Need help building a system

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by TitanTn

Great feedback. It sounds like I definitely want to be looking at NMEA 2000. I definitely want something that is networked and will allow me grow slowly into the system.

As I said, my immediate need is depth. I don't need radar, autopilot or AIS right now. I want to add them over the next year or two. What I don't want to do is buy a depth sounder now and then figure out later that it doesn't integrate into my network and feed the chart plotter, etc.

And I also don't want to look at a depth sounder as a stand alone piece of equipment if it'd be better to purchase with the "networking hub" like the Vesper XB8000 that was referenced.

So what are the components of a system as I'm trying to describe?

Chartplotter (iPad for now, but might want to add a dedicated unit later)
GPS receiver (in Ipad, but maybe need an antenna or even a separate unit?)
Depth sounder (what's needed? a transducer that connects into what?)
AIS - to come later unless I should start with the Vesper XB8000 that is the router for the network.
Radar - later
Autopilot - much later

Thanks for the direction.

p.s. this is not for blue water use, live-aboard, long passage, or on a sail boat

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Just my 2 cents worth but I do not consider an iPad to be robust enough in a marine environment to serve as your primary navigation device and central hub. I think your first priority should be to get a tried and true MFD (Multi Function Display) that includes chart plotting capability. There are many choices: Furuno, Garmin, Raymarine, B&G, etc., etc. Pick one with a good reputation for durability and service. I went with Furuno 11 years ago because many commercial fisherman use Furuno. We have not been disappointed but you can find happy users from almost any of the big name vendors. Virtually all of the well known MFDs offer expansion to radar, depth sounding and AIS reception. Those are the big three these days. From there you can build out to wireless networking for your secondary devices like iPads or laptops.

[TitanTn]

Originally Posted by wayne.b

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Just my 2 cents worth but I do not consider an iPad to be robust enough in a marine environment to serve as your primary navigation device and central hub. I think your first priority should be to get a tried and true MFD (Multi Function Display) that includes chart plotting capability. There are many choices: Furuno, Garmin, Raymarine, B&G, etc., etc. Pick one with a good reputation for durability and service. I went with Furuno 11 years ago because many commercial fisherman use Furuno. We have not been disappointed but you can find happy users from almost any of the big name vendors. Virtually all of the well known MFDs offer expansion to radar, depth sounding and AIS reception. Those are the big three these days. From there you can build out to wireless networking for your secondary devices like iPads or laptops.

Not really the topic of this discussion, but I'll just say that there are many different options available because there's not one solution that fits every person's needs. It sounds like we may have different needs, or at the very least we have different desires.

I've very happy with the input received and have confirmed that this is the perfect direction for ME (both technically and economically). I'm building my network first so that I can add devices, even redundancies as needed. And this includes a MFD if necessary. But all of this will be driven by my navigational and safety needs. This is likely different for me in Chattanooga TN versus someone who lives in Florida (although I do travel and boat in Florida ocassionally).

[anacapaisland42]

I know too well :-)
We are at the end of a long country power-line and phone-line, I have a collection of crashed/corrupted hard drives :-(
plus 2 killed UPS's and another collection of destroyed power bars.
Now my preference is for lap-tops or tablets and unplug when weather goes thru.
Bill

Originally Posted by TitanTn

That's why you have redundancy Bill - but that's a whole different discussion.

[Terra Nova]

Your depth sounder need not be integrated in your network. Better if it is a stand-alone, anyway, as it is too important to compromise.