Holy crap! $11,999.99 for a MFD? I would have thought prices would be coming down, not going up.
Ok, I'll bite. I have plenty of room for it in my pilot house. However, I don't think that's what I want. (So please just give me the $12K and I'll spend it how I wish )Actually considering it's a touch screen AND marine I'm thinking it's not that bad for a 24" screen. Bigger question is who's got a pilot house to support it.
What a buy! How about one for the lower station and one for the fly-bridge?:lol:
Ok, I'll bite. I have plenty of room for it in my pilot house. However, I don't think that's what I want. (So please just give me the $12K and I'll spend it how I wish )
Firstly, I don't really need the screen to be marine grade inside the pilot house. Secondly, I don't really want a touch screen. Have any of you tried to use a touch screen in big seas? I had the experience on my way down from Alaska last year. I had a laptop with a mouse running CE and my first mate had a Microsoft surface also running CE. I found the touchscreen hard to use as I was being jostled around in big waves. The mouse was much easier to manage. I could stabilize my mousing hand by leaning on it a bit and still use the mouse. With the touchscreen I found my hand wavering around all over the place.
A touchscreen tablet is fine if you are holding it. However, trying to point and drag with your fingers on a surface that is attached to the boat in heavy weather is not easy.
Anyone else feel the same way?
Richard
Laptop via HDMI cable to a Samsung $325 32" HD TV works for us. Then if I so choose all the charts, AIS, radar, depth sounder etc are viewable when cruising by guests or off watch crew playing cards or resting on the couch.
These daylight viewable big screens are very pricey but they do sell.
The questions about touch screens revolves around what percentage of your boating life are in rough seas. For many, not so much. It's not like they fail to function but yes they may be more difficult at times.
It may not be that frequent, but the problem is that they get more difficult to use at a time that I'm already more stressed. That's not a good combination.The questions about touch screens revolves around what percentage of your boating life are in rough seas. For many, not so much. It's not like they fail to function but yes they may be more difficult at times.
Also about how much you like fingerprints all over your chart plotter as well as ergonomics.