When I was looking at boats many Nonsuch owners swore by their electronics but now that I am looking to add a chartplotter/GPS I am finding out that they are by and large (a nice sailing term by the way) no longer being made. Can anyone suggest a nice model for day sailing and maybe the occasional overnight?
Thanks - Eric
NS30U #280
Old Greenwich CT
Garmin 742 or 942 series are nice. Be careful of mixing different product vendors. Some don’t play nicely. Hodges marine has good prices for comparison.
Joe
Ns26C #156
+1 on Hodges. Good deals once you know what you want. As some will chime in, you can use something as simple as your smart phone, or as much as you want to spend. Also, depends on your waters if you have concerns about shoaling, etc. If you just want navigation, I use the iSail GPS App and it’s perfectly fine.
Bob Gehrman
NS30U # 396 “Quickbeam”
Baltimore, Maryland
I use an old Garmin 540 GPS/Plotter which is small enough to mount on the binnacle
alongside my even older JRC radar display since there is not much room on a 26 to pass the Edson wheel. Zooming the 540 is like viewing the world thru a keyhole, but the Garmin display is readable in full sunlight, (unlike the JRC radar. In addition I use full size Canadian charts doubled in a zipped, made in Halifax cover.
I have used Seaiq on an iPad, useless in bright sun and not waterproof.
Richard Lane
NS26c Swoose
Port Townsend
Hi Eric,
After much consideration I switched over to using an iPad for navigation. I use Navionics for charting/navigation. For me it has worked very well for several years. The renewal is inexpensive and the charts are constantly updated.
I do not run any additional instruments to the iPad, as I do not have any electronics that would connect thru a backbone system. I have a windex at the top of the mast for wind direction, and depth and knot meters mounted on the bulkhead (all original). I am not sure how easy or difficult it might be to connect other electronics to it… someone else may be able to answer this if you decide to consider an iPad.
The most difficult thing about installing the iPad was I wanted it to have a power source, not just run off of it’s battery. Some days we will sail for 8 or even 15 hours, and I didn’t want it to conk out when we needed it the most. I installed a 10’ USB power cord to a USB 12v outlet that is mounted in my starboard side lazaretto, adjacent to the fuel gauge and bilge blower switch, under the cockpit floor and up through the binnacle. No wires to trip over, and when I put the iPad in it’s mount attached to the binnacle, I just plug it into the wire that is waiting.
Some things I really like about the iPad:
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30 Ultra 430
Jersey City, NJ
I am at the low end of the spectrum. I use a Garmin 76 MAP with Blue Charts. As I see it, small size, easy to use. Maps do what they need to do. Can be hard wired to the house battery. Down side is it is a small screen , but for me I am looking a 5 - 10 miles and it does that well. Easy to zoom in and out. Mounts on binnacle with a bike rail mount, and is easy to remove and take in a dinghy.
But if you need tides and currents it really does not do it in any useful manner.
Due to tides and currents where I am now I may add a tablet / Navtronics but will keep the GPS 76 as the main nav aid.
I use a Standard Horizon 180i at the helm position. Not sure what the latest model is but, it is unobtrusive and provides all the chart info I need in a compact weather proof unit. https://biankablog.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-helm-part-2.html
On my Pearson 30, I used a Garmin 176C. “C” is for color. Nice unit, inexpensive, but it needed a memory card for each area. The Lake Ontario card covered from Cleveland to Montreal. When I moved the boat to Cayuga Lake, I needed the Finger Lakes card. It was easy to read in daylight. At night I could dim it down to the point it would not disrupt my night vision and I could still read it. Selling the boat because…
My new to me boat, N30U, has a Raymarine E7d. I haven’t had the chance to play with it as I just bought the boat and it is 6 hours away from me. The Multifunction Display will let me put the wind instruments, radar, music, and autopilot on the same display. Sounds great! Except the only thing synched to it is the music source. The rest is older and might not talk to it properly. We shall see. The MD is another option to look at. You can bring more than just a GPS to the pedestal.
Looking forward to trying it out on our trip from the Boston area to Ithaca.
Chuck Garbarino
Might as Well, Soon to be As You Wish
N30U, Hull 292
Lansing, NY
I want to second the use of the ipad. I’ve used it twice as back up to get out of a situation. Once arriving from Maine to Block Island without realizing I needed a new card in the Raymarine plotter for points south and this summer off Cape Fear after an unplanned jibe took out my GPS antenna (I know UGH!) However, in both cases I used a Garmin Echo GPS receiver ($100) and an ipad with Navioinics loaded ($15/year subscription) to get home. You can use a newer phone or ipad with GPS receiver, but I like the Echo, because any Apple product on board can sync up on blue tooth.
The Raymarine system I had been using (1990 original to the boat) was on it’s last legs so I’m not going to try to replace the antenna, but I’m having a hard time deciding on what next since the Navionics has worked so well. Depth is still working and the autopilot great, so I maybe do what Peter suggests and reconfigure the pedestal to mount an iPad.
But for anyone looking for a back up system (either your phone or an ipad you might have lying around the house) Navionics for $15 a year couldn’t be easier.
Peter Traver
Departure, N33 #63
Hilton Head Island, SC
Webb Chiles just did his 6th circumnavigation with an iPad.
+1 for an iPad. We did an Atlantic crossing and extensive Caribbean, Bahama’s and US east coast cruising as well as Europe: France, Biscay, Portugal, Maroc, Canaries, Cabo Verde, Suriname.
equipment connected
GPS - Furuno GP32 - position, COG, SOG and other “NMEA-sentences” like waypoint and accuracy
Depth Sounder - Navman Multi - depth output
Speed log - Navman Multi - speed output
Autopilot - Raymarine ST4000+ compass data, wind input and waypoints input
Pactor modem - position input
SSB - Icom - position input for distress
Wind - Autonnic (UK) - cheap but HQ windmeter, speed and direction - no display just NMEA-out
VHF - Standard Horizon - position input for distress
AIS transceiver - WOW, I can’t even begin to tell what valuable data comes out of this device
Apple iPad without GPS!
All these “marine” instruments delivered data and took data from one box that’s called a “multiplexer”. The multiplexer broadcasted anything (receiving or transmitting) anything you’d like to an iPad or a PC for openCPN
The instruments were of different brands and they did not even have the same NMEA output in common. The autopilot for example only communicated in “SeaTalk”. Nevertheless, one simple multiplexer combined all those instruments AND broadcasted the data thru WiFi! Super simple setup (to me). Worked flawlessly for more than 4 years. Yes, I had a spare multiplexer and will use that unused box on the Nonsuch to “build” the same network from basically “any old quality marine sensor with a data output that still works”. I can not think of a more cheap way to build an navigation network that does it all.
The multiplexer with WiFi option I used was a Dutch design called “Shipmodul Miniplex” but I’ve seen other brands make a similar product with the same or better specs.
The iPad software (app) I used was iSailor and yes I would use it again. They became less-popular overnight because they cancelled the promised “lifetime free chart updates” but still, it is THE package to use when you want to integrate NMEA sentences received with WiFi. Also, their charts rule (imho). You can display any of the supplied sensors in the iPad screen.
If iSailor starts to bug you, just switch to Navionics or one of the other great apps. Choice is yours! OpenCPN on an old Panasonic Toughbook will also do a great job with the same setup. Come to think of it, you don’t even have to switch… Just run another app from the same iPad or PC.
About the iPad, I used an iPad 2 and also an iPad 3 and experimented with iPad Air and Air2. IMO the iPad2 (yes the old one… no idea how long it will be supported) was by far the most desirable device. The screen is bright enough in full sunlight but it does NOT draw as much current as the Retina screen of the iPad3. iPad Air devices have a plastic screen in stead of the iPad2 glass screen. On paper it may be better (read: cheaper to make) but in real life, no.
Also, do not try to save bucks on a cover. We used the NUUD lifeproof covers. Not cheap but they are gooood. A way to charge them while you use them is definitely a must.
I had 2 “multiplexers” on board and 2 iPads -ready to go- just as a backup. Further more, I did have a Toughbook with navigation software and maps, also just for backup. Never had to use any of the backups. The iPad in a NUUD case has proved to be a winner.
Hope any of this makes sense to non-tech folks. I’m more than happy to explain if you have any questions.
mark, n36#25, nld
Reading my own lyrics again, it came to me that I might not be clear enough on the backup thing. I did some serious deep water crossings and therefor decided to have two multiplexers and multiple iPads… Your basic system will only have A.) all desirable sensors B.) multiplexer WiFi C.) iPad or/and PC
Very interesting Mark.
I am in need of a new chartplotter, and was considering a Raymarine Axiom, as I have a Raymarine autopilot and older Raymarine VHF (with no GPS). I also have a Garmin depth sounder/knotmeter, but not sure how well that would integrate to the Axiom.
From a quick Google search, the cost of a multiplexer + external GPS antenna are not too different from that of the Axiom, but I assume that the multiplexer would ease the integration of these and future components.
Was some coding required to display broadcasted info on the IPad (for example, from your Autonnic windmeter or depth sounder) or does iSailor take care of all that?
Mike
NS30C
Port Moody, BC
Hi Mike,
I can’t code nor program a computer or an Apple device. Wish I could.
iSailor has an in-app purchase for displaying AIS, depth, knot, wind and more. Those are options that’ll cost a few bucks ($5 - $15 range). Once selected and payed for, it should work instant and make the data visual on the iPad screen within the navigation app. If not, some setting up the app may be required.
To my understanding, Navionics works in a similar way. OpenCPN is completely free and also lets you put any data from any sensor on the screen.
In my case, I could also set up the multiplexer. What data stream goes from what sensor to whom and visa versa.
mark, n36#25, nld
Mike, Mark;
I used OpenCPN as my chartplotter in 2019, and 2020. Worked really well. Put all US and Canada Lake Ontario maps on it. Used it on a Macbook Pro - worked very well, but not waterproof nor shockproof.
I did “goof around” with the Signal-K - a Raspberry PI based NMEA 0183 multiplexer/OpenCPN program, but unsure if I really want to go simple or complex. (I tend to agree with Thor and others that simple is simpler) Right now the Raspberry Pi is our Netflix streaming box.
OpenCPN worked very well, but a Garmin Echomap dropped in the mailbox and may make it onto the boat - we’ll see. Was thinking of porting OpenCPN to the iPad, but with the Garmin, maybe not. TBD.
John, NS26C 046, Ottawa, Canada.
Where did you get the OpenCPN maps for Lake Ontario?
Thanks John and Mark. I’ll do some more research - sounds like a used ipad in a case will be a cheap solution for the near term, maybe add a multiplexer or chartplotter later.
Mike, NS30C , Port Moody, BC
Mike Parfett;
From what I have read/seen: Just make sure your iPad has the GPS, and, many sailors seem to love navionics on an iPad. I have no direct experience with this combination, but others here (and, on Youtube) most certainly have.
John, NS26C 046, Ottawa, Canada.
A few summers back we were caught in a severe squall line where we lost complete visibility for over a 1/2 hour. We were anchored in an area surrounded by rock above and below the water. You absolutely needed to know where you were at all times.
The squall was so intense the Raymarine e7 lost its fix. My wife had the presence of mind to fetch the iPad with Navionics on it and it got us out safely. The iPad never missed a beat throughout the storm. We never travel without it now.
Ron
Ron & Diane Schryver
“Alpha Waves” 1987 NS30U #393
Georgian Bay Midland ON
Ipads that are cell phone models have gps, non cell Ipads do not have GPS and reply on WIFI IP address for location.
Otherwise a simple Bluetoooth GPS works well . Garmin Glo is one. They are common pieces of kit in aircraft.