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colbysmith

colbysmith

Active member
Another question regarding setting up my new (used) 2007 22' C-dory. I have installed two VHF radios underneath the little shelf above the front windshield. I now have a GPSMAP 541S, surface mount compass, and older SL72+ Pathfinder radar to mount. Any suggestions or photos of where others have mounted their electronics? Thanks. Colby
 
Thanks. Actually just before seeing this, I had gone to your photo album and saw how you had your's set up. BTW, I see your radar antenna is right on your roof. Does that work well for you? Colby
 
The radar mounted directly on the roof works fine. I have no basis for comparison, but I'm not sure what a 6" mast gets you over a direct roof mount.
 
I'm not convinced that having so many screens at the helm is a good thing in terms of attention to what's happening outside the boat, but then, I'm easily distracted and definitely have some attention deficit syndrome going. I'm very happy with my single screen raymarine display that puts depth, gps and radar on one screen all at the same time or by soft buttons, putting them on the screen one at a time. The boat pictured has a super clean installation as I look at the picture, and particularly the cabling, but I just looks too cluttered in the pix. I suspect that standing at the helm it isn't actually that cluttered. I'm a big fan of those CD "surround" windows and hate to block any of the view out of them.

I am a big fan of the old fashioned compass, and if you mount one, be sure to do only a temporary mount so you can see the possible effects of electronics and other electro magnetic or ferrite influences on the compass before you screw the thing down permanently.

One VHF bolted below the shelf should be plenty. The back up, in my opinion, should be a high quality waterproof hand held. I'm not tall, but tall enough that when at the helm, the second radio, seems to me, would be in my field of vision.

But, any arrangement that you are comfortable with is the key. There are as many different arrangements as there are C-Brats, and each will think theirs is the best. That is because, for them it is the best.

PLEASE, PLEASE, pay attention to nice clean cable layouts, penetrations an dressing.

You will love your 2007.
 
I have two VHF radios mounted side by side under the overhead shelf. This comes in very handy when listening on one frequency, and using the other to make calls. Or for monitoring two channels without using the scan feature... My GPSMAP 541S is mounted just to the left on the "upper dashboard" with plenty of room to access the forward window. My larger Radar screen is directly in front of me, offset slightly to the right. I don't prefer the one screen setup, as you then have one screen that is too cluttered. This set up works for me. Colby
 
I have a 541 (With AIS attached) at the helm, just to the right side, and a 441S to the left--the 441 is used mostly as a depth sounder and long range chart plotter--detail on the 541. Two radios--one at each side of the shelf--with the mics just above the helm--shock cord to keep them back out of the way. (Also Sirius radio screen and stereo near the center.

Why two radios? If you operate in any congested waters, then you should be monitoring 16 and the working channel--such as a Traffic scheme, or along the gulf coast Channel 14 which the tugs and tow work. (Mississippi River often tugs monitor 13). There may be safety transmissions on one channel (16 or a working channel) which you will miss if you are running only one radio on "Scan" I had this happen along the "Rockpile" section of the AICW--where I had given my security call on 13 while the tug was on 16 and visa versa. We met in the middle. As the give way vessel, I had to put my boat against the bank, and the tug went by at slow speed. (I was in a 7 foot draft 35 ton sailboat--might be a bit different with a C Dory, but you still don't want to meet a tug and tow in a narrow channel)

We put the radar up off the ceiling or shelf. All displays are fixed so they can be made visible easily to the second person aboard--and one person assigned to look out the window (helmsman) and the other to monitor the screens (Radar, chart plotter, AIS etc) Agree with neat cabling--use one of the split loom to run extra wires.
 
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