I just moved my Garmin 180 chartplotter from the "nav station" to a swing mount. For those that are interested, I used a swing mount from West Marine and mounted it on a block of teak that I cut to fit between the companionway groove and the handhold on the starboard side of the companionway. The bulkhead has a 10 degree slant so if you want the mount to be perpendicular, don't forget to angle the piece of teak accordingly.
I decided to move the chartplotter after getting caught in thick fog during an overnight race. At 2:00 AM we got socked in and it required someone in the cabin directing the helmsman which way to steer to make it back to port. Now, the chartplotter will be in clear view.
Another bonus is that in the swung out position the chartplotter sits nestled under the overhead sliding companionway hatch so it's out of the elements.
Bob Rude #352 Mmmmm
