First Chartplotter - Recommendations?

[Jerry Woodward]

Defjef

I too have the iQue 3600 and have been using it for driving. I'd like to set mine up for marine nav. Can you send me a pm, or post here what software you use, how you set it up, and where you get your charts? I have been looking at Active Captain...would you recommend that?

Thanks

Jerry

[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.

[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.

[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 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.

[Yachtmops]

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)

[chuckr]

we have been using raymarine since '03 - verses someone who wrote about forgetting paper charts - we got hit by lightening in the bahamas and lost everything electronic - a handheld gps that we keep in the oven and paper charts got us back to the usa - would not go without them - we have the full compliment of raymarine from chartplotter,rl70c, to tridata to radar to autopilot and all are integrated and we can overlay the radar on the chartplotter - i was going to add ais this year and discussed with raymarine prior and found i could not without upgrading my radar and chartplotter - we just purchased a new c70 with radar and mounted the radar a couple of days ago - before we started i spent time on the phone with raymarine tech rep and they could not have been more helpful - in fact when we got a energy bust from a boat that was in front of us and got hit by lightening - i sent the wind thingy on top of the mast to raymarine to get rebuilt and again they could not have been nicer from the cost to how to pay for the repair to where to send it - customer service is top notch -
by the way the reason we are getting the c70 is the space we have will not allow a much bigger unit - and we may not mount the c70 until we return to the usa next spring as the c70 uses navionics which is not as good in the bahamas, where we plan to spend the next 5 months, as cmap which is based off explorer charts - they were spot on last year
we do use the routing making and autopilot features but not to the exclusion of watches which both the admiral and i do on a funky schedule that is made for us - we only use the radar when offshore or in fog like this july in maine - and the overlay function and the use of marpa are of incredible value
we love raymarine and find it bulletproof
but then we all have our opinions and this is ours
chuck patty and svsoulmates
currently in brunswick ga for repairs (canvas and engine not electronics)