DaySailer.org Forum

This question might get a few good ideas from cruisers as well.
My GPS is mounted on a ram mount in the middle of the cuddy roof so it can be turned to display angled to either side, if I want. The unit is just water resistant
so it can be tucked back under the cuddy roof if needed.
I have a handheld vhf and a separate countdown timer and should get a separate compass as well
How do you keep these things handy and sufficiently separated so they'll work properly. Leaving the vhf on a shelf or behind the seats is not good. It always seems to be on the low side when it's needed.
The countdown timer has to be visible also, and there's the question of where a future tacktick or puck might go since I don't think there's enough room below the boom to mount either of these on the mast.
Any pics showing how you've organized this would be great.

My GPS is purposefully attached to the transom coaming, so that I don't start at it, but rather watch traffic. I mainly use it to compare my sense of speed to some actual number and to record a track for later review.

All the other gear I don't use, because I'm trying really hard for last place

Actually, I sail in a no-handicap race, so, to first order, the design difference separate the pack. The traffic from the earlier starts is massive, so to second order, it's tactics in traffic and trying to get a clear wind lane, that determines whether I can move up against boats of similar performance. To third order, correctly reading the local wind conditions, which are highly variable, makes a big difference. These last two effects are the only ones big enough to occasionally overcome the difference in handicap.

As a result, I don't use a lot of instrumentation and neither do the other sailors. (The race itself would place no restrictions).

I bought a cheap iPad to be my marine radio, and then I have a Outdoor (waterproof) speaker that is bungee corded to the mast section in the cuddy. I use a ram mount attached under the horn cleats inside the cuddy roof to hold the iPad. I use the iPad (cell network enabled) so that I can keep my phone in my pocket and the iPad play the music to the speaker. I also have my nav charts and wind report app on there as well. However, because the Daysailer is not "Bimini" friendly, you really want to keep the electronics in the cuddy, to avoid heat damage from the sun. Or at least in Florida where it is hot as dessert and humid as a swamp, they are ensured a little extra protection. I have a life proof case on the iPad just in case the boat were to go turtle... but the speaker would definitely be a consumable in a capsize situation... I think the ideal location would be the center board trunk, but that would require a functional bimini... So your challenge if you so choose to accept... would be to engineer a bimini for the daysailer.... So I can migrate my electronics to the centerboard

Here is a pic...

Thanks for the replies. Digital Mechanic, I put my garmin montana in the same place you have your ipad, and was thinking of putting my vhf and countdown timer on either side of where you have your levogage BUT that requires holes in the boat and I've always been very hesitant about drilling holes. Figure a couple of holes and some 1/8" line loops would be good for both the vhf and the timer to clip on, but that's 4 holes. That lip of the cuddy is curved. so a piece of backer wood would need more than 4 holes. Every job just mushrooms out of all proportion.
Also not sure whether the radio can be too close to the gps, what with the internal compass and all AND I can't really go to the sides more than 8 inches because that's where the barberhauler cleats should be (a future project)
Hmmm, now that I think about, I'm wondering if the radio shouldn't be below the main sheet cleat on the centerboard trunk. That would place it pretty much centered port/starboard and forward/aft except for when we take on water.
WAIT, did you say you use the ipad as a marine radio, as in monitoring 16, noaa weather and going out on any other channel (78, 9, etc.)????

Solarwinds wrote:Thanks for the replies. Digital Mechanic, I put my garmin montana in the same place you have your ipad, and was thinking of putting my vhf and countdown timer on either side of where you have your levogage BUT that requires holes in the boat and I've always been very hesitant about drilling holes. Figure a couple of holes and some 1/8" line loops would be good for both the vhf and the timer to clip on, but that's 4 holes. That lip of the cuddy is curved. so a piece of backer wood would need more than 4 holes. Every job just mushrooms out of all proportion.
Also not sure whether the radio can be too close to the gps, what with the internal compass and all AND I can't really go to the sides more than 8 inches because that's where the barberhauler cleats should be (a future project)
Hmmm, now that I think about, I'm wondering if the radio shouldn't be below the main sheet cleat on the centerboard trunk. That would place it pretty much centered port/starboard and forward/aft except for when we take on water.
WAIT, did you say you use the ipad as a marine radio, as in monitoring 16, noaa weather and going out on any other channel (78, 9, etc.)????

The lead aft off the centerboard truck would be ideal, but the Florida Sun would kill whatever electronic was there in a matter of minutes. Too much heat.

My VHF radio is a Standard Horizon HX870. Great little gizmo with DSC calling, MMSI, GPS, etc. I keep it strapped to my life vest (in case me and the boat part ways). The iPad is literally a radio, wind report, GPS/Navigation maps, usually playing slacker radio through the speaker next to it. Under way, I would bungie the speaker to the mast in the cuddy. This beats the drilling of many holes to fit speakers, head unit, battery, etc and extra weight. Simple and works great.

As for your jib/barber in haulers... Whatever you do will be on top of the cuddy, so I would not worry so much about what you do inside the cuddy affecting it. For me, I wanted to drill less holes in fiberglass as well, so I re-used the bolts already going through the roof of the cuddy to hold the horn cleats (on top of cuddy), to retro fit the ram mount to bolt on to it inside the cuddy.

I carry my GPS (DeLorme PN-60w) attached to my PFD for easy access. When I sail I have a cover in place over my cuddy opening that is hinged across the width about 3/5 up from the bottom to access the cuddy. My compass is recessed into the lower section of the hatch board. On each side of the compass there are two net pouches. These pouches hold the VHF radio (Standard Horizon HX290) and are also used for holding the halyard lines when the sails are up to get them out of the way. On long trips, I have two battery packs for the VHF, the rechargeable that came with it and a spare pack that can use AA batteries. When single handing the VHF radio would be attached to my PFD. If something bad happens and you get separated from the boat, the VHF is no good if you can't get to it.

John

Here is what I did:

I put the compass on the bulkhead because, well, it's a DS II so I have a bulkhead. My mast base is crowded with my control lines, and I often sail with the hatch in place, so inside the cuddy on the mast support wouldn't work. Every compass mount I have ever seen on the aft part of the CB trunk has been broken. Too much action back there.
I have the same problem with the GPS. I thought it would be out of the way, with my sheets in the line bag on the hatch, but I still get the GPS caught. I tried it on the bulkhead, but the mount wouldn't swivel there, and I couldn't see it. When you really need a GPS, you may also need both hands for the boat, so I wanted it out of my pocket. I guess the definitive solution is a big chart plotter screen installed on the bulhead, but if I had that much money I would get new sails instead.