Buying complete new Raymarine MFD with radar & sonar.

[Harro]

Lots of options to choose from.
Sonar CHIRP or Digital
Radar c/w or Quantum Q24c 18"
7" or 9" MFD.
I'M NEW AT THIS SO ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME.
Also AIS Transponder Raymarine AIS650 class B Transceiver.

[toddedger]

I think the quantum is the way to go for a sailboat. 1/2 the weight, low power usage, and easier cabling. The rest is up to your budget.

[Harro]

Originally Posted by toddedger

I think the quantum is the way to go for a sailboat. 1/2 the weight, low power usage, and easier cabling. The rest is up to your budget.

Thank you for your advice. Do you know the difference between
SONAR CHIRP and or Digital?

[toddedger]

They are both designed for fishing. Cherp will give you a nice high resolution picture of the bottom that might be handy for identifying bottom for anchoring. They're both going to use a lot more battery to operate, and will need a more expensive solely dedicated transducer. The Raymarine Web site will show examples of what they display. For my sailboat I went with a stand alone regular transducer that puts out speed, depth, and temp, on the NMEA 2000 network . This allows for only one thruhull.

[Harro]

Originally Posted by toddedger

They are both designed for fishing. Cherp will give you a nice high resolution picture of the bottom that might be handy for identifying bottom for anchoring. They're both going to use a lot more battery to operate, and will need a more expensive solely dedicated transducer. The Raymarine Web site will show examples of what they display. For my sailboat I went with a stand alone regular transducer that puts out speed, depth, and temp, on the NMEA 2000 network . This allows for only one thruhull.

Thanks again

[Eleuthera 2014]

If you want SONAR, you'll need the a98. Smaller units cannot handle the Sonar bits ...

A 98 is very good kit although, some functions were difficult to find within the menus... we have an A75 at the NAV stn and an A98 at the helm.

GL and HNY

[BenFranklyn]

Harro,

Be VERY cautious about committing to the Raymarine system whole hog as you discribe. I did exactly that in 2014 and have had an amazing number of failures. So many that I really can only surmise that there are very basic problems with there manufacturing supply chain. Just to name a few problems we have replaced the autopilot remote 4 times, replaced 3 GPS mushrooms, failures in the VHF radio, AIS B failed, several issues with parts of the conversion systems that adapt to other boat systems, Auto pilot drive failure and control module system failure and god knows how many ghost problems that popped up and then just disappeared. I had good support from local dealers as I worked my way down the english coastline and some support in the Netherlands where the system was installed but all in all I would never repeat the process. Some other makers seem to also have problems so I cannot point you to any other company at the moment, perhaps someone else on the forum has better experience with another company

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Harro

Lots of options to choose from.
Sonar CHIRP or Digital
Radar c/w or Quantum Q24c 18"
7" or 9" MFD.
I'M NEW AT THIS SO ANY SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME.
Also AIS Transponder Raymarine AIS650 class B Transceiver.

I concur that the Raymarine Quantum chirp radar has power and weight advantages over the Digital and HD digital models.

For MFD, I recommend the eS series. The 7" model comes in no sonar (eS 75) and down vision (very high definition) sonar (eS 78). Some form of sonar is very good for visualizing bottom contour and finding weed free anchoring spots for excellent swimming. Down vision is a little overkill for this, and the transducer must be proud of the hull bottom (which I personally don't care for) so unless you are an avid fisherman who needs to see bottom structure like a photograph, I would recommend the CPT-S transducer, that mounts like a typical thru hull transducer, or can be bonded to the inside of an uncored hull (my preference).

If you decide on the 9" model, you can get the es95 (no sonar) and eS 98 (downvision sonar) or eS97 (standard sonar) MFD. The latter will accept standard sonar transducers for a wider variety of mounting options, including the P79 (shoot thru model if memory serves).

If under tight budget constraints or to reduce obstacles at the helm, I recommend the eS78 with CPT-S transducer, (bonded to inside of hull) with mobile wifi equipped tablet in waterproof case for fairweather outside or all weather cabin work and integrated Quantum radar. Really nice set-up. If you don't have wind, definitely add the i60 wind package when you can.

If you want a bigger screen for the helm in all weather conditions, then eS 97 MFD with P79 xdcr. (Waterproof tablet would still be a great addition and can be added any time.

Certified Raymarine Installer/Service Provider # Ray1918

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by BenFranklyn

Harro,

Be VERY cautious about committing to the Raymarine system whole hog as you discribe. I did exactly that in 2014 and have had an amazing number of failures. So many that I really can only surmise that there are very basic problems with there manufacturing supply chain. Just to name a few problems we have replaced the autopilot remote 4 times, replaced 3 GPS mushrooms, failures in the VHF radio, AIS B failed, several issues with parts of the conversion systems that adapt to other boat systems, Auto pilot drive failure and control module system failure and god knows how many ghost problems that popped up and then just disappeared. I had good support from local dealers as I worked my way down the english coastline and some support in the Netherlands where the system was installed but all in all I would never repeat the process. Some other makers seem to also have problems so I cannot point you to any other company at the moment, perhaps someone else on the forum has better experience with another company

I can't troubleshoot your system from afar, but I suggest there is something seriously unusual.

I have never experienced nor heard of this amount of difficulty before.

Unless your boat is getting hit by lightning on a monthly basis, I can't imagine a probable cause (other than maybe incorrect power supply voltage).

In fact, one of the reasons I sell and install Raymarine is because it is so reliable. (It just costs me too much to have call backs to customer boats under warranty because the equipment is malfunctioning.)

There are a few issues I know of (as there are with any manufacturer's products) but there is something highly unusual going on with your boat.

I find Raymarine autopilots to be very reliable. My wheel pilot is 20 years old and still going strong. Light duty tiller or wheel pilots can have issues if put to heavy, constant, blue water use, but hydraulic and linear pilots should work great if they are installed and treated properly.

What kind of autopilot do you have and what has been the failure mode?

What model MFD do you have and why are you even using a discrete GPS antenna?

I suggest you request to the see the qualifications of the installer.

If they are not Raymarine certified, I suggest you find one to go over your components, installation, and operating practices, to get to the bottom of it.

Raymarine Certified Installer / Service Provider # Ray 1918

[Eleuthera 2014]

Originally Posted by BenFranklyn

Harro,

Be VERY cautious about committing to the Raymarine system whole hog as you discribe. I did exactly that in 2014 and have had an amazing number of failures. So many that I really can only surmise that there are very basic problems with there manufacturing supply chain. Just to name a few problems we have replaced the autopilot remote 4 times, replaced 3 GPS mushrooms, failures in the VHF radio, AIS B failed, several issues with parts of the conversion systems that adapt to other boat systems, Auto pilot drive failure and control module system failure and god knows how many ghost problems that popped up and then just disappeared. I had good support from local dealers as I worked my way down the english coastline and some support in the Netherlands where the system was installed but all in all I would never repeat the process. Some other makers seem to also have problems so I cannot point you to any other company at the moment, perhaps someone else on the forum has better experience with another company

Hi Ben,

You have a lovely boat!!! However, what is its voltage? I see real potential for problems here as has Ramblin... also verify if you have 24V to 12VDC converters that they are performing correctly.

I Have many 10's of Euros of Ray gear and all works as advertized except for those items badly installed. Blame the installer.

[cottonsail]

Raymarine? In my experience they have abysmal failure rates. Try Garmin or Furuno. Good luck.

[Harro]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

I concur that the Raymarine Quantum chirp radar has power and weight advantages over the Digital and HD digital models.

For MFD, I recommend the eS series. The 7" model comes in no sonar (eS 75) and down vision (very high definition) sonar (eS 78). Some form of sonar is very good for visualizing bottom contour and finding weed free anchoring spots for excellent swimming. Down vision is a little overkill for this, and the transducer must be proud of the hull bottom (which I personally don't care for) so unless you are an avid fisherman who needs to see bottom structure like a photograph, I would recommend the CPT-S transducer, that mounts like a typical thru hull transducer, or can be bonded to the inside of an uncored hull (my preference).

If you decide on the 9" model, you can get the es95 (no sonar) and eS 98 (downvision sonar) or eS97 (standard sonar) MFD. The latter will accept standard sonar transducers for a wider variety of mounting options, including the P79 (shoot thru model if memory serves).

If under tight budget constraints or to reduce obstacles at the helm, I recommend the eS78 with CPT-S transducer, (bonded to inside of hull) with mobile wifi equipped tablet in waterproof case for fairweather outside or all weather cabin work and integrated Quantum radar. Really nice set-up. If you don't have wind, definitely add the i60 wind package when you can.

If you want a bigger screen for the helm in all weather conditions, then eS 97 MFD with P79 xdcr. (Waterproof tablet would still be a great addition and can be added any time.

Certified Raymarine Installer/Service Provider # Ray1918

Thanks very much for your advice. Can I ask what you think of AIS 650 Class B transceiver?

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Harro

Thanks very much for your advice. Can I ask what you think of AIS 650 Class B transceiver?

I don't have any direct experience with Raymarine AIS transceivers. I do recommend selecting a brand for electronics and then sticking with it, for ease of integration, troubledhooting, repair, and warranty.

When your Raymarine products are registered online, you receive a 3 year warranty on most products. When you get the electronics installed, you can request that the "installation" be certified for "on board" warranty. Only a Ray certified Installer can "certify the installation. Then, with certain restrictions, for a period of 2 years, if you pull into a centre having a certified Installer, they come to the boat to troubleshoot and fix it. For full details on "onboard" warranty, check the Raymarine website.

[jibstay]

We've had the AIS 650 for just over a year. It's been great. We also went with the 7" MFD, because it fit in the space of the old unit and we tend to use a wifi connected iPad in a LifeProof case for most functions. We've had Raymarine gear for years and it's been very reliable.

[jeremiason]

I am a Raymarine fan...

I highly recommend the E Series MFD and suggest you get the biggest screen you can afford and fit on the boat. The reason is simple, the larger the screen the easier it is to divide into extra windows. For instance, when I was cruising, I usually ran two windows at night. One for radar and one for charting. I did this because many times the chart and radar ranges were very different.

I have the Raymarine C-100 Sonar on my runabout. It delivers incredible shots of the bottom contour, but only directly below and behind the transducer. The problem is it does not look forward. On my cruising sailboat I had the Interphase Twin Color Scope Forward Looking Sonar. That was great for feeling out potential anchorages, but unfortunately, Garmin bought the company and promptly closed it.

I also recommend the Class B AIS units, epecially in areas were there is a lot of commercial traffic. It is a wonderful tool and can be used in conjunction with your DSC VHF Radio for calling other vessels.

Another VERY USEFUL tool is Sirius Weather... If they ever come up with a similar unit for Australia I would buy it... It worked down to about 9N Latitude (North America) in both the Pacific Coast of Central America and the Caribbean when I was cruising. I also have it installed on my runabout for the chaotic summer squalls we have here in Florida.

One thing I will suggest is whatever you consider... Pick one company, Raymarine, Garmin or Furuno and stick with them. Don't try and mix and match various components, because inevitably there will be problems and the companies will point fingers at each other.

Good Luck!