Chartplotter and Radar for Sailboat - recommendations wanted

[Lantau]

It's past time for me to upgrade the chartplotter and radar on my cruising sailboat. Has anyone reading this recently upgraded to an affordable new system? If so, can you make a recommendation?

I want a relatively simple, ideally robust system. Built-in wifi for connection to a tablet would be nice to have. I will try to interconnect my nav instruments, but this is not essential. My preference is for a brand that has OK worldwide service (not just good service in, say, the USA or Australia).

I have been looking at Furuno, but I'm a little bit perplexed by all the choices. (Why Furuno? Because I have several Furuno devices that have been quite robust, knock on wood.) Raymarine is also a possibility. They seem to have lower prices, although that might not be the case if I add up all the needed accessories (cables, etc.). At the moment I am leaning against going with Navico brands (Simrad and B&G specifically) because their service help has been disappointing. (They are free to ignore pleas for help the moment that a warrantee expires, but I am also free to look for a company that does not do this, if such a company exists in the marine electronics world.)

[Thomas Burns]

I am looking for the exact same thing, I had been looking at Raymarine but have not been able to get any help from them or a dealer in my area

[Sandero]

go to this web site and look around:

Panbo: The Marine Electronics Hub

[River Cruiser]

Check out Si-Tex, I have their 4kw open array and have it cabled into 2 displays, a 7" and a 12". I'am very happy with its operation for avoiding accidents. They have a newer system out for around $1,400.00, they also have great customer service.


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[Laughing Buddha]

Originally Posted by River Cruiser

Check out Si-Tex, I have their 4kw open array and have it cabled into 2 displays, a 7" and a 12". I'am very happy with its operation for avoiding accidents. They have a newer system out for around $1,400.00, they also have great customer service.

River Cruiser - Thanks for that - just found this thread and its timely - my Furuno 841 has crapped its display after 5 years in storage. I'm really liking the SI-TEX MDS-8R Nobeltec TimeZero Radar Package. Are you using OpenCpn, TimeZero, or???

What cabling are you using? Is it an Ethernet setup - USB? Any details before I pull the trigger and have one shipped overseas is helpful.

Thanks and Cheers - Jim

[sammyo]

Are the new digital radar systems anything that will be affordable in the foreseeable future? Very light weight/low power/instant on seem like a good combo for a small sailboat.

[River Cruiser]

Originally Posted by Laughing Buddha

River Cruiser - Thanks for that - just found this thread and its timely - my Furuno 841 has crapped its display after 5 years in storage. I'm really liking the SI-TEX MDS-8R Nobeltec TimeZero Radar Package. Are you using OpenCpn, TimeZero, or???

What cabling are you using? Is it an Ethernet setup - USB? Any details before I pull the trigger and have one shipped overseas is helpful.

Thanks and Cheers - Jim

I have the MDS 10-5, I'am using a si-tex Colormax wide display on the flybridge, at the lower helm I'am using a Standard Horizon cp590 12". They both use the Jeppensen NT Max chart cards, which now have the Active Captain information on the ones coming out this month. There is a cable from the scanner that goes to a junction box the display cable should wire into this. Instead I ran data wire from the box to a connector buss and made the display connection at the buss so I could have a display at each helm. There was a unit on eBay like your looking at that works with a computer, with all the cabling it went for $750.00, it had been mounted on a boat and then removed. I'am replacing the si-tex 7" display on the bridge with another 12" Standard Horizon, the larger display is so much easier for old eyes. Good luck they make excellent gear that works as it should and have one of the best customer service departments, they really helped me out getting everything setup when getting everything talking to each other. I have a fish finder, KVH heading sensor for radar overlay on charts, AIS and ComNav autopilot. With the help of the techs at SH and Si-Tex I did all of the NMEA 0183 data wiring using solder and heat shrink on all connections.


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