Best navigation gear for a 32-foot sailing yacht

A 32-foot monohull needs equipment the watchkeeper can read, power and operate from the working cockpit. This plan assumes coastal cruising by a couple, occasional overnight passages, a modest battery bank and some reusable instruments. It is a starting specification to take to an installer, not a claim that every 32-footer needs the same shopping basket. An ocean-going 32-footer can need more resilience than a marina-based 50-footer.

#The sensible starting package

My default shortlist is one well-positioned 7–9-inch chartplotter, a separate depth/instrument display, dependable wind information if the crew uses it, fixed VHF with cockpit access, and an independent charged navigation device with downloaded charts. Keep a serviceable magnetic compass. Assess AIS transmission, radar and pilot capability against the actual passages; none removes the need for lookout or a workable diversion plan.

#A concrete 32-foot refit: Axiom+ 9 and i70s

For a coastal monohull with a sound existing pilot and fixed VHF, the starting candidate is Axiom+ 9 E70636-00-ANZ at the helm. It includes the listed Australia/New Zealand LightHouse chart package. This is the chartplotter-only version: buying it does not create a depth system. If the present depth and wind instruments are reliable, retain them and begin with the A$2,099 hardware line, plus the boat-specific fitting work.

If both instruments and sensors need replacement, add i70s pack T70216, putting the instrument where depth remains visible while the plotter shows the chart. Those two listed items total A$4,668. The pack includes sensors and an iTC-5, but the hull fitting, mast access, additional network parts and commissioning remain separate. Prices, exact inclusions and retailer links are in the dated hardware basket.

The Axiom+ installation manual distinguishes its DeviceNet instrument-data connection from RayNet networking. The i70s pack is not plugged into a sonar socket. Use a correctly designed SeaTalkng backbone and the appropriate DeviceNet adapter. Preserve the separate depth display so changing chart pages does not hide the sounding; that display still shares its sensor and backbone and is not an independent sounder.

For regular night passages, add Quantum 2 T70416 and AIS700 E70476 when their functions match the voyage. The four-item hardware subtotal becomes A$10,466, before mounts, heading equipment, integration and labour. The radar package's 10 m cables may be too short for the actual mast route. AIS700 transmits as well as receives; it does not replace the VHF or guarantee that another vessel has seen you.

#When to choose B&G or Garmin instead

B&G Zeus S 9 is the alternative to demonstrate when SailSteer and dedicated sailing modes are central to the crew's routine. Specify C-MAP DISCOVER X or REVEAL X coverage rather than assuming an old chart card transfers. A HALO20+ is the radar candidate for this route; Quantum 2 is not a substitute scanner for it. The Zeus S manufacturer page also notes that app mirroring/control is not currently available, so do not count a tablet as a second remote-control station.

Garmin GPSMAP 923 is another compact-system candidate; verify the regional chart bundle and required sensor inputs. Garmin documents layline and polar options, so sailing software alone is not a reason to rule it out. Neither alternative has been priced as a complete equivalent here. Compare the retained radar, chart licence and instrument conversion costs before treating a cheaper screen as a cheaper refit.

#Spend a limited budget on the actual defects

Start with a recorded inventory: depth sensor identity, display condition, pilot drive type, VHF antenna and cable condition, and measured supply voltage under load. If the depth system is unreliable, replacing the chartplotter first does not fix the most important problem. If everything works but charts are outdated, chart coverage and operating practice may be the immediate purchases.

Retain verified compatible instruments and spend on the failed function, installation and acceptance. A budget owner can defer a second fixed screen, entertainment integration and premium wind graphics. Do not defer mandatory safety equipment for the operating area. The NSW equipment checklist illustrates why waters and distance offshore matter; use the relevant state authority for your own boat. A PLB is not automatically a substitute for a required EPIRB.

#Pilot and power: two measurements before ordering

A wheel or tiller is not enough information to select a pilot. Record loaded displacement, steering type, mounting space and the condition of the linkage. An existing drive also needs inspection before reuse. Raymarine’s drive selection guide relates the choice to steering and laden displacement. On hydraulic systems, use the actual cylinder details rather than estimating from boat length.

For an illustrative energy calculation, suppose the navigation electronics average 30 W for 10 hours: that is 300 Wh. If the pilot averages another 25 W during those hours, add 250 Wh, giving 550 Wh, or approximately 46 Ah at a nominal 12 V, before losses. These are assumed loads, not specifications or battery sizing advice. Replace them with measured values; add lights, refrigeration, charging losses and reserve before deciding whether the system can support the passage.

#What the generous-budget version changes

Buy better ergonomics, a suitable pilot installation, a supported compact radome if the mission warrants it, useful cockpit radio access and a genuinely independent backup. A 12-inch display may be worthwhile if a template proves it fits. A second networked screen can improve access below decks, but it does not survive every failure of shared power, antenna or network.

Spend part of the budget on a calm-water handover with the actual crew. They should retrieve the route, interpret the depth reference, change the radar range if fitted, and return the pilot to standby without hunting through menus. Record remaining faults and practise recovery from a display being switched off only in a controlled, safe setting.

#Before accepting the installation

The handover should identify every model and software version, chart region, fuse, data source and reused component. Compare depth against an independent reference where practical and account for the reference point. Check visibility in daylight and night dimming. Confirm that the backup still shows position with the main display and its wireless link unavailable. The Australian Hydrographic Office’s electronic-chart guidance explains why chart provenance and updating remain separate from display quality.

For a larger cockpit and longer passage brief, read the 50-foot plan. For the purchase sequence, use the budget versus premium guide.