Simrad / B&G Zeus 2 Touch

While the galley was being done I installed the B&G Zeus 2 Touch 7" MFD.  Full disclosure, I get a good deal on these from Navico, but they are very impressive to date.  The "Sailsteer" is especially interesting though I have yet to use it in anger.  The autopilot control and the C-Zone integration have also peaked my interest.

The one shortcoming with the system for those who cruise the Bahamas was that charting was limited to a choice of Insight or Navionics.  This has been overcome as C-Map now has charts base on the very popular Explorer paper charts of the Bahamas and these work on the Simrad / B&G systems.  I will be reviewing these Charts in the near future.

I'm an iPad fan.....

I'm a big fan of iPads on sailboats.  They have a multitude of uses.  I will always have a dedicated GPS Plotter at the wheel because they are more robust / waterproof  but for planning etc. the new iPad stuff is hard to beat.

My original Mk1 iPad has now been replaced with a Mk4 for my daily use and the Mk1 has been donated to the boat.  It has been mounted on the Nav Station panel using the WALLEE iPad mount

The cable connection will be tidied up any year now.

Eventually I will have a WiFi system onboard transmitting navigation instrument data.  The technology is improving every year.  This is DMK app displaying wind speed, boat speed, wind angle and depth.   Nice...... 

Navionics charts of Biscayne Bay on the Navionics App.

Vessel lights on the COLREGS app.

And the list goes on....................................................

Reusing old fixtures and fittings...

One of the benefits of working on a "good old boat" is the quality of the wood and general fittings on-board. Spend some time on a new production boat and you will realize that many of the wood panels under bunks, headliners, shelves etc. are designed to the minimum spec.. 1/2" and above marine ply must have been plentiful in the Whitby yard.

I have removed the old chart storage and will be using it as an instrument panel. One of the Saloon chairs will find a new life as the chart chair with the addition of an Attwood Swivl-Eze Adjustable Seat Pedestal.

I love paper charts and will not sail without them....

However, I don't really like chart tables. They tend to get cluttered with "stuff"; laptops, radios books etc. and then you can't lift the lid, which is the main purpose of a chart table.

I also love the idea that Beth and Evan Starzinger have about using a "rally" type chair when underway. This requires me to remove the existing chart table on TIH. I will flip it vertically and use it as a bulkhead to hold GPS, instruments etc. The instruments will be cut into/mounted on the existing lid.




Chair idea.