# looking for ideas for tiller cockpit



## Ranthra (Feb 9, 2011)

We are in the buying process of a canoe stern bluewater boat with a tiller. The boat is light on electronics, leaving me to ponder where I could mount a chartplotter? Any ideas or photos appreciated. I will miss the helm pedestal from the wheel steering - so convenient.


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## krisscross (Feb 22, 2013)

Where is your traveler? If it is in the cockpit, that may be a spot to make an offset mount. Otherwise you always have the cabin wall. But I would want to be able to stow my chartplotter inside during rough weather.


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

Ranthra said:


> We are in the buying process of a canoe stern bluewater boat with a tiller. The boat is light on electronics, leaving me to ponder where I could mount a chartplotter? Any ideas or photos appreciated. I will miss the helm pedestal from the wheel steering - so convenient.


Our Rafiki has this exact challenge. My solution (so far) is to use a Garmin handheld chartplotter, along with an iPad (running iNavx) mounted under the dodger in a waterproof case with a RAM mount. The handheld can be right beside the helm person, and the iPad is large enough to view from the helm seat. I also have my depth sounder and wind speed/direction displays attached to the cockpit bulkhead on either side of the companion way.

Not sure if I have any pics, but it's pretty straight forward.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Somewhere around my office, I have a suction cup ram mount that you can pretty much attach to any smooth surface. When I had my Catalina 27, which was a tiller boat, I mounted the GPS/Plotter on a small platform that I attached to the bulkhead. I made the platform out of an old plastic cutting board and bored a couple holes in it, attached some brass brazing rod to the bottoms of the holes and used that part for a drink holder - worked great. 

Good luck,

Gary


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

It would be helpful to know exactly which boat you're discussing... not the S37 in your profile, presumably...


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## Ranthra (Feb 9, 2011)

Yes, a different boat than the Seidelmann in my profile. The offer is for an Alajuela 38. 

I like the ipad idea, and had thought of that route in the past. I guess there is a way to keep the screen awake and bright for extended periods? Running a 12V outlet would be simple. Seems like a good option at less than half the price of a comparable chartplotter. 

I've seen some use of a swing arm from the inside cabin wall that can be rotated to place the chartplotter in the companionway when underway. Not sure I like this, but it does have the advantage of being able to also use the chartplotter at the navigation table inside.

Mounting on cabin top under the dodger may be in the way of running rigging and winches.

I like the clean open feel of the cockpit, but can't dismiss the risk of the tricky Carolina shoals.


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## roverhi (Dec 19, 2013)

Have the Garmin 7" plotter on a swivel mount in the companionway. It swings out for viewing from the helm and back so it can be seen from inside the cabin. A great location as it's easy to see in bright sunlight because it's under the shade of the dodger. Can also easily get at the controls while steering.

Mounted the sailing instruments in a pod over the companionway which is a great location. Can see the instruments while scanning forward. Mounted on the cabin side, you have to drop your sight line when looking at the instruments.


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

Not knowing your boat... I found a good use for a rarely used under the dodger winch. All it took was an 11/16" square bar x 5" long if I recall correctly and the standard mounting bracket... a few holes and bolts... and a cig plug using an existing cig outlet in the cockpit dash


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## Triumphant (Aug 13, 2014)

roverhi said:


> Have the Garmin 7" plotter on a swivel mount in the companionway. It swings out for viewing from the helm and back so it can be seen from inside the cabin. A great location as it's easy to see in bright sunlight because it's under the shade of the dodger. Can also easily get at the controls while steering.
> 
> Mounted the sailing instruments in a pod over the companionway which is a great location. Can see the instruments while scanning forward. Mounted on the cabin side, you have to drop your sight line when looking at the instruments.


+1 for both these ideas. Have seen and sail on boats with these options

We currently use a hand held GPS/Chart plotter GPSMAP78 and RAM mount with a sucker base on our little 31 foot tiller steered boat. RAM mount was about USD44

And another thought, you may not always be at the tiller (autopilot?) so you need to be able to see the instruments from other positions


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## Wes (Mar 27, 2016)

Here's my swing arm with ipad mini. The arm is nicely crafted from the Joy Factory.


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## wsmurdoch (Jan 23, 2007)

Our Simrad chartplotter is down below on our tiller steered Pacific Seacraft 34 as are our paper charts and our laptop with OpenCPN. We started boating with paper charts, a hand bearing compass, a pencil, protractor, and ruler in the 70's. With two of us aboard any time we are operating in strange water, we just don't feel a real need to have the chartplotter in the cockpit. We are big proponents of "look out the window" navigation. In the US the aids to navigation are better placed than the magenta line on the chartplotter, and in the Bahamas you can usually see the bottom by just looking over the side. In the cockpit we have depth, boat speed, wind speed, wind direction, compass(es), and such along with a VHF (with AIS) remote. The chartplotter and radar are below. When it is dark, cold, and raining at anchor, it is nice to sit below watching the screens and seeing that nothing is happening.


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## Wes (Mar 27, 2016)

^^^ This completely and totally matches how I would set my boat up if I had/needed electronic gear. As it is, I have a depthfinder and mostly daysail and weekend. The ipad mini on the swing arm works OK. I believe I would want all wind instruments viewable by the entire crew (over the companionway), the charting info down below as wsmrdoch suggests. I think in many cases there's way too much reliance on electronic gizmos and gadgets.


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## Skipper Jer (Aug 26, 2008)

I made an extra drop board for the companion way. I mounted my chart plotter and compass in that board. Got to be careful stepping over it. I hate putting holes in me boat so the board mount was the way to go. Also when in the slip the chartplotter is either home with me or down below out of sight.


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## Lazerbrains (Oct 25, 2015)

It depends on how big your plotter is. On my last boat I had a smaller 5" Garmin mounted on a swingarm in the companionway as others have shown. Worked great and I could swing it inside to see as well when down below or when in slip, and easy enough to get past through the companionway (small size). My current boat (also tiller) I have a rather large 12" MFD - there really is no way to have it other than mounted to the bulkhead. Ipads are great on a RAM mount under the dodger (with waterproof case).


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## TomMaine (Dec 21, 2010)

We've used a simple board hinged in the companionway forever, it seems. The pros are simple, can be used on deck or below, protected. It contains the CP, AP control and a depth sounder.

Our companionway is quite wide so it doesn't hamper going through. We spend little time behind the wheel on our boat. It's usually under AP or the helmsman steers from just forward of the wheel on either cockpit bench. It's comfortable, you can reach the sheet winches and you're protected from wind and spray.

I've yet to find a good spot for the Ipad. It's become our main CP. No single spot works well all the time for us. The older CP in the companionway has become secondary. In fact, now that I think about it, an Iphone might be secondary these days. Electronics are changing so fast.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

I would suggest whatever handheld device as a back-up. Put the plotter on a swing arm inside the cabin. If you want to be able to see the thing with the hatch boards in, then make another hatch board with large lexan window (would help to let a little more light in down below, too). Save the original wood board to put back in for truly nasty conditions.

Love the A38. Get something onboard made of cocobolo wood in homage to the Alajuela province in Costa Rica.


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