Railblaza mounts, Garmin Montana, ROKK, etc.

[Jammer]

After a great deal of thought and considering many alternatives, I've decided to use a Garmin Montana portable GPS instead of a chartplotter on my trailer sailor. The Montana has a 5" display, can be loaded with marine charts, and has NMEA0183 outputs including crosstrack error that can be used to drive a tiller pilot. While it does have an internal battery, it can also be powered via 12v. The 12v and the NMEA0183 wires connect through contacts on the dedicated mount in a way that preserves watertight integrity of the whole system.

I have a Hunter 26 trailer sailor that I only intend to keep a few more years. This summer I will be in some tricky inland lakes with rocky shores and various reefs and shallows that aren't buoyed, and running Navionics on an Android phone isn't going to cut it for reasons of battery life, sunlight visibility, watertight integrity while connected to power, difficulty of operation in the rain, and the propensity for the chart to disappear whenever one of those extended car warranty guys calls. The Montana should be just enough and can serve various other purposes.


I'm going to want to attach it to the boat rather than have it float around the cockpit. For one thing, it needs power and NMEA0183 connections. Garmin makes a mount, but it's bulky and awkward. I'll end up using the Garmin cradle (because it has the 12v and NMEA0183 connectors) but am looking at other mounting alternatives.


This has led me to think more broadly about things I want to attach to the boats. Not just the H26, but also the dinghy (mine is an aluminum hard dinghy), my canoe, and the daysailor.


I'm looking at the Railblaza system that is favored for kayak fishing among other activities, and would like feedback on its pros and cons.


Scanstrut makes similar products called the ROKK system.


Arkon mounts and RAM mounts make related products but nothing that removes as cleanly when not in use.



I'd like to cover a wide range of things that I'd like to attach. GPS, phones, cameras, dive flag, yacht ensign (the H26 lacks a backstay), boathook, cupholders, spare paddle, fishing rod holders, handheld VHF.


Ideas? Experience? Advice? All welcome...

[tkeithlu]

Hmmmm. My tendency, across a small boat and several off road motorcycles, is to use the manufacturer's back and connector and then build the rest myself. That means that each of three handheld GPS units can be shifted to each of four places. I do use the entire rail mount (handlebars) for one GPS, but I reinforced the whole thing with epoxy paste because 1) the ball and socket kept slipping, and 2) the narrow neck broke. Took me awhile to find that one in the bushes beside the trail.

What is the use you have in mind for the NMEA0183 data? It sounds like you're using the GPS completely isolated save power.
phones

Final Hmmm. There are bunches of adjustable mounts available on Amazon, because people use their iphones etc. in cars that don't come with mounts.

[Jammer]

Thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

What is the use you have in mind for the NMEA0183 data?

Crosstrack error for the tiller pilot

It sounds like you're using the GPS completely isolated save power.

I have plenty of power. Reason for GPS rather than chartplotter is to get a portable device that has utility beyond the 26' sailboat -- I can use it in canoes, 14' power boat, 12' sailboat, walking, etc. When I sell the boat the GPS goes with me, not with the boat.

phones

Final Hmmm. There are bunches of adjustable mounts available on Amazon, because people use their iphones etc. in cars that don't come with mounts.

Most poorly thought out for boats. Windshield mount, air vent mount, cupholder mount, seat rail mount, etc. Many not secure enough for rough water



I went ahead and ordered the railblaza pieces. Ended up with 24 anchor points across 4 boats. I'll move the accessories from boat to boat until I figure out what is and is not useful.


Much more to it than just GPS and phones as I mentioned in the opening post. Lots of things to attach in a way that leaves a flush surface when the item in question isn't needed.

[toddster8]

I drank the railblaza kool-aid a few years ago. The only thing I can think of to note specifically is that for the inflatable dinghy mounts, the 3M VHB tape that they supply was a miserable failure on PVC. Two-part PVC adhesive is the ticket.

Mostly I've been using them to mount the navigation lights and dive flag on my zodiac. Though I had great plans to put a few on other craft to swap equipment around - it hasn't happened as yet.