I've bought a lot of things via the
internet. One place I get good eeals is
www.brokenlegdave.com name sounds goofy but he carries a lot of brands. he is in NJ so
sails tax
can be saved. You are ready to buy then put a list together and ask for a quote you will always get 5% more off sometimes more depending on the items. I regualy beat eBay rpices through this site. West
Marine is only for when you need something in a real hurry and want to walk in get it and leave.
The integrated display gets to be cheaper if you want radar. Radar to me is one of those things most people starting out couldn't use to save a life. It is a tool that takes a lot of practice. I use mine in good
weather while motoring a lot just to get better at it. When use properly in skilled hands it can be exceptionally valuable. The one
monitor does all gets affordable when you add radar and
fish finders into the display. The new networks are better than the old
NMEA. IF you have decent
NMEA 0183 gear then keep it until you need to replace it. With basics and at least one backup
GPS you can be good to go.
Radio is the other
gear you have to have. A backup for
VHF isn't a bad idea. Off shore then there are other more expensive issue to deal with. I would want
weather FAX and basic
email even if very limited. Sometimes it's just a simple message that makes or breaks the trip.
Once you go down the Raymarine road you sort of are stuck with that choice. They make it easy to use only their stuff because nothing else will coexist with it (other than radio) . Unlike the the old
NMEA 0183 standard there really are no standards for the new stuff. The vendors don't want them. Back in the late 1990's they felt afraid that they would be able to do the
network based gear and would need 3rd party suppliers to supply basic networking chips so they wanted a standard - "NMEA 2000" was born. It's 6 years later and there isn't much out and there won't be much more. Lots of
network based gear but it's not standard.
I've a TackTick wireless wind instrument. They cost a lot more but you can install one in about an hour. Climb the
mast and bolt the
transducer to the masthead and it's all over. Yes, it's more up front but
installation is a breeze. My first unit was not that great The desing wasn't as good as it should so they just replaced it with the newer one. You get two years warranty. The
battery is a thing people like to say "Oh that won't last". It's been two years and the display has never been anything other than full
power all the time. The key is they have the
power exceptionally low. The units are 100% sealled so nothing to
repair or replace. There is nothing to
service waht so ever. The speeed log is still something you have to clean and
depth transducers are still waht they always have been (pretty reliable). They don't so radar and they don't have a chart plotter. They did just come out with a
remote handheld display though.
Solar powered so you can sit on the bow and read
depth, wind, speed, GPS and all the rest of the data you get from those types of
instruments.
Auto pilot would be the other thing. Gotta have one and a
wind vane for off shore. for a 41 ft boat you don't want a
wheel based unit.