Chart Plotter Question / Assistance

*Ducati* · 11-06-2009, 03:53 am

Good day

We will be adding a Raymarine 6000 below deck autohelm to our boat. Now thinking that a chart plotter would be a nice feature too. Any comments about which models and their ease of use or problems would be appreciated. I figure the bigger the screen the better now that I need reading glasses.

Thanks

*Hermit Scott* · 11-06-2009, 04:00 am

What kind of boat did you eventually get? I know you were shopping for one not too long ago.
Yes those big screens are great. At night mine can be someewhat blinding though. It's probably got a dimmer or night mode but I haven't checked yet.
Why don't you fill out a profile?

*Ducati* · 11-06-2009, 04:58 am

Bought a Beneteau 36.7 (used).

I spent the last 5 years crewing-racing on a 2 ton IOR. I found that racing with some really smart sailors was a superb experience however we wanted our own boat so we could take what was learned to the next level.

As far as my public profile: We like our privacy, nothing personal.

Maine Sail · 11-06-2009, 05:16 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducati

As far as my public profile: We like our privacy, nothing personal.

I don't think Scott was looking for your address or real name but rather stuff like boat brand/model/length, sailing waters etc.. These items in a profile can help others better and more specifically answer questions. Your real name tells us little and is not necessary but the other stuff does help.

Creating a signature also cures a lot of those questions up too..

Ducati
Beneteau 36.7
MD, USA

*seadaddler* · 11-06-2009, 08:01 am

I agree with Mainsail if your using this forum why not update your profile,no personnel info needed.
I love my C-80 nice size screen or you could get C-120 or the new updated wide screen too.
Nick

*Stu Jackson* · 11-06-2009, 08:43 am

You can keep all the information at the helm in a BIG Navpod OR you can choose to "distribute" your data. The answer to this lies in how you intend to use your boat. A friend of mine just finished his first 2,000 nm of offshore/coastal cruising from Vancouver BC to Mexico. He reports as follows about chartplotter locations:

- new chartplotter with radar and AIS - large 8 inch screen on a bracket at the companionway. This is the perfect position for the instrument. Weekend sailing, you stand behind the wheel. Doing serious miles, you relax more comfortably in the cockpit and you can't see instruments behind the wheel. AIS is amazing. I thought it was poor mans radar, but it is much better than radar if you are trying to figure out what a vessel is up to (speed, direction, position, closest approach, vessel name and MMSI number right there for you). And best of all, the whole thing folds into the companionway so we don't worry about expensive electronics being left outside.

I have the same boat as my friend, do a bit of offshore coasting, agree with never staying behind the wheel much and am quite comfortable with my handheld Garmin GPSMap 76Cx. Others like the BIG nav station behind the wheel. I don't particularly like all that plastic between me and the bow. seadaddler's layout is one of the better ones I have seen: big chartplotter but low enough to see over it. On our boat, I can sit behind the wheel and still see forward.

Your boat, your choice, for both location AND the information you intend to include: charts only, level & quality of charts, radar, AIS, etc.I agree with the others in requesting you to provide some more information, including how you plan to use the boat. "Take it to the next level" can mean a lot of different things, racing ?, cruising ?,especially based on those of us who have "followed" your earlier posts.

Good luck, fair winds on your new boat.

11-06-2009, 06:18 pm

The fam got me a Garmin 178C Sounder several years ago. The 3.2" square color display is adequate in size, ample detail and easily adjusted for brightness. There are newer versions to this manufacturer discontinued product, but this model has served us well. We've cruised with it for several thousand miles all over PNW waters and it has always been dead on accurate.

Chart plotters have larger screens, but the low profile of the 178C is large enough for our purpose. I keep it mounted at the helm where I have information at my finger tips. Tide data, local services, course data, speed over ground, depth, etc.

As far as more profile information, to each his own.

Thread High Jacker

*Prime Time* · 11-06-2009, 09:27 pm

I have an integrated system with a Raymarine autopilot, E-80 display, plotter and radar. it is AMAZING! Big upgrade from my prior 4 inch standard horizon plotter. One of the best things is having more soft keys. Very easy and intuitive to use to set routes and such.

*agaliha* · 11-07-2009, 05:35 am

I have a "little" Raymarine 435 mounted in the binnacle. It is linked to the autopilot, etc. through the NMEA. I love it because it is right under my nose at all times. It has a screen dimmer for night operation. While the screen isn't big, I can see everything I need to see. It was a relative bargain, too at about $600. I got the external antenna model because I was worried about it being covered by a bimini, but in hindsight, I think the internal antenna version would have worked fine and would have made installation easier.
Agaliha (Beneteau 361)

*sailingdog* · 11-07-2009, 07:16 am

I've used a lot of different ones, including the E120, C80, and C120 from Raymarine and the 192c, 3205, 4010, 540, 440 from Garmin... A lot of what will be best for you is based on whether you're going to get radar, how you will use it, whether you need to integrate it into your autopilot, etc...

Personally, I'd go with a larger Garmin, rather than a Raymarine, since the charts are preloaded and easily updated and the Garmin 18HD is one of the better small boat radar units out there. Garmin's customer support is better than Raymarine's in my experience and their user interface is a bit more intuitive.