Quote:
Originally Posted by LakeSuperior
It is human nature I guess, but many in this thread are making the problem harder than it really is. Consider a limited budget and existing older electronics, I can upgrade either the chart plotter or radar display to put in the cockpit. The remaining older electronics will be put at the chart table.
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If this is your position why not upgrade the plotter now, with a
Garmin 3205C, which is the least expensive plotter that I know of that will also do radar in the future, and then in a year or two, when budget allows, add the dome...
For the
price of many stand alone radar systems you can have a plotter w/radar for not much more than just radar.
Garmin 3205C System (prices are lowest quick Google search +/- denotes you may find a better or worse deal)
Display - 3205C = $959.00+/- (charts/antenna included)
Radome - GMR 18" = $850.00+/-
Currently the least expensive stand alone radar worth
buying is the
Furuno 1715 and it sells for $1650.00 and up.
The Garmin 3205C plotter with the radome will only cost you $159.00 more than a decent standalone Furuno!!!!! The 16 mile 1623 is not even worth
buying and spending the $1360.00 for IMHO..
JRC is now non-existent in this country with small stand alone units and any you find will be old stock. Also good luck getting support from JRC. My neighbor, a lobsterman, has been trying to get his JRC fixed since late April!! Keep in mind that JRC makes most of the domes on the market as a vendor to others but thier customer support as "JRC retail" is, and can be, abhorrent!
Furuno really is your only stand alone, inexpensive, radar supplier these days.
My
advice is to start with a plotter that can be expanded in the future!
The two worth looking at are the Garmin 3205C, mentioned above and is small enough to mount at the
helm, and the
Raymarine C-70. The Raymarine however will be more
money in the end as everything, including the GPS
antenna and
charts, are at additional cost. Either way, Garmin or Raymarine, you'll be buying non-US
charts for
Europe and beyond with any unit.
3205 at helm: