Best dealership for looking at marine electronics in the south east.

[potentillaCO32]

So, I am looking for a new chartplotter.

It's OK looking online and at all the reviews but nothing really beats being able to prod and poke something to get a feel for the one to buy.

In my naivety I walked into a chandlery in an east coast town with barges by the Quay and asked to talk about their range that they sell. I was pretty much just passed a brochure and it was clear that my online gleaned knowledge was as good as theirs.

So does anyone recommend a bricks and mortar shop where I can fiddle with the dials, or touch the screen, and talk to someone who knows the products pretty well? Ideally somewhere in the south east, London included.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Presumably Marinestore, Maldon.

Haven’t been a while but Fox’s at Ipswich might be your best bet

 

[Stemar]

It's a bit out of your way but, for me, that would be Marine Superstore in Port Solent.

 

[potentillaCO32]

It's a bit out of your way but, for me, that would be Marine Superstore in Port Solent.

Thanks, I go past there fairly often to get the Portsmouth ferry.

 

[Concerto]

The only real chance you can try a variety of chart plotters is at a boat show like Southampton. You may find chatting to a marine electronics fitter (try Paul Rainbow in Ipswich, Rainbow Marine) as he could advise on what they consider would be best for your needs.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I have found Force4 staff surprisingly knowledgable and helpful in the past, although not specifically about chartplotters.

 

[Daydream believer]

Mantsbrite Marine in Maldon are the experts & will install as well. They have sorted issues for me. Living locally I have sometimes dropped in with queries & come away with a wiring sketch. I have even collared their fitter at Bradwell marina for advice & a chat as I have got to know them over the years

 

[[70521]]

So does anyone recommend a bricks and mortar shop where I can fiddle with the dials, or touch the screen, and talk to someone who knows the products pretty well? Ideally somewhere in the south east, London included.

Do you have any friends who could show you their plotters?

They will have real world experience of using them and should know their good and bad points, and wont get commission for selling you one.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Not the SE but I have had great help from these guys and they have a big display of plotters to be viewed and fiddled with. It would be worth a trip to their shop.

Marine Supply Store | Marine and Boat Electronics For Sale

Hudson Marine Electronics, Mercury Yacht Harbour, Satchell Lane, Hamble, Southampton UK, SO31 4HQ

 

[steveeasy]

Hudson marine have a wide range of display models and competitive too. They may also do free installation locally.

Steveeasy

 

[WoodyP]

Euurotek at Brighton were very helpful, but no recent knowledge.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

You could try Olly at Seapower Electronics at Suffolk yacht harbour.He was very helpful and had units on display that you could play with .

 

[Aurai]

Raymarine tour round with an exhibition trailer.

 

[Daverw]

Raymarine tour round with an exhibition trailer.

Would only get you see probably 2 or 3 plotters and running same software probebly, it’s the operating software that I think makes the difference in actual use

 

[Neeves]

I assume you are buying for the long term. Be patient - go to a boat show.

and/or

Whittle down your choices and declare them here, you will then get users feedback - without any commercial pressure.

Preferably do the latter, consolidate with the former (a boat show) - at which there may be 'boat show offers' making you purchase more palatable. Most bat shows will have the most recent models, which are being held back - till the boat show.

And there is nothing as galling as buying a bit of electronics and find it has been replaced a couple of months later, with something better and cheaper.

Jonathan

 

[Boathook]

And there is nothing as galling as buying a bit of electronics and find it has been replaced a couple of months later, with something better and cheaper.

Jonathan

Seems to happen all the time Jonathan.

It happened to me after I purchased my Raymarine MFD. Six months later the Aximon was launched. Dealer had no knowledge about the new one until a month before hand.

 

[potentillaCO32]

Do you have any friends who could show you their plotters?

They will have real world experience of using them and should know their good and bad points, and wont get commission for selling you one.

Most of my friends have instruments dating from the early 2000s....

 

[[164147]]

Hudson marine have a wide range of display models and competitive too. They may also do free installation locally.

Steveeasy

Hudson's 'free installation' is at RRP if you want the Onboard Warranty. You can buy online with a 20 - 25% discount otherwise.

 

[lustyd]

The only real chance you can try a variety of chart plotters is at a boat show like Southampton

Marine superstore have pretty much the full range from the big three on display so no need to wait for the show.

To save some time for OP I went through exactly this recently and the simple answer is that Garmin are streets ahead of the other two and more reasonably priced to boot. Their plotters just seem to have faster processors which makes them less laggy on the interface. It’s years since there was any real feature differentiation and the old idea that B&G is better for sailing died with Navico making them generic across their brands. Anecdotally I’ve also seen fewer threads about major bugs on Garmin on the forums.

 

[NealB]

You might find it worth picking the brains of these people:

Londonchartplotters

They are helpful, knowledgeable, non-pushy (and absolutely nothing to do with me).