GPS screen size question for CP19 owners

[wes]

I'm shopping for Garmin chart plotters in either 4" and 5" size (400 or 500 series models). Concerned about whether the more affordable 4" display will be adequately readable from the tiller position if the GPS is mounted on the cockpit bulkhead next to companionway opening. Does anybody have experience with this?

[skip1930]

61  General Com-Pac and Sailing Related Discussions / Com-Pac Sailors Lounge / Re: GPS/Fishfinder

Try looking this up. The bigger the better. I think this is a 5 inch scope. Not four inch. About six or seven days back.

skip.

[wes]

You must have an older Raymarine model - the 435i is not listed on their current web site. I googled it and found an old owner's manual which says it is 6" size. I'm well aware that the bigger the better, but the price difference as you move up from 4" to 5" to 6" is substantial. Hoping to hear from someone who is successfully using a 4" or 5" unit in their 19.

[Salty19]

What about mocking up a drawing of the potential display size and numerals (with the right font size for fields that it displays) on index cards-tape them the wall and see if you can read them?

Unless your eyes are bad, you should be able to read a 1 sq inch numeral at 5-6 feet away with relative ease-probably more. Of course bad weather might change that.
And you may find that what you need to see is a small font tucked in a corner of the display, or worse in the middle where you have to find it. So the presentation of the info on the screen makes as much of a difference as the display size itself. For example, my fishfinder/depth guage is 85% fish map with the depth tucked away in a corner in about a 1"x1" area.  Still no trouble seeing it and it's mounted in the mast post inside the cabin, further from the captains' eye than what you are talking about.

[brackish]

My advice would be to get a unit that that can be mounted on a swing arm and keep it in the cabin.

Advantages:  you can adjust it six ways for visibility no matter where you are in the cockpit.  You can adjust it to minimize sun glare.  You can swing it back into the cabin in bad weather and a navigator can still go down and look at the chart.  If someone is sitting on the cockpit seat close to the bulkhead, it will not be blocked from view.  you can sit inside the cabin and use the chartplotter when at anchor.  The unit will hold up much better if it is kept in the cabin when not it use (most of the time in my case). you do not have to cut a hole in your bulkhead.

Disadvantages:  It takes up a little more room in the cabin against the bulkhead.  It partially blocks the companionway when swung out in use, however, not too badly, the Admiral could easily get by to get the champange on the christening voyage.

This is a 5" diagonal measure ( I think that is the way they are rated).  I can see the data field display fine from any place in the cockpit, however, I have to get fairly close to read the chart when I have it up.  CP23 but should make no difference.

[doug]

We have a garmin 545s on our craft and the display is clear and easy to read for those who don't need glasses (but it is mounted in a navpod on the pedestal). Where you mount it and how you use it will determine how close to the screen you will need to be. We tend to have it on a combination of charting and sounder with speed in the corner. If you simply want big numbers - depth speed and travel time and the like it doesn't need to be close. My neighbors have 8-11 inch screens and you need to be reasonably close to them as well -- they increase the detail of the views. I guess you use all the display space you have available.

[JLaman]

Just another data point here -- I have a Garmin76CSx that has a 1.5" x 2.3" screen (about) and I can see it fine.  I often keep the data screen rather than the map so I can see instantaneous speed, avg speed, distance, etc.  Not a problem reading from the tiller seat.  A 4" screen would be huge!