Here's the plan (Garmin content)

I'm finally getting ready to pull the trigger on some much-needed electronics updates. I have a one-year old Garmin 7212 MFD on the flybridge, an ancient Furuno radar to replace (also at the flybridge), an old--but still functioning--Datamarine depth finder that I'll keep as a backup and a nice Simrad AP28 autopilot.

I can't see spending big $$$$ for another MFD to use exclusively at the lower helm where it would see little use. At the same time, I'd like good equipment and redundancy.

I'm thinking of having two MFD brackets at each station and using the 7212 plus a new 7612xvs at the same time, switching them out between helms as weather or other needs dictate. This way I have a backup if either fails and a 3-minute switch out to move at least one inside when necessary. (With an iffy forecast, I could start the day with one MFD at each helm.)

I'm thinking I'd run the chart plotter and down vu sonar on the 7612 (down vu is built in; I just need a new transducer) and radar, AIS and autopilot on the 7212. (Or some combination of the above.) This, I think, would minimize screen clutter. I'd keep enough slack in the cables below the consoles to reach either MFD in the event one becomes inop.

Anyone see anything wrong with this approach?

I would just buy cables for all stations so you don't have to worry about chasing them down form the top. Otherwise your plan sounds good.

Thanks, Oliver. I'm supposing all of the radar cabling would be Ethernet on a Garmin Marine Network separate from the NMEA 2K?

Yep.

I have a Garmin 4210 in a Navpod, cabled down to a 12 volt flatscreen mounted with RV flip up mount. A repeater if you will. Have a separate breaker for autopilot so I can kill it. I seldom run her from below, if I did I guess I would spring for remotes. I do not like the thought of carrying the football up and down, leaving exposed hot cable terminations. That invites corrosion. Moving a plotter is A real chore with a NAVPOD so the football approach is not an option.

Even if you use the same cables the terminations are not really designed to be plugged and unplugged with any regularity. I broke a power termination keeper on the 4210 moving it around, Garmin wanted $500 to do a complete rebuild like I dropped it overboard or attacked it with a hammer. All I needed was a $10 part. I found a work around using a dummy demo display unit.

Hope my experience give you pause to think of other alternatives.

Sounds like a good plan. Nice thing with the Garmin network, you can pull up anything in the system on either screen.
I run a 4212 in the PH along with a 546s that I set for special monitoring, Garmin VHF200 and AIS 600 . I like the 546s because it is self contained having its own GPS. This way if I were to ever loose the main system it will be my stand alone backup. I move it to the mount on the bridge when I need or I can put it in the tender for a day of exploring.
MY radar is old but still functioning. Eventually I will replace it with Garmin HD radar and add a second 4212 to the PH where I will dedicate it to the Radar and video cameras (1) engine room (1) astern.
Would love to see your helm(s).

Thanks for the additional input. Mule, since I never leave the 7212 outside unless we're aboard I don't see how I can avoid plugging/unplugging. Good thought on the hot terminals. I put a ziplock over them now, but maybe terminal plugs would be safer.

Charlie, if you were asking to see Stella's helms, I'm afraid these are the best I have . . . pre-dating the 7212. Radar would be on the block of wood on the left side of the flybridge helm. This is where I'd mount the 7212. The 7612 would go on the right. I expect I'll have to do some rearranging on the lower helm to fit two large MFDs and may just settle for one there.

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Papa Charlie said:

Sounds like a good plan. Nice thing with the Garmin network, you can pull up anything in the system on either screen.

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The one thing Garmin tells me I can't do is view DownVu sonar on the 7212, even if it's on the same network as the 7612 that has DownVu built in.

angus99 said:

The one thing Garmin tells me I can't do is view DownVu sonar on the 7212, even if it's on the same network as the 7612 that has DownVu built in.

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That makes no sense to me at all. Seems like they are trying to ensure that you upgrade the displays for new tech. No real reason for it. They also told me I would not have a lot of data transfer between the 4212 and 546s, but they seem to talk far more than maybe Garmin intended.

Nice clean location for you to upgrade. Should be very useable when you get it all in place. I am like you, I want to be able to utilize equipment in many places and to have redundancy as well.

Here is my helm after I installed the Garmin 4212, 546, VHF200 and GFI 10, AIS600, ADS22.

Beautiful! What kind of license do you have to hold to get behind the wheel?

FWIW I have been told that the New Garmin Black series ie 7612 etc. doesn't play well together with the older grey series ie 7212 etc. Apparently there are issues communicating data between the devices. Could that be the reason for the price reductions on the grey series?

License not required. Like your boat, just excessive funds in the account.

angus99 said:

Thanks for the additional input. Mule, since I never leave the 7212 outside unless we're aboard I don't see how I can avoid plugging/unplugging. Good thought on the hot terminals. I put a ziplock over them now, but maybe terminal plugs would be safer.

Charlie, if you were asking to see Stella's helms, I'm afraid these are the best I have . . . pre-dating the 7212. Radar would be on the block of wood on the left side of the flybridge helm. This is where I'd mount the 7212. The 7612 would go on the right. I expect I'll have to do some rearranging on the lower helm to fit two large MFDs and may just settle for one there.

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Beautiful helms... I felt your pain on leaving the plotter outside, hence the NavPod. Use a good approved lubricant on your exposed terminations too. Baggies seem to encourage condensation.

maac16324 said:

FWIW I have been told that the New Garmin Black series ie 7612 etc. doesn't play well together with the older grey series ie 7212 etc. Apparently there are issues communicating data between the devices. Could that be the reason for the price reductions on the grey series?

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Thanks for the heads up. That could certainly wreck things. Think I need to find a Garmin installer to see what the limitations would be.

I learned a long time ago that it is best to keep things somewhat separate so when it craps out you don't have to replace everything. Give you an example. Had a video chip go bad on a laptop and had to replace the entire motherboard. On my boat everything is as separate as it can be. My AIS is West Marine, My radio is ICOM, my autopilot is SITEX, my depth is SITEX; My chart plotters are GARMIN 4000 and 5000 series so they network and share my Garmin radar and Garmin depth. My GPS is also Garmin. My hailer is Raymarine.

maac16324 said:

FWIW I have been told that the New Garmin Black series ie 7612 etc. doesn't play well together with the older grey series ie 7212 etc. Apparently there are issues communicating data between the devices. Could that be the reason for the price reductions on the grey series?

Click to expand...

Talked to a very cagey Garmin tech who acknowledged there were problems with data sharing between the 7212 and 7612xsv. When I asked him to elaborate, he mentioned the sharing of sonar data (the 7612 supports downvu/sidevu, the other doesn't.)

He alluded to other problems, but would not specify. When I asked what's the prognosis for sorting these issues out, he was evasive: "don't know why they couldn't."

This does not inspire consumer confidence!

The grey 4000, 5000, 6000, and 7000 series are mostly discontinued. They are not made anymore but you can get Garmin support software, maps, and repairs. The black 7000, and up series are not yet discontinued. The further apart the series are the fewer features they share and they have more compatibility issues. I have 4000 series chart plotters and the other day I added a 5212. at first they would not recognize each other. I had to upgrade software to get them to network. The closer the series the better the networking.