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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
 Catalina 250 Specific Forum
 Intrument location and safety
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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/16/2006 :  12:44:31  Show Profile
My new C250 has the VHF located in the cabin. I've noticed other boats do the same thing and many also mount GPS and other instruments on swing arms that come out of the cabin. I have always been taught that in heavy weather/seas that the cabin should be closed up. That means the hatchboards and the sliding rooftop. But that cuts off access to the instruments and VHF. So, is mounting the electronics in the cockpit the only really safe option, or is that where handheld come into play or???



We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails.


Edited by - Nautiduck on 12/16/2006 12:45:32

johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2006 :  17:46:24  Show Profile
<font color="blue"><font size="4"><font face="Comic Sans MS">I'm going to cross the Georgia Strait for the first time and the weather is a little iffy so I closed the hatch.The radio is straped to my vest.


For navagation in Canadian waters,I use Maptec Canadian maps,an Ipaq hx4700 and a Bluetooth Navman GPS which I usually mount here.
When things get iffy I put the Ipaq in my jacket pocket.
I'm not sure how long the batteries will last in the Ipaq and GPS, without charging but they have lasted over 10+ hours


When I'm underway,using the engine,which has a generator,I charge all my battries including the GPS system.



paulj C250WK #719</font id="Comic Sans MS"></font id="size4"></font id="blue">

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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 :  22:55:54  Show Profile  Visit Arlyn Stewart's Homepage
Randy, my solution to the need to have the companionway hatch closed sometimes while cruising was to mount the vhf near the companionway opening where it is accessible without going below, yet it is protected from the elements. It is necessary of course that the hatch be opened to use it.

The gps/sounder combo has until recently been mounted on a stud that penetrates the inside and outside of the bulkhead and thus can be located either internal or external. When external the three wires simply lay under the hatch when it is in place. I've moved it to a swing mount but left the stud in place in cases of needing to close the companionway and have the instrument available to the cockpit.

I think it is unfortunate that marine service radios haven't followed the technique used by ham radio and other services. They offer a dual frequency band radio that can serve as a repeater. For example, a handheld could be used in the cockpit that transmitted on a higher frequency band and was received by the vhf which inturn retransmitted on one of the standard marine channels. This would give the advantage of using the boat radio as a repeater while in the cockpit or off in the dinghy.


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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 12/18/2006 :  08:33:40  Show Profile  Visit aeckhart's Homepage
One of the two or three most useful pieces of equipment I've installed on my C25 is Standard Horizon's remote command mike. It does everything from the mike that you can do on the face of the radio and has a speaker. Very handy.

I'm not sure how the 250 hatch boards are set up but, I installed my chart plotter swing arm so that I can use the top and bottom hatch boards, leaving the middle one out to view the plotter. It doesn't meet the offshore racing safety requirments but then......I don't race offshore.

Edited by - aeckhart on 12/18/2006 18:38:44
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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 12/19/2006 :  09:13:35  Show Profile
Arlyn,

What Al is referring to is also something that I have seen when searching for a VHF radio last year. The remote/repeater arrangement you wish is in fact available from several manufacturers. I have not bought anything other than a handheld yet, so I can't provide mfg and model number, but I know it is out there, and not that expensive.

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KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 12/23/2006 :  08:55:31  Show Profile
Another solution is to get a good 5 watt marine vhf handheld and a coax adapter to allow connection to the masthead mounted antenna. Run the coax into the cockpit and use it there. Unless you are planning to be a lot farther from shore than 25 miles, it will work for emergency purpose quite well. Remember that CG Stations have their antennas on very high towers allowing considerable line of sight distance. Power is not as important as line of sight, double the power is an increase in signal strength of only 3db, therefore the difference between 5 watts and 25 watts is only about 7db. This can easily be accomplished with a decent antenna. Bob

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SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 12/24/2006 :  11:47:49  Show Profile
We put our VHF under the stern rail seat

and the gps and depth on the pedistal gard with a swivel



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