2520 XLD Dashboard Design

[WBHiggins]

I am a new owner of a 2011 2520 XLD that I am planning to outfit with a chartplotter, radar, sounder, and maybe autopilot. Radio will be separate. My new boat arrived at the dealer today wrapped in plastic with the flying bridge folded down into the cockpit such that we cannot get into the pilot house until we unwrap it closer to the launch date in March.

Meanwhile, do any of you out there have the dimensions of the open space on the dash above the helm? I am wondering what is the largest flush mount chartplotter screen I can fit in that open space, in other words, what are the dimensions of the big empty flat space above the helm? The photos on the Parker website and everywhere else I have searched are not clear enough to really tell. My dealer thinks I can only fit up to a 10-inch screen, like a Garmin 4210, but it seems to me there is room for a bigger display. Would rather have one big screen than two smaller screens.

 

[pmeggers]

I am of the belief you should have backup screens for redundancy purposes. Also, splitting the one screen can sometimes be aggravating when trying to zoom or perform other functions on both. With respect to your dash, I am unfamiliar with your dimensions.

 

[John_Madison CT]

If I was you, I would contact Parker directly. I bet they can share some good info with you.

Otherwise, congrats on the boat !!

 

[Megabyte]

I have a 10" Garmin chart plotter on my helm.
The Furuno FCV 600l sounder sits up top, and the Icom VHF is down by the binnacle.
You might be able to squeeze a 12" plotter in there, but a 12" wasn't available when I did my install.

Hope this helps.

 

[TheOtherLine]

4212 mounted center, had enough room to add the autopilot with room to spare.

The mount in the picture (11 o'clock) is for a Furuno 585 FF.

I've also seen guys mount their Chartplotters and/or Radar, up where the Cabin lights are.

 

[WBHiggins]

These last two posts are very helpful. I'm leaning toward one 12-inch screen for chart, radar, sonar, and with the radio down on the binnacle. Garmin 4212 is one of the specific units I have had my eye on. Thanks guys, your pictures really helped.

 

[gundog]

I have my radio down by the binnacle. Not really crazy about the location because if I want to change settings (e.g. activate the hailer or search channels) I have to look down. It's distracts me from paying attention to steering the craft.

Not much room on a 2320; but I would think on a 2520 you should be able to mount the radio on top?

 

[Megabyte]

I should have qualified my helm arrangement...

I wear progressive lens glasses.
To see far, I look through the top of the lens... to see close-up I look through the bottom of the lens.
That is why you don't see any of my gear above level eye level.

I've worked on boats with radios and other gear mounted high, but to read the things, I need to crank my head back to be able to see though the bottom of my lenses.
For me, that isn't fun.

If you don't have these limitations, you have a lot more options!
Hope this helps.

 

[WBHiggins]

Once again, all this helps, thanks folks.

If I go with Garmin, I'm currently leaning toward the 4212 as the main console, GHP 10 Autopilot, 24HD Radar, GSD 22 Sounder connected to Airmar B164 thru-hull element, plus XM Weather and AIS radio As for the radio itself, my dealer recommends Icom 504 versus one of the Garmin radios, but I'm not so sure about that yet. I want an AIS radio with two-way loudhailer and foghorn function that can operate from the base station plus one wireless remote. The loudhailer horn will mount to my flying bridge tower.

New train of thought...

Wondering if anyone has experience with a chartplotter display in a secondary helm in a flying bridge? For me, considerations for this setup on the flying bridge are wanting a basic chartplotter display (not necessarily full controls, can/will be smaller than the main unit, but would want to be able to toggle between chart, radar, and sonar displays one at a time), autopilot control, radio control, and most importantly, weather worthiness (this stuff will get wet underway, only covered in port). With this in mind, the Garmine GHC 10 Remote allows the GHP 10 autopilot to be controled from up there. Ditto for the Garmin GHS 20 handset, which allows remote control of the main radio mounted down below. Alternatively, Raymarine offers the S1000 Autopilot with wireless remote, which may be an attaractive way to go. Raymarine offers second station radio handsets, but I don't see a truly wireless option, which is a detractor. I would generally prefer to limit the need to run additional power and data up to the flying bridge for only the chartplotter display. What is leaning me back toward Raymarine at all at this stage is my preliminary research seems to show Raymarine is much more suited to interconnecting chartplotter displays of different sizes and functions. Garmin may be good with this too, I just can't tell from what I can find on the web.

Considering my second helm scenario, wanting wireless control of the radio and autopilot, a basic chartplotter second screen display, trying to avoid a hodge-podge of brand names with compatability issues, does anyone have experience or strong opinions comparing Garmin and Raymarine alternatives?

 

[Megabyte]

does anyone have experience or strong opinions comparing Garmin and Raymarine alternatives?

I don't, but I know who does.
Jim Maier at BOE Marine.
866-735-5926 toll free

He had a completely integrated Garmin setup (including weather) on his plate alloy boat before he sold it.
I had a chance to run it a few times and the integration was very sweet.