We are planing to install a Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 73cv at the helm station on our NS26U. How can we run the wiring up to the unit that we bill mount on the Pedestal guard? Can the wiring be run through the pedestal? or should it be run through the pedestal guard tube?
Has anyone out there don this? Photos would be a big help, too.
Thanks,
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
Go to Marinehowto.com
he has a great way to mount the gps. I’m installing a garmin 742 on my 26.
I got the taller guard from defender.
Hi Tim,
I have managed to run the control cable for my bow thruster as well as both power and NMEA for my plotter up through the pedestal without making any new holes except one in the front of the pedestal top. There are no fast moving parts in the pedestal and you can thread a piece of vinyl tubing down the wiring once you get it in place to protect it from the chain movement.
Also for mounting on a standard height guard Snapit has an interesting plotter mount that makes removal and replacement very easy. It may not be my final choice but I’m going to give it a try before I discard the idea. It may just be fine.
Sorry, the pictures don’t show much of the actual wiring installation.
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay B.C.
When I converted Nonsuch 30U to electric propulsion I needed to run some control cables to the helm. I made a conduit made of PVC to run a number of wires I had seen done on another Nonsuch. Has worked great for ten years now. .About to add some additional wiring next season. Which will be very easy to do.
https://biankablog.blogspot.com/2011/03/running-wires-to-helm.html
thanks Mike, I think that is what I’ll do. What size pipe did you use? I’m guessing it would be 1-1/2".
Tim in ST
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
Pretty sure it was 1-1/2" inch too.
I solved this problem with my Garmin421 by RPing some wings. This works well, the GPS can be unplugged and just lifted off the arch anytime, and if I like it can go on facing forward.
I had it clamped to the top of the arch but it was too easy to accidentally grab. This way the top of the arch is open.
It mounts on the standard arch. I lead the power cable up the arch after drilling a hole.
Tom
N26C North Star
Penetang
Tom, That sure looks handy. What size hole did you have to drill in the arch to get that connector through? I am not familiar with “RPing”, is that like 3D printing?
Tim in STL
White O’morn NS26U
Harbor Point Yacht Club
West Alton, MO
I like the mounts Tom. Your concern about the top of the arch mount is why I’m experimenting but I expect I will come to the same conclusion as you did.
How much wiring are you running up the arch? I have power and an nmea spur as well as cable to my bow thruster control so I probably will keep it in the pedestal.
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay B.C.
That mount looks great. Wish I had seenit several years ago when I mounted my GPS at the helm. Did you buy or make the mount? What is RPing?
David Young
David Young
Bay Cat, 30U #402
Suttons Bay, MI
USA
The cable for this GPS is not terminated on one end so the hole can be just slightly larger than the cable itself. I think it was something like 1/4 inch. I tried to file the hole edge so it was very smooth with no burrs.
The connector did not go through anywhere, just the cable. And it would not fit in a 1 inch arch anyway.
If my 38 year old depthsounder dies I might buy a new Garmin with transducer with NEMA 2000 and these cables are terminated. The 2000 cable will fit through a 1 inch arch I believe but you have to make a much larger hole.
Yes RP = Rapid Prototyping. It’s not so rapid though. 3D printing stuff like this takes a long time especially if you go through several “prototypes”. However the results can be quite good. Lately the materials have improved so the part strength is as good as moulded parts. I’m trying to print a 1:50 scale model Nonsuch 26 now, and a propeller this winter.
Tom
This begs the question … once prototyped, can this mount now be reproduced easily and economically?
Sorry about straying from the topic… 
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay B.C.
Yes after you get a design that works it can be copied as many times as you like. However if I need two of something it’s easy to tweak the design and make it better and in my experience I never make two exactly the same because I think I can always improve it.
Economically? Depends how you look at it. A kilo or 2 pounds of the good quality strong plastic costs $45, cheapest stuff is $12 a kilo. If the parts made are hollow and small just for looks, you can make hundreds of them for pennies. If they are solid and large and they must function somehow, the cost is 1 or 2 dollars a print. The printer was a toy I bought for my boys but they hardly ever use it, I wrote that cost off years ago.
I looked at some new GPS units. It looks like if all you want to do is run power to them a single small cable run inside the arch will do. As soon as you add a depth sounder and or NMEA2000 you have to deal with a second or third cable and lager connector and it may be hard to pass this through the arch. Some of the very latest communicate wireless so it’s back to just a power cable. I think I’ll just stick with what I have for now.
None of them have a nice way to mount to an arch. They have a big u shaped bracket. The looks of this can definitely be improved.
Tom
N26C North Star
Penetang
Very cool. Probably beyond my meager tech abilities but it augurs well for future Nonsuch owners. I was so frustrated when I was trying to locate a mounting solution several years ago that I almost gave up. There is a line of mounts called Navpod (I think). They are very nice but ridiculously expensive. I finally found one online that was not purpose built for my GPS but could be modified to fit for about $150 USD. It works fine but even discounted it was not a good value.
David Young
Bay Cat, 30U #402
Suttons Bay, MI
USA
Take a look at this mod
https://marinehowto.com/chart-plotter-mount-for-edson-pedestals/
Simple and practical. I've done it for my Garmin 742xs.
Passing one wire at a time allows them to fit down the guard.
Joe
1985 26C #156
Bandersnatch
I just looked and these navpods appear to be much better than thirty years ago. Unfortunately it still seems to be a one size fits all and if you have a smaller Display the box might be much wider and deeper than necessary.
That gives me an idea…
Tom
