Inside and outside viewpoints for a GPS
Issue 77 : Mar/Apr 2011
When Jim Stedman updated the electronic equipment in his 1972 Cheoy Lee Luders 36, Song, he gave considerable thought to what he would like in a GPS. He chose a Garmin 546 Marine Navigator because of its compact size, excellent screen visibility, and the option of a true sonar depth finder.
Jim lives aboard Song and does most of his sailing singlehanded. Steering, sailing, and navigation can create a literal three-ring circus. Consequently, he envisioned fitting the GPS on a high-quality movable bracket that would allow him to see the screen whether he was in the cockpit steering or at the nav station, in the cabin below, plotting his course. Recent issues of Good Old Boat have included similar swing-out brackets using PVC pipe (November 2010) and wood with a door-bolt lock (January 2011). For his version, Jim made use of stainless-steel tubing scavenged from discarded dodger frames.
He measured the companionway and the instrument itself and decided on a relatively short horizontal swing arm of 6 1/2 inches. This allows him to dash below past the GPS without having to swing it out of the way. The vertical mounting post is 10 1/2 inches, which gives just enough vertical clearance for the GPS to swing under the overhead in the cabin.
When the GPS is in its open (cockpit) position, Jim can see the screen from anywhere in the cockpit, although he does have to lean in a bit while on a port tack. In its closed (saloon) position, it’s located directly over his shoulder as he works at his stand-up chart desk on the starboard side of the companionway. He likes to plot courses first on paper charts and transfer his waypoint locations to the GPS. In its open position, the GPS is just over 4 feet away from the binnacle cockpit compass, in compliance with the Garmin installation specifications.
For construction of his bracket, Jim chose 1-inch-diameter stainless-steel tubing, the material in common use for dodger and Bimini hardware. The system consists of:
- 1 1-inch ID round base, 3-inch diameter (GPS mount)
- 1 1-inch ID rectangular base (overhead mount)
- 1 1-inch ID tee fitting with two 1/4 x 20 stainless-steel thumbscrews (pivot)
- 1 1-inch ID elbow fitting (elbow to GPS)
- 1 1-inch ID end cap (swivel base)
- 3 1-inch OD tubes, cut to measure (bracket arms)
With the exception of the tee fitting, all the parts are fastened with stainless-steel set screws. The tee fitting rides on the downpipe from the interior coachroof, which extends through the tee. The tee swivels on the pipe and is held in place by the end-cap fitting below. It’s then tightened in the desired position with the two stainless-steel thumb screws.
Jim did his own work on Song shortly after purchasing her in 2009. She was berthed in the Rivertown Boatworks and Marina in Bradenton, Florida, one of the few yards in the area that still allow owners to do their own work. As you might expect, they have a large supply of discarded parts and pieces. Jim was able to scavenge most of the material listed above, purchasing only the flanges and the elbow. This kept his cost to $60. He cut the 1-inch tubing to length with a pipe cutter and smoothed out the edges with a file. While I was busy photographing his handiwork, he pulled out a West Marine catalog and priced the whole thing out at about $200.
Jim has a great deal of experience in all manners of construction and finishing, so the attention to detail in this simple installation is elegant.
Bill Jacobs has spent the last 48 years in sailboats and powerboats. His marine photography is displayed in galleries, private collections, museums, and has been printed in boating publications. His articles have been published in boating publications since 2004. Bill winters in Sarasota, Florida, and cruises on a Mainship 34. In the summer, he can be found sailing his Cape Dory Typhoon on Lake Michigan off the shores of Door County, Wisconsin.
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