The new Garmin GNX displays are now installed and working. The previous owners made an instrument holder console made out of plywood, which was accommodating an old Simrad chart-plotter, the autopilot control unit and a fish-finder. We decided to get rid of the old Simrad display and place the two new Garmin GNX displays in it's place. We replaced the plywood with a new mahogany faced sheet.
The instrument console can be rotated in and out, so it can be seen from anywhere and can be hidden from the elements if it's not in use. The autopilot can be controlled even from the saloon or when sitting under the sprayhood, protected from the elements. The downside is that it's in the companionway when sailing, but the only other viable option would be to put the instruments next to the companionway hatch, but because the NMEA2000 connectors need a much deeper space than the old Silva ones, it would mean making a box for the cables on the other side of the bulkhead.
This solution was the easiest and most straight forward, and I think we can not only live with it, but we like it's benefits too. Now we have all the instruments located in one place and the old holes on the bulkhead can be glassed in.
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