Selecting new GPS/radar package

[David AC]

Greetings,

I have two gps/radar systems. A Garmin 5212 on a boat I am selling and a Raymarine c90W on the boat I am keeping. The Garmin has a touch screen and is at the helm, the Raymarine has neither benefit. The Raymarine electronic wind/speed instruments on the boat I am keeping are not tied into the chart plotter.

I'm thinking of either switching the two or buying a new system. I plan some offshore sailing. What do people recommend for a system? Prices vary widely. What do you use and what would you look for? Would you keep either of these?

Thank you.

[jstevens]

It should not be difficult to move the C90W to the helm if that is where you want it. It is very simple to connect the Raymarine instruments to the C90W, so those issues shouldn't have a major impact on your decision.
So, for me, the decision would be do I want to continue use a discontinued product that works well, or buy something with newer technology and a warrantee. I'm still using my 15 year old C120 so I guess you know what my decision would be.

John

[BigAl.NZ]

Personally I am a Raymarine fan.

I have brought the new Axiom Pro 9" and are super happy with it. It is most likely this would interface with your wind instruments (do you have a ITC5?)

Raymarine are releasing a new software version about every month with Light House 3 and each release is not just bug fixes but new features too.

I can't say too much - but I have seen the next versions and its got some great features I have not seen anywhere else. Next release should be towards end of the month.

HTH

Al

[Typhoon]

I’m a Simrad fan . Get what you know and are comfortable with . I really like the 4g radar and will be adding forward looking sonar in the next month.

Regards John

[BigAl.NZ]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

I’m a Simrad fan . Get what you know and are comfortable with . I really like the 4g radar and will be adding forward looking sonar in the next month.

Regards John

I have heard good things about the Simrad 4G radar. Would love to see how it stacks up against Quantum Q24C.

What year did 4G hit the market? I think Q24C was 2016.

[Ded reckoner]

If you are looking for a new radar system, I would recommend you consider a system like Furuno's DRS4D-NXT. This is a doppler system that turns data into information. It does this by indicating (by color) what is coming at you. This just makes it easier to comprehend what you need to care about. Also, this system can be overlaid to a chartplotter (along with AIS) using their TZ Navigator software.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by ColdEh Marine

I’m a Simrad fan . Get what you know and are comfortable with . I really like the 4g radar and will be adding forward looking sonar in the next month.

Regards John

Same here. Installed B&G Zeus2 and 4G radar in 2015, and cannot envision what unit could possibly be better. Have used it in darkness, fog, and tracking thunderstorms. Chart overlay is great. Have picked up tops of 6 inch diameter pilings that were channel markers without signage, and compared to GPS map locations. Excellent kit from B&G/Simrad. Installing same 4G radar on new boat, but going with Zeus3 just to keep current.

[BigAl.NZ]

Originally Posted by Ded reckoner

If you are looking for a new radar system, I would recommend you consider a system like Furuno's DRS4D-NXT. This is a doppler system that turns data into information. It does this by indicating (by color) what is coming at you. This just makes it easier to comprehend what you need to care about. Also, this system can be overlaid to a chartplotter (along with AIS) using their TZ Navigator software.

Raymarine just released this a few days ago:

Quantum 2 - CHIRP Radar with Doppler Collision Avoidance | Raymarine - A Brand by FLIR

It also color codes targets.

[Emouchet]

For serious work on the radar, I would keep the radar screen separated from the chart plotter screen.
It is good for the man at the helm to keep an eye on the chart plotter in coastal cruising. However, my experience shows that the work on the radar is a full time job and requires 100% focus to identify targets, track and measures bearing and distances. This is not something the helmsman can do. Hence the requirement for a 2nd screen dedicated to the radar. That screen can have also charts overlay since this is useful.
Also, radar and charts plotting are 2 mission critical component. Keeping then separate is a good idea since this provides some redundancy.

[FabioC]

I installed the latest and greatest on my boat because she is a new boat, but if I had an existing older unit still in good working conditions, I am not sure it would be worth it to replace it with a newer one. New products have many new features, but none of the new features is a game changer. Also, the user interface has evolved and improved, but not dramatically. 4G radar is certainly a major advance, but for the way one uses it in a recreational boat, it does not make an incredible difference.
I would save the money for a replacement, keep using the older system (bring it to where you want it, that should be quite easy, there are plenty of videos online on how to do it), and instead invest that money into something that adds a substantially new capability, for example AIS, if you do not have it already on your boat.

[S/V Alchemy]

I haven't installed it yet, but after long deliberation and because I wanted a stand-alone radar, we bought the new Furuno 1815. We are going offshore. I'll be mounting it on the mast in late April. These may be of help: https://alchemy2009.blogspot.ca/2018...omes-rain.html

and

https://alchemy2009.blogspot.ca/2018...new-radar.html

[sailon46]

The Mary Jane has been in the Caribbean , from 18 deg N to 12 deg N and 75 deg W to 60 deg W. in the last five years I have used at the helm a Garmin 740s chart-plotter with a Garmin 18 HD hooked up to it. I recently installed down below a 7210 Garmin beautiful presentation. I wouldn't trade at the helm my 740s with the Garmin 18HD with nothing else. Those two I trusted for the long and close hauls and I am talking Bonaire to St Croix Crossing, Virgin Gorda to St Martin, and St martin to Grenada and all in between.
FYI Ernie on the Mary Jane

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by Emouchet

For serious work on the radar, I would keep the radar screen separated from the chart plotter screen.
It is good for the man at the helm to keep an eye on the chart plotter in coastal cruising. However, my experience shows that the work on the radar is a full time job and requires 100% focus to identify targets, track and measures bearing and distances. This is not something the helmsman can do. Hence the requirement for a 2nd screen dedicated to the radar. That screen can have also charts overlay since this is useful.
Also, radar and charts plotting are 2 mission critical component. Keeping then separate is a good idea since this provides some redundancy.

We do a split screen when offshore, with the radar set at longer distance. In close quarters, we use overlay. We also carry an iPad with GPS and charts for backup.

[Camille1]

Technology has moved on so much. I decided to upgrade and suggest there is nothing to beat Furuno reliability. Bit more money but save by putting the electronic wizardry at the helm; the 12" model is fine. I put a 19" screen as a slave at the navdesk with control pad. The new raydome is excellent as mentioned already.
I had trouble with corroding terminal pins in Raymarine cables so I replaced with Actisense which I rate as a better system.
Good luck!

[cottonsail]

When looking for my first radar I was advised to go to the nearest fishing port and see they use. I went to New Bedford Ma. 90% were Furuno. I bought Furuno and I was pleased with it's performance. Last year I added Radar to my current boat. Furuno was 2X the price of Garmin. I went with a Garmin GPS chartplotter and added the xHD18 radome and the PH51 front view sonar. I rarely use the display as a chartplotter. It's primarily used as a Radar and/or Sonar displays. I am extremely pleased with Garmin products. Raymarine on the other hand has been mostly disappointing. Of 6 products only 2 were satisfactory. The other 4 didn't work or were very inaccurate. This is just my experiences.