther if I need, and the radio is right next to it. The hatch can slide closed in inclement weather which shields it, and if it's really raining, I can put the companionway boards in, except the top-most. That, with the hatch closed, keeps all but the strayest of drops out. Works well for me, being there. I had thought about a swivel mount also but I can see it where it is from anywhere in the cockpit, though I have to peek a little farther if I'm on starboard, and it stays out of the way enough when people need to move in or out.

 

[ramblinrod]

Chartplotter mounting options:

This is always a dilemma.

1. Companionway bulkhead
Pros. Nothing to buy (except hole and sabre saw). Cons. Makes the best seat in the house all lumpy. Someone is always sitting in front of it. Ugly electronics on the back side of the bulkhead (opp to build a cool enclosure).

2. RAM arm in companionway. Pros. No need to cut holes in your boat. Cons. always in the way. Can't see it in bad weather when the hatch boards are in (and you really need it).

3. Hatch boards. Pros. Nothing to buy. Can be seen in bad weather. Cons. Hatchboards have to be in (not a bad idea but sometimes inconvenient). Need hatchboard storage right beside the opening so cables don't have to be disconnected.

4. Dodger or bimini frame. Pros. Out of the way, near but out of normal line of sight. Cons, head knocker. Must have a dodger or bimini.

5. Coaming mount. Pros. nothing to buy. Cons. good for one tack, not so good for the other.

6. Transom mount. Pros. Nothing to buy. Cons. Have to look in the opposite direction of where you should be looking. Display is backwards. ("course up" is opposite when you turn around and look forward).

7. Binnacle mount. Pros. Right in front of the helms person. Cons. costly to install a wheel on a tiller boat, plus lost feel.

 

[ramblinrod]

Where to put VHF.

Assuming you won't have a remote mic (which are great), my favourite spot is on the cabin ceiling facing centreline, with the mic clipped just inside the companionway, so you can reach it and call from the cockpit, combined with a remote speaker (suction cupped to the bulkhead) in the cockpit.

If you can afford a station VHF for emergency long distance calls, and a handheld in the cockpit for convenient local leisure or marine calling, that is a great solution.

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