Two vs one GPS unit?

[Someday*]

For those that have 2 gps units, what was your reason for this?
The tugs come with the one unit at the helm but I see pics and have read somewhere here of people who have dual gps units.
thx

 

[SJI Sailor]

C30 comes with 2 chartplotters. Besides some degree of backup, we like it because the helm display is more visible to co-pilot, and because we can have different levels of detail displayed at once.

Most commonly, I set the first display to split screen with a small scale (large area) chart, plus either sonar or radar. I use that for general situational awareness and to track a planned or autoguidance route. (I never let autopilot track the line as such, and prefer instead to generally parallel it with some offset. That's another discussion!)

The second display is set to a single full screen, large scale (small area) chart that I use for more precise navigation such as watching bottom contours or zooming in for a marina.

If I had only 1 chartplotter, then I'd likely set it up with a large scale chart plus radar/sonar, and use an iPad or other device for the small scale charting, general awareness, and backup.

 

[serpa4]

Sailing my Lagoon 400 catamaran across the gulf when the GPS in the chart plotter stopped working...….of course no books or sextant or skill to use it at the time.
A really Sh!ty feeling for sure. However, I had a cell phone with current Navionics maps installed just incase. Wow, thank God I had that.
Then, I had to sail across Mobile Alabama bay when selling it two weeks later. I didn't have time to replace the unit and I already had a buyer... but still had my cell phone. Well, cellphone got wet for a thunderstorm during that crossing and zero visibility! Now it would not charge, but it did have sufficient charge to get me to my destination.
I'm a fan of my C30 dual chart plotters and still keep my phone and tablet loaded with current maps.

 

[serpa4]

Also, one chartplotter for me to use, one for my wife to play around with panning and looking and just screwing around while underway. Really convenient.
However, my android tablet with 10.1 screen is great for navigating and also wifi to my Garmin GPSmap and can actually control the boat from it!

 

[FlyMeAway]

Are you talking about two GPS units (redundant positioning), or two plotter displays? This is two very different questions.

 

[Someday*]

Are you talking about two GPS units (redundant positioning), or two plotter displays? This is two very different questions.

I guess two of the Garmin 8612xsv units....that's the unit the R29 comes with now.(chartplotters)

 

[Someday*]

Also, one chartplotter for me to use, one for my wife to play around with panning and looking and just screwing around while underway. Really convenient.
However, my android tablet with 10.1 screen is great for navigating and also wifi to my Garmin GPSmap and can actually control the boat from it!

That's one of my thoughts...use my ipad as a "2nd unit" rather than a 2nd unit installed at the helm.

 

[allanrs74@gmail.com]

To provide 100% redundancy, I utilize a second independent system, iNavX on my iPad. With the iPad a co-captain can monitor progress along a course line, plan the next days route or in my case use the bathymetric function to locate pinnacles or other bottom features for fishing or shrimping. It also allows me to plan routes, etc while sitting in my home office away from the boat.

Regards,
Bob Allan

 

[knotflying]

As Bob Allan stated, I would prefer a totally independent source. There could be several reasons why your navigation system could go down and having two on the same source of power etc. may not be a good situation.

 

[SJI Sailor]

Agreed here. We carry an iPad with external GPS for an independent backup and portable display. (And paper charts for that matter -- GPS itself is not 100% reliable.) Still love the dual displays.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

the cutwater 28 has 1 plotter installed. I use an ipad with navionics as backup (and phone too)

i installed a yacht devices wifi gateway on the NMEA network so I get GPS, depth, heading data into navionics over the wifi. way cheaper than a second plotter.

its not totally redundant with GPS coming off the NMEA network but I have phone GPS for emergencys too.

 

[Steeldieman]

I put a second one in when I got a smoking deal on some 8000 units being discontinued. I did it because it looks cool. Picture in my album

 

[bvankeppel]

We use an iPad (With Bad Elf Lightning connector for GPS input) and our own iPhones with updated Navionics charts installed as the back up Nav/GPS devices. Unless the entire chain of GPS input signals for the Chartplotters is truly independent (Dual and separate GPS antennas), there can still be a single failure with both Chartplotters getting no GPS input. But it sure looks cool to have two plotters with separate display setup.

 

[Brian 27 OB]

I put in a second display for the first mate. You can set the gps inputs for both independently. I did find that some of my other electronics that were looking for a gps signal where confused for a bit. Pic in my album. Can’t link from my iphone...easily

 

[Someday*]

I put in a second display for the first mate. You can set the gps inputs for both independently. I did find that some of my other electronics that were looking for a gps signal where confused for a bit. Pic in my album. Can’t link from my iphone...easily

Now that would make the 1st mate very happy! Nice idea Brian.
(BTW, saw in your photos you have a Seakeeper installed...very nice, how does it work for you?)

 

[S. Todd]

We have two Garmin Multifunction display screens installed on our 2021 R29. Navigation charts are displayed on one screen and radar on the second screen which gives you a nice big picture on both. We can also split screen the MFD screens so that on the radar we can show radar at (for example) 24 mile range on one half and 1.5 mile range on the other half. We have only had the boat for a short period of time but so far I am pleased with the investment in the 2nd screen.

 

[Someday*]

We have two Garmin Multifunction display screens installed on our 2021 R29. Navigation charts are displayed on one screen and radar on the second screen which gives you a nice big picture on both. We can also split screen the MFD screens so that on the radar we can show radar at (for example) 24 mile range on one half and 1.5 mile range on the other half. We have only had the boat for a short period of time but so far I am pleased with the investment in the 2nd screen.

I'd love to see pics of your two unit set up Todd.
We are wrestling with to have it done now while our R29 is being built or to have done after if we feel we want it. The console sure looks pretty bare with only the one unit...I realize that isn't a reason to have a 2nd unit but as others have said "it looks cool"

 

[gswearin]

I have a 12.9 inch iPad mounted in that bare spot. Nice because I can put the n portrait mode to see more of what’s ahead and I can remove it for use with the TV or to do some route planning while lounging. I don’t have a pic right now but not bad on the cool factor.
Gary

 

[2savage]

My second GPS is my laptop running 'Offshore Navigator' from Maptech. The actual GPS is a USB plug-in purchased off eBay for $10. The charts were downloaded using the code from chartkits.

Benefits are that I can do route planning from just about anywhere. Downside is that my laptop is hard to read in sunlight.

 

[baz]

I have the 2019 R29 CB. It's equipped with 3 Chart plotters; two at the helm and another on the Command bridge.

Also, note that the starboard helm chart plotter is hardwired to the TV at rear of cabin, and as such the TV can display what's on the helm starboard Chart plotter. This is nice for people sitting in the cockpit with the TV turned so they can see it. It's also very useful when fishing as the fish finder display can be mirrored to the TV.

You can also mirror the helm starboard chart plotter to the TV facing the bow berth area.

Visually, two Chart plotters at the helm fills in the vacant area that you get with a single Chart plotter.

It's just very nice to have the options of multiple Chart plotters IMO.