First Chartplotter - Recommendations?

[clearsea]

Originally Posted by nosaj

New boat has nothing but basic electronics so I’m beginning the arduous task of researching and weighing the options versus what we can afford. Most sailing will be in a bay with an occasional offshore trip and hopefully some coastal cruising. i prefer something where the systems can be layered on, weather, radar, etc.

Other basics still apply, like how much room and electrical power are available on the boat, and sail versus power.

Sounder, VHF and GPS for sure.

Radar is virtually essential in fog and night running, especially in moderate to high traffic areas (need pure luck without it). Without it, one has to run daytime and good weather windows.

AIS is handy in high traffic areas, but I am not sure it is essential for recreational boat cruising away from commercial shipping lanes. I have very limited experience with AIS though.

GPS (electronic charting) is essential, in my opinion. The choice of GPS brand has become a very hard question to answer. Depends in part on whether one needs to network components on the boat, which may lock you into a single brand. But thinking only the electronic chart aspect, choices are still not easy, as previous posts indicate. Computers free the user to use non-proprietary charts, but need a bigger boat and expensive weather-proof components for delivering data to the helm. Proprietary chartplotters are handier than computers in some ways, but lock the user into specific brands of electronic charts. This gets expensive if crossing boundaries, but not bad if one can get away with cruising in a single chart region. None of the systems today are as simple and convenient to rig and use as a few years ago, in my humble opinion. The industry is still trying to find itself. Garmin only just this month is releasing HomePort, software for doing off-boat passage planning to use with its chartplotters that come with modern preloaded charts. This I think forces the user to transport data between planning computer and boat chartplotter on cards, not via a USB cable. No ECS (Electronic Charting System) solution seems drop-dead obvious to me these days.

Real time weather requires components capable of receiving satellite-transmitted data and displaying it on the chartplotter, depends on systems remaining economically viable in future, and may not have the local accuracy a small boat requires. While not essential for coastal cruising it is nice, particularly in places like the eastern seaboard of the US when thunderstorm cells stream off the continent. VHF weather reporting is basic and necessary but leaves gaps, and Internet browsing is not usually an option while coastal cruising, although technology like G3 just might be opening new doors in that regard.

Autohelm is another consideration, especially if thinking of networking it into the chartplotter.

[barnakiel]

New Garmin 6XX series - cheap, functional, fun.

b.

[clearsea]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

New Garmin 6XX series - cheap, functional, fun.

Cheap? I am having difficulty finding out exactly how much Canadian BlueChart G2 coverage comes preloaded and unlocked, and the cost is high for small Canadian regions if they have to be unlocked. It's the one thing that keeps hanging me up about the 640, which otherwise is attractive to me.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by clearsea

Cheap? I am having difficulty finding out exactly how much Canadian BlueChart G2 coverage comes preloaded and unlocked, and the cost is high for small Canadian regions if they have to be unlocked. It's the one thing that keeps hanging me up about the 640, which otherwise is attractive to me.

I do not see any problem finding the price. The 620 unit is 999 US recommended retail price, then allow for the stree price. cartography is 350-450 depending on type.

The preloaded US coastal is 1200 RRP (vs. 900 Street Price). So if they sell it to you preloaded with Canadian region of choice then you are 100 USD better off even if you want the small region.

The smaller of the Standard Horizon units are very good value in the UK, but I bet it will be difficult to beat Garmn's interface.

b.

[clearsea]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I do not see any problem finding the price.

Here's the price problem I've been finding, if I read the websites correctly. The only 640 units I've found marketed in Canada are preloaded with US charts and no clear information about Canadian coverage. The price of a small Canadian region is $170 (I presume the price is for G2 BlueChart -- hard to be sure), and since our local cruising ground straddles two adjacent regions, so I would need to double that ($340 -- $600 for G2 Vision). And if I got the 620 I also would have to buy city maps for land use (another $115: the 620 comes with no maps). Plus, the 620 is not XMS capable, so if I want XMS, then it looks like I have to buy a 640 and purchase the Canadian BlueCharts in addition. Hence my price point conundrum. https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare....eProduct=14898 .

[sck5]

I have a Garmin 4210. It is really good and came preloaded with all US and Bahamas charts.

One thing to note - as far as I know the Garmin charts are the ONLY ones based on the Explorer charts in the Bahamas. If you are going there, you really want this and not the others.

[jdoe71]

Newest CMap has Explorer charts as well, IIRC.

[sck5]

I am not sure if the 640 is capable of showing the g2 vision. But even if it isnt, they arent really necessary - 3D views and satellite pictures are kind of cool but you dont have to have them.

Either way if you do get a garmin and need maps be sure to check out ebay. i have gotten map chips for half price there, compared to what Garmin quotes.

And as for Cmaps and the Explorer charts, I know they had some sort of quarrel where Cmaps used them but didnt pay licensing and was then forbidden to use them. Maybe they have made nice by now - I am not sure, but I remember it was an issue.

[barnakiel]

Re two recent posts:

Here quotes from Garmin's site:

"In marine mode, the GPSMAP 640 brings you ... via preloaded BlueChart g2 marine data."

Then in Features they say SD cartridges are used to extend coverage, and in the 'Maps' tab, halfway down the page we can read what is available:

"
On the Water Maps


BlueChart® g2 Vision
"

I believe this means you can.

As afar as the map regions / land regions are concerned then this is the opening quote from 640 site:

"... and an on-the-road navigator that comes ready to go with preloaded BlueChart® g2 data and City Navigator NT road maps for North America..."

Now the only question is where Canada is.

Cheers,
barnie

[sck5]

Canada? Is THAT where all those "Canadians" come from?

[David M]

I was looking at the 640 at West Marine yesterday. Although it has more pixels than the Garmin 545, its screen is physically smaller. This of course may or may not be a good thing depending on how far away you have to look at it.

[willow]

Clearsea

It is my understanding that Garmin is addressing the “ Canadian” cruising world, as we speak. I was told by Garmin, that by December, I could get the Toronto-Nova Scotia passage on ONE vision chart. Prior to this you needed too many separate charts. I was also told if I contacted the individual who gave me this information in the spring, he would give it too me for free!!! So, it never huts to ask questions, right at the source.

[Michael Roda]

I've used a Raymarine C80 for the last 5 years without a hiccup. The radar chart overlay is extremely useful in this fog-infested part of the world!!

[blubaju]

Originally Posted by Michael Roda

I've used a Raymarine C80 for the last 5 years without a hiccup. The radar chart overlay is extremely useful in this fog-infested part of the world!!

Since 85 I used Raymarine/Autohelm, bought them again, but E120 Monitor went black, (PC in background still ok, backlight control is not functioning, wrote them what to make or where to ship as in the Philippines is not even a dealer. No reply since 2 weeks. Now I found this:

Raymarine's troubles continue
By IBI Magazine
Raymarine's troubles don't appear to be easing. In the wake of its latest trading statement, shares fell to an all-time low of 7.5p on Friday after the company admitted it was unable to meet its debt covenants.

Stockbroker Panmure Gordon also stopped research coverage of the stock. "Due to the company's uncertain future and the failure of a trade buyer to emerge during the summer, we have decided to cease research coverage in this stock," says Panmure.

Yesterday Raymarine told the market that it could not meet certain financial covenants and it reported a 23 per cent drop in sales in the first 10 months of 2009. Other brokers have Raymarine as a 'sell' stock. "There is unlikely to be much left in the way of value for shareholders, even if the company does get taken over," says Seymour Pierce. Earlier this year Raymarine was talking with Garmin as a possible buyer but no deal came of it.

Raymarine developed a strong leadership in manufacturing and supplying navigation systems, which was fine while the market was strong. The downturn and the company's heavy indebtedness of some £91.6m at the end of October have seen its fortunes reversed. It is now in desperate need of a buyer and without one it may well face collapse.

(20 November 2009)