Hi all, I am just finishing my first year with my small trawler. I have a garmin 740 gps, which I have plugs for at the lower and upper helms. I have been moving it to where I am running the boat from. I now see this is not the best thing for the unit (to keep unplugging it) so I purchased a second unit - a combo with an 18 HD radar dome. Garmin does not make a Y cable for the radar for this unit, as they do for the sonar, which I have. That means for me to have radar display at both helms, I would have to get a switch and rig up a cable, as one dome cannot power both units together. My tech said I might be better to get another dome, as the switch to do this can be costly itself-plus another cable, time, material, etc. My pockets are not that deep right now, so my question is if you were given a choice, which helm would you have the radar on? My bridge does not have an enclosure, so I'm thinking reading radar on the 7" screen with rain drops would be difficult. I have never had radar, so I just don't know. I do spend most time on the bridge & boat in the Carolinas & Chesapeake. Thanks for any advise.
Which helm should have radar display?
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I don't have radar but I have two Garmin plotters that are networked together and share depth sounder information, routes, etc. I'm going to assume that radar information would be shared the same way. A call to Garmin tech support would confirm or deny that.
Ask your tech if your two plotters can be networked so they share the radar information. That's certainly a better plan than installing two complete radar systems. Even replacing one or both of the plotters with networkable plotters may be the better plan.
If you do decide to make a choice between locations, consider why you bought radar in the first place. If you want to use it in the rain, the lower helm would seem to be the best choice. If you want to use it in nice weather when (like me) you're operating from the flybridge, that may be the best place.
psneeld
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I'm not that familiar with Garmin so I am having a hard time believing that the RADAR pic can't be brought up on both screens...heck the other manufacturers have been doing that for over a decade...sure there's not a data cable that allows this? One of the other guys who have had Garmins for awhile can set me straight on this, maybe it's just your models?
If not, I chose the lower station because that's where I run the boat from when RADAR would normally be a major issue.
When I'm on the flying bridge..it's usually nice enough that I nav with just a pair of Binocs.
If not, I chose the lower station because that's where I run the boat from when RADAR would normally be a major issue.
When I'm on the flying bridge..it's usually nice enough that I nav with just a pair of Binocs.
Rogerh
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Ours is on the fly bridge and the only time I really need it is when I would much prefer to be at the lower helm out of the weather. I am looking at putting a repeateer in at the lower helm.
Moonstruck
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Yes, I agree. I think the radar (if only one display) should go at a protected helm area where you will operate your boat during inclement weather. That is when you will need radar mostly.
bshillam
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For me Fog, Hailer, Radar is located in the lower helm - when the weather gets nasty that's where I'll be warm and toasty - also from the lower helm I get less movement as I am closer to the center of gravity. When it's nasty from the FB you can get the feeling of being tossed. As well the Salon Chair is much more comfy.
Which helm should have radar display
I fabricated a drop tube under the fly bridge console. This works great if your lower station is under the flybridge console area and your cords are long enough to reach both stations.On our Monk 36 I used a hole saw and proper size pvc piping and 3m5200 bedding. I had to purchase another radar display bracket. Size the pipe length so it penetrates the deck/overhead and is several inches above the fly bridge deck, when not in use cap it with pvc pipe cap.
I fabricated a drop tube under the fly bridge console. This works great if your lower station is under the flybridge console area and your cords are long enough to reach both stations.On our Monk 36 I used a hole saw and proper size pvc piping and 3m5200 bedding. I had to purchase another radar display bracket. Size the pipe length so it penetrates the deck/overhead and is several inches above the fly bridge deck, when not in use cap it with pvc pipe cap.
skipperdude
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If it's nasty enoug out to need radar, you don't want to be out in it anyway.
Lower helm.
SD
Lower helm.
SD
Conrad
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As has been mentioned, it all depends on how you use your boat. On our previous boat with upper and lower helms, we pretty much always ran it from the upper helm.
Certainly for any night runs, which we would only do for the pleasure of doing them, I would definitely be upstairs for the viewing pleasure and better visibility for logs etc.
Certainly for any night runs, which we would only do for the pleasure of doing them, I would definitely be upstairs for the viewing pleasure and better visibility for logs etc.
Ghostrider42
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Both for us. On a towboat you don't want to be running back and forth to check it. We run four ranges - 3nm, 18nm, 36nm and 72nm.
Dougcole
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I solved this exact issue with the 740 on my old boat. Garmin makes a double female plug that is designed to route an Ethernet cable through a bulkhead. I ran a cable from the lower to upper helm and left it in plAce under the dash. Another enet cable ran from the upper helm mount to under the dash. A third cable ran from the radome to under the dash and stayed plugged into one side of the plug all the time.
I'd plug either the lower cable or the upper cable into the other end of the plug, depending on where I wanted radar. Worked pretty well and was very simple.
I'd plug either the lower cable or the upper cable into the other end of the plug, depending on where I wanted radar. Worked pretty well and was very simple.
River Cruiser
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I have Si-Tex MDS 10-5 radar, the cable goes to a junction box, a power cable & the plotter cable also attach in the j-box. I have Si-Tex ColorMax wide displays dedicated to radar. I wired the displays to a buss & the j-box display cable to the buss. Only 1 display can be powered on at a time. I run from the bridge 90% of the time & in fog or any conditions where I could still run from the bridge that's where I wanted it. On the days that I've got caught out & had to go to the lower helm that is probably the conditions I need it most. I've thought about going to larger displays & overlaying radar but I've come to appreciate having the info I need on separate displays & circuits.
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magicbus
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Nomad Willy
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The FB is a play pen. Serious navigation that involves radar should be done at the lower helm.
Seriously though I can't imagine a lower helm w/o radar if it on the boat.
Seriously though I can't imagine a lower helm w/o radar if it on the boat.
psneeld
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yep...looks like a playpen to me..nothing serious about this flying bridge.
equip wherever you seriously run the boat from....that might be up for some...but for most trawlers with lower helms...my guess there would be the most popular...but certainly not the only choice.
equip wherever you seriously run the boat from....that might be up for some...but for most trawlers with lower helms...my guess there would be the most popular...but certainly not the only choice.
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N4712
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Each one of those furuno 19" glass bridge displays are 8k. FOR JUST THE SCREEN! Another 8-9k for each blackbox that's feeding each display, radar, ais, sounder, etc,etc. Crazy!yep...looks like a playpen to me..nothing serious about this flying bridge.
denloe1
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I have a garmin 4012 networkable one on flying bridge from po. I am buying new radar to feed that. Have nothing at lower helm. Adding new flat screen monitor 100. Feeding from 4012 with VGA cable. Can run 4012 with $60 wireless remote from garmin watching giant display at lower helm that is clone of 4012. Photo shows testing setup. Cable routing. Mounting and making sure stuff stays dry and secure is next.
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Bob Cofer
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I have the 740s and it is not networkable. The screen display cannot be sent to a second device. The N2K connection is only set up for inputs from a limited number of devices. I belive the new 741 is networkable. So my 740s is at the lower helm as radar is used usually when the weather is miserable. I use iSailor on my iPad on the flybridge.
N4712
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Yes we just got a couple 741xs, they are very flexible network wise. they have built in wifi so I could sync the garmin Bluechart app to it and transfer waypoints and routes. Plus we have ais which networked into to it like a charm, also they have a video input. Love garmin!
Seaisleman
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Dan,
I have a 5212 Garmin touchscreen on my FB helm station, and your idea of using a monitor in the lower helm peaked my interest. What type connection did you use for the output of the 4012?
I have the Garmin HD radar on the 5212, and on occasion, would like to have that available in the lower helm.
Thanks,
Chuck Smith
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That's a cool unit, Oliver. I like the size, flexibility and connectivity. The price is not over the top, either.
