Bavaria 31 early model - Nav system

[hennypenny]

I have a specific question for those who have a Bavaria 31 from 1999 to 2001.

I would like to know where you all put your nav system so that it can be visible in the cockpit? Ideally i would like it at the pedestal but I don't know how to achieve this as the main sheet attaches at the top of the pedestal and there is very little space to mount instruments. Would be grateful for any ideas!

Thanks in advance!

[Salty]

You haven’t mentioned which instruments you have, but could you save space by using multifunction displays rather than having, for example,  one for depth, one for speed, one for wind, one for autopilot, and a chartplotter that only does charts and radar?
I don’t have the limitation of having the main sheet attached to the binnacle, but having a newish multifunction chart plotter means I can operate the autopilot from the plotter, and with a separate multifunction display(mfd) I can read depth, speed and wind all from a single display, although not all three all at the same time where instead the display I want is just a couple of button pushes away. There are some mfd’s that will show several displays on different lines and all at the same time.
The mfd I have was located next to the companionway entrance, see photo, (good push from the tide that day !!) so that while running on autopilot and sat within the cockpit, it wasn’t necessary to keep scrambling around the binnacle to check wind, depth and speed, and if I wanted to put a mark on the paper chart the mfd would also display GPS information. However, having the mfd by the side of the companionway meant it was visible from the wheel, but not within finger poking distance, so it did mean when sailing on my own that I’d need to make a decision on which display I wanted most to see from the wheel. I’ve since added a wind display to the same area on the port side of the companionway.

[Deep stall]

Hello,
The 1999 Bavraia 31 I bought came with an Advansea T56 chartplotter installed on the left hand side of the pedestal on a custom made simple enough bracket.
I haven't found its location a hindrance and the location is decent for viewing the plotter when in a sitting position. The plotter can swivel for a better viewing angle.
It may not work so well for some of the current larger plotter screens.

Tj

[Symphony]

There really isn't an elegant solution if you are retaining all the existing instruments. The boat was designed at a time when just a bidata, wind and perhaps autopilot were fitted at the binnacle and before chartplotters suitable for cockpit use were available.

If, however you are replacing all the electronics with MFDs then there is room to fit a chart plotter and an autopilot control in the existing space - perhaps making a new panel to fit the existing recess. Chart plotters usually allow you to display key data such as speed, wind angle, depth etc as well as the chart with overlays. A second MFD readout could be placed elsewhere in the cockpit such as on the bulkhead as in Salty's picture or alternatively you could have it on the main panel alongside the plotter and site the autopilot control elsewhere. Depends on what you feel is more useful to have in front of you.

That is essentially how my 2015 33 is set up. The Garmin plotter is on the binnacle and the cockpit coamings are designed to house MFDs on the end face. I have mine configured with wind angle and log speed on the plotter, autopilot on the port MFD and GPS speed, depth and wind on starboard. Sailing mostly single handed I use the autopilot a lot so have that displayed almost permanently and on the other I have either GPS SOG or Depth, the latter usually when entering anchorages or navigating the channels in shallow harbours like Poole.

I think if I had a boat like yours, I would go for the plotter and an MFD on the binnacle and the autopilit control set into the inside of the cockpit coaming alongside the helm - probably on the side of the aft cabin as it is easier to protect the back of the instrument.

Hope this helps

[hennypenny]

There really isn't an elegant solution if you are retaining all the existing instruments. The boat was designed at a time when just a bidata, wind and perhaps autopilot were fitted at the binnacle and before chartplotters suitable for cockpit use were available.

If, however you are replacing all the electronics with MFDs then there is room to fit a chart plotter and an autopilot control in the existing space - perhaps making a new panel to fit the existing recess. Chart plotters usually allow you to display key data such as speed, wind angle, depth etc as well as the chart with overlays. A second MFD readout could be placed elsewhere in the cockpit such as on the bulkhead as in Salty's picture or alternatively you could have it on the main panel alongside the plotter and site the autopilot control elsewhere. Depends on what you feel is more useful to have in front of you.

That is essentially how my 2015 33 is set up. The Garmin plotter is on the binnacle and the cockpit coamings are designed to house MFDs on the end face. I have mine configured with wind angle and log speed on the plotter, autopilot on the port MFD and GPS speed, depth and wind on starboard. Sailing mostly single handed I use the autopilot a lot so have that displayed almost permanently and on the other I have either GPS SOG or Depth, the latter usually when entering anchorages or navigating the channels in shallow harbours like Poole.

I think if I had a boat like yours, I would go for the plotter and an MFD on the binnacle and the autopilit control set into the inside of the cockpit coaming alongside the helm - probably on the side of the aft cabin as it is easier to protect the back of the instrument.

Hope this helps

Thanks that's some helpful insight. I think I would ideally like to have my plotter at the helm if possible it is a Raymarine Axiom 7, I just worry it won't fit there. I would be prepared to move have an MFD on the bulkhead but I get nervous about cutting holes in the boat but that could work. I think the Axiom can operate a new autopilot system so that could be an option, just need the cash to get the autopilot system as well.

[Symphony]

The Axiom would fit if you had only one other display alongside. While the Axiom will send signals to an autopilot but in reality this function is of limited use unless you habitually navigate using waypoints or routes. A manual control is, at least in the way I use the autopilot much more useful. Siting the autopilot control in the coaming was pretty common before binnacles came in. With your helm setup it is easily reached and visible.

It is, though all about personal choice.

[Salty]

There really isn't an elegant solution if you are retaining all the existing instruments. The boat was designed at a time when just a bidata, wind and perhaps autopilot were fitted at the binnacle and before chartplotters suitable for cockpit use were available.

.........A second MFD readout could be placed elsewhere in the cockpit such as on the bulkhead as in Salty's picture.................Depends on what you feel is more useful to have in front of you.
.
.

I think if I had a boat like yours, I would go for the plotter and an MFD on the binnacle and the autopilit control set into the inside of the cockpit coaming alongside the helm - probably on the side of the aft cabin as it is easier to protect the back of the instrument.

Hope this helps

............... I think I would ideally like to have my plotter at the helm if possible it is a Raymarine Axiom 7, I just worry it won't fit there. I would be prepared to move have an MFD on the bulkhead but I get nervous about cutting holes in the boat but that could work...............

If you feel you would like to put an instrument on the bulkhead to one side of the companion way like I did, you would need first to explore how you would get the necessary wiring to the back of the instrument. On my B36(2002), there is a narrow open area extending vertically from the upper part of the engine compartment to the area where I fitted that instrument shown in my photo. If you have a set of electricians reach rods, or failing that a long length of thin straight wire rod such as a straightened out wire coat hanger or piece of wooden dowel, you can poke any of these items up at the aft end of the engine bay in either one of the two corners, and thereby measure the height of that open area. If it goes to where you want, the next thing would be to cover the area with masking tape where the instrument would be fitted and to mark out with a pencil the area you would need to cut out for the instrument. Keep in mind that to mount the instrument you will not, in that location, be able to get to the back of the instrument to tighten any securing bolts and hence why my instrument is mounted on a wooden plinth that is secured separately in place with stainless screws and washers.
Once you have determined and pencilled in the area of glass fibre that would need to be cut away to permit fitting of the instrument, make some small exploratory holes through the GRP with a very thin drill in order to measure the depth of the space where the instrument is to be fitted. That way if you find the depth would be insufficient, or that there was not sufficient space to fit the instrument you only have tiny holes left to fill. Use this method of working wherever you decide to fit an instrument.
Once you have determined whether it is actually possible to fit your instrument there then you can go ahead and cut away the GRP or not, all depending on your findings. To cut that hole I made a large number of small drill holes along the perimeter of the area I wanted to cut away, and then used a slightly larger drill to remove any bridging areas within the GRP I also used a gasket made from a piece of spare foam vinyl floor covering to fit between the wood plinth and the GRP., and the securing screws for the plinth were fairly thick and meaty so as to be able to make them very tight.
The alternative is as Symphony has suggested, to mount your smaller instruments into the cockpit coaming, and your chart plotter to a bracket next to the wheel, but clear of your mainsheet.

[Sitesurfer]

B36 2003, Axiom 9 plotter on its own in the binnacle, shows all the data from the boat.
I used a pod For the head units for my old wind and depth above the companionway mounted to a broom handle for now! Head units bridged to n2k network via Seatalk converter.

The radio provides AIS data which is converted to nmea 2k via a digital yacht dongle and displays on the axiom, this has removed everything from the binnacle.

[Salty]

Further to my earlier posts on this thread, herewith three photos, of which the first two show the hole cut into the aft bulkhead of the cabin in way of the area just to starboard of where the sliding hatch fits and at the top of bulkhead as viewed from the cockpit.

In the first photo the circular hole allows the rear of the ST60 instrument to be recessed into the bulkhead and shows the space that was available in the area just forward of where the hole was cut. Within the hole you can see the top of the longitudinal wooden bulkhead which, a little further forward, inside of the companionway door that forms the side of the companion way/aft starboard cabin bulkhead.

The second photo shows the area just to port of that companionway/cabin bulkhead but which lays outside of the companionway door, and which forms a vertical trunk/access down into the top of the engine compartment at its aft starboard corner. This trunk was used to route the cabling for the instrument.

The third photo shows the aft starboard corner of the engine compartment where the sound and temperature insulating materials used meet in that corner and where I have pulled a red wire so that it is just visible in that corner lower down. On my boat I have added some sound and heat insulating foam across the under side of the top of the engine compartment, such that the bottom end of the trunk referred to above is not actually visible. However with the use of some electricians glassfibre reach rods which were poked up from the engine compartment and past the insulation during initial investigations as to whether the proposed location for the instrument was viable or not. The investigation confirmed that the space reached the area next to where the instrument was to be placed, and the rest as they say, is history.

A similar space exists on the port side of the engine compartment.

Also the insulation added across the top of the engine compartment has substantially reduced the sound of the engine both within the cockpit as well as within the cabin areas.