Confused. Should I buy a Raymarine E7 chart plotter? or just stick with a IPAD??

[Kenomac]

Rambinrod,

You will only be happy when cruisers head back to the past and embrace yesterday's technology.

Again, I have yet to meet a single cruiser who's actually out doing it who doesn't use a tablet for navigation and instead chooses to stand behind the helm out in the sun, stare at a helm mounted chartplotter and steer the boat like some kind of big car or video game.

Totally ridiculous.

Good luck selling and installing those expensive white elephants in the future.

People don't do this anymore.

[Sandero]

As mentioned I got picked up a T7 for about $700 which can't be more than an IiPod.

It's portable... and a marine device and sits in a rarely used cockpit winch under the dodger using an aluminum rod bolted to the B&G mounting bracket. Cheap, easy peasy... portable, robust and it rotates!

[Matt Johnson]

We bought a B&G T7 too to use as our autopilot head unit. Since we got the T7 for $399, it was cheaper than their dedicated auto pilot head and we get all the other functions.

I could never figure out those helm installs (like above photo) that don't allow the chart plotter to be rotated. Our old Raymarine C95 was mounted in a Navpod that could rotate at the helm and be viewed under the dodger or behind the wheel. Why would anyone do anything else?

We do also have tablets aboard for navigating, but that's mostly just for redundancy and to have a cheap way of having Navionics, CMap, and Garmin running to compare all sources for chart errors. I couldn't stand not having a clear/bright display when going through a tight area.... Our ipad was never bright enough with the glare on the screen, but newer waterproof cases may be anti glare.

Matt

Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Rambinrod,

You will only be happy when cruisers head back to the past and embrace yesterday's technology.

Again, I have yet to meet a single cruiser who's actually out doing it who doesn't use a tablet for navigation and instead chooses to stand behind the helm out in the sun, stare at a helm mounted chartplotter and steer the boat like some kind of big car or video game.

Totally ridiculous.

Good luck selling and installing those expensive white elephants in the future.

People don't do this anymore.

Actually, you are completely mistaken. Responsible boaters are having proper chartplotters installed every day.

Why? Because it is safer. That Simple.

But I concede, you are not likely to change your position, regardless of the amount of contrary evidence presented to you.

[cards26]

I can't understand a spirited debate over opinions of taste. If someone uses ipads, chartplotters, phones, smoke signals, carrier pigeons, etc, and are happy, then so be it. Whatever works for someone is fine for me.

Not everyone embraces new technology at the same rate.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

Actually, you are completely mistaken. Responsible boaters are having proper chartplotters installed every day.

Why? Because it is safer. That Simple.

But I concede, you are not likely to change your position, regardless of the amount of contrary evidence presented to you.

Picture of a "responsible" cell phone user.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by cards26

I can't understand a spirited debate over opinions of taste. If someone uses ipads, chartplotters, phones, smoke signals, carrier pigeons, etc, and are happy, then so be it. Whatever works for someone is fine for me.

Not everyone embraces new technology at the same rate.

It's not about new and old technology, it's about which new technology is being used and how it's used.

The Raymarine a,c,e, eS MFD's all are wifi enabled allowing them to link to tablets and phones making them secondary displays, the latest release even allows the MFD to connect to the internet and download gribs. Not exactly old tech....

MFD's allow better intergration with other instrumentation and utilise that information in ways I'd doubt that iNavx or whatever will do. I'm guessing Ken's iNavx does not provide laylines (from polars), tide vectors and other nice stuff for those of us who like to sail

[Kenomac]

Commodore Ramblinrod,

Why is it, that when I'm making a simple recommendation to a fellow boater regarding a waterproof case for his ipad, you feel the compulsion to butt in and proclaim the moral and safety high ground, claiming everyone will essentially die if they don't have someone like you (a marine electronics installer/retailer) sell and install a product for them?

This is supposed to be a forum for boaters like me to share ideas with other boaters... not for retail salesmen to promote their products and bash competing technologies. It seems I remember a rather agressive anchor salesman doing the same thing on this forum a while back.

I've never knocked your products and claimed them to be unsafe. As far as I'm concerned... I couldn't care any less as to what sort of navigation device anyone chooses. If they choose to navigate with a map and compass... I couldn't care less. I just offer a different and more popular alternative.

Also... doesn't it seem more than just a little ironic, that here I am safely navigating my way around the world over a six year period in all sorts of weather using only mobile devices while you sit in some shipyard preaching to those of us out actually cruising as to what to use, what to buy and what to do?

Maybe it's time for you to tone down your enthusiasm just a bit.

[salticrak]

I am looking for a chartplotter for my small catamaran(wharram tiki 26). I have a raymarine autopilot. I do not plan on having excessive amounts of power/batteries.A simple set up at a reasonable cost is what I am after.Any ideas?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by hoppy

It's not about new and old technology, it's about which new technology is being used and how it's used.

The Raymarine a,c,e, eS MFD's all are wifi enabled allowing them to link to tablets and phones making them secondary displays, the latest release even allows the MFD to connect to the internet and download gribs. Not exactly old tech....

MFD's allow better intergration with other instrumentation and utilise that information in ways I'd doubt that iNavx or whatever will do. I'm guessing Ken's iNavx does not provide laylines (from polars), tide vectors and other nice stuff for those of us who like to sail

I agree with you on nearly all points except that you'd be shocked as to what mobile devices can do today. Tide, weather, fly overs, 3D imaging, integrated AIS, the ipads do all of this, including the original 6 year old ipad. The only thing missing in our setup, is the ability of the ipad to control the auto helm... which I don't see as a negative. It keeps us on our toes while navigating. But I'm sure there's an app and integration system out there.

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I agree with you on nearly all points except that you'd be shocked as to what mobile devices can do today. Tide, weather, fly overs, 3D imaging, integrated AIS, the ipads do all of this, including the original 6 year old ipad. The only thing missing in our setup, is the ability of the ipad to control the auto helm... which I don't see as a negative. It keeps us on our toes while navigating. But I'm sure there's an app and integration system out there.

What about laylines?

Oh that's right, in your videos you only motor sail and you want a powercat... what was I thinking

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by hoppy

What about laylines?

Oh that's right, in your videos you only motor sail and you want a powercat... what was I thinking

We have Nobeltec Time Zero Odyssey running on our HP Envy Laptop which is fully integrated with our ipads and Vesper Watchmate Vision AIS system. Nobeltec offers the laylines feature and weather routing. Weather 4D pro on the ipad also offers weather routing.

Please watch the video which demonstrates some of the features. But most of the time, better than 95% we simply use the ipads to get from A to B. Besides, we learned to sail back in the early 1980's aboard our 19ft O'Day using only a chart and compass. We can do just fine without all the electronic gadgets.

Come on... You know how it is in the Med, we sail whenever the wind allows, but we don't sit still just because it's a calm day or the wind is coming straight on. We have places to go and things to see, and my wife has planes to catch on specific dates. We're not afraid to use the iron jib whenever our speed drops below 5 knots. We're not sailing purists, and yes... I'd gladly trade our present boat for a fifty foot powercat without hesitation.

But that doesn't mean we are unhappy in any way with our current situation or boat.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O1psKR06u1Y

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WtRysaFr_2U

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Commodore Ramblinrod,

Why is it, that when I'm making a simple recommendation to a fellow boater regarding a waterproof case for his ipad, you feel the compulsion to butt in and proclaim the moral and safety high ground, claiming everyone will essentially die if they don't have someone like you (a marine electronics installer/retailer) sell and install a product for them?

This is supposed to be a forum for boaters like me to share ideas with other boaters... not for retail salesmen to promote their products and bash competing technologies. It seems I remember a rather agressive anchor salesman doing the same thing on this forum a while back.

I've never knocked your products and claimed them to be unsafe. As far as I'm concerned... I couldn't care any less as to what sort of navigation device anyone chooses. If they choose to navigate with a map and compass... I couldn't care less. I just offer a different and more popular alternative.

Also... doesn't it seem more than just a little ironic, that here I am safely navigating my way around the world over a six year period in all sorts of weather using only mobile devices while you sit in some shipyard preaching to those of us out actually cruising as to what to use, what to buy and what to do?

Maybe it's time for you to tone down your enthusiasm just a bit.

Cut the BS. Navionics stating they are not as reliable has nothing to do with me, I just passed along the info. I didn't once slam any product. I've stated several times that iPads are great mobile computing devices and a great back up tool to have aboard. I have two myself. I've also had 2 iDevice failures in the last year. I replaced them, they are so useful to have. But I would never choose one as the primary electronic navigation tool. I have the right to this opinion as you do yours.

[cards26]

Originally Posted by hoppy

It's not about new and old technology, it's about which new technology is being used and how it's used.

The Raymarine a,c,e, eS MFD's all are wifi enabled allowing them to link to tablets and phones making them secondary displays, the latest release even allows the MFD to connect to the internet and download gribs. Not exactly old tech....

MFD's allow better intergration with other instrumentation and utilise that information in ways I'd doubt that iNavx or whatever will do. I'm guessing Ken's iNavx does not provide laylines (from polars), tide vectors and other nice stuff for those of us who like to sail

I thought it was obvious that I was referring to ipads vs fixed chartplotters.

Even if we take your statement, 'which new technology is being used and how it's used', that's also a matter of an opinion of taste.

I prefer mermaids myself.

[cards26]

The first chart plotter came out in 1985, so the use of an ipad is relatively new in comparison.