Flybridge Cockpit Setup

[cct]

Hi all. Right now, the VHF radio, fish finder, AM/FM/CD player are all down in the pilot house / salon. Since we do all of our driving from up on the bridge, I'd like to put a VHF radio and chart plotter up there where we can use them. I'm looking for pictures and ideas of how others have set up their equipment on the flybridge. Give me your ideas for functionality and weather protection.

I don't like fumbling with all those buttons and switches on a remote mic so I'd rather have a control head up there. Also, I have the Garmin 740S which I have not mounted yet. So, please, enlighten me.

[Despacio]

Hi;
Here's mine. The radar is an old one but works very well, as does the autopilot, a Course Setter 21, which is inside the doors. It will sit on top behind that little wood strip in the center, if I wish. The co pilot can watch the radar or I can see it. I suppose if I had a chart plotter it might sit in front of that now useless compass. Remember when that was the most important thing?

The radar and the GPS (which is water resistant) come off and go in a water proof box. The AM/FM pulls out. I have ruined a couple of stereos by getting them wet. The rest can get as wet as it wants.

I hope everyone knows about the app, "Ship Finder," AIS on your smart phone. So you don't need to spend a cent or add anything to your bridge to have AIS. The paid version shows ships course, speed, destination, photos, and a lot more.

My flybridge was damaged when my boat was being shipped to Seattle. Driver went under an overpass he shouldn't have. Wiped it off the top. Turns out they come off easily. I then bought the boat without the flybridge, found it, put it back together. I wasn't restrained by knowing what it was supposed to look like.

The only wood is the doors and the trim along the inside bottom, none outside. No varnish, just clean raw teak.

Photo of boat as I bought it. Looks kind of like a tug boat. It's a 33.



Hope this helps.

[crowra]

Here's mine. Just a VHF, auto pilot, depth finder and a compass. My 'chartplotter' is a Droid3 running the Navionics app (plus I like to use old-school charts). I also have a laptop with MapTech Offshore Navigator installed if I need a more robust chartplotter.

[bccanucker]

Go to my blog at
www.blueheron-Albin.blogspot.ca
I have never driven from below. Too many logs in our waters to watch for. Blog has pictures of changing from what was there to mount my Garmin chart plotter. VHF is mounted on the inside of the starboard door which I just open and fasten when underway.