Best reasonable priced chart plotter

prv said:
Sorry, that's a daft comparison as a plotter will also be mounted in the cockpit.

Pete
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Sorry, Pete, Mine isn't - deliberately so, for several reasons:

  1. It would be very intrusive in the cockpit with tiller steering, and a location that was good on one tack would probably be bad on the other.
  2. I can see it from the cockpit if necessary, but it doesn't distract me when I should be concentrating on what I can actually see.
  3. I avoid having to mount/dismount an expensive piece of kit to keep it safe.
  4. I can navigate the boat from a nice dry and warm location, with access to all my charts and pilot books. Using the tiller pilot, I can even control the boat from the chart table!
  5. I should say that I'd NEVER use a plotter for close-quarters navigation; I know too much about GPS and chart errors to be willing to do that except under the most extreme conditions. And yes, I've heard all the anecdotes about people entering narrow harbour entrances in fog - they were lucky!
 
AntarcticPilot said:
[*]I should say that I'd NEVER use a plotter for close-quarters navigation
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That's the key difference, I think. And also means you wouldn't be piloting up the channel with an iPad either. But someone who wants to do that would probably also mount their plotter in the cockpit.

Pete
 
You'd benefit from a User Requirements List and filter away those beyond budget. :cool:

To me dedicated devices are better.

Combined devices tend to be 'good at a lot but not brilliant at anything'.

Experience is based on car/marine use and
iPhone with NDrive, NavFree and Navigon,
iPad with Navionics and C-Map + AIS app,
PC with GPS antenna and various freeware products & map formats + OziExplorer,
Garmin plotters (several over time),
Lowrance plotter (newish),
Navigon,
Navman,
Siemens In-Car system and
Tom-Tom


I love to have the combined features as a planning tool or backup though.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Sorry, Pete, Mine isn't - deliberately so, for several reasons:


  1. ...
  2. I should say that I'd NEVER use a plotter for close-quarters navigation; I know too much about GPS and chart errors to be willing to do that except under the most extreme conditions. And yes, I've heard all the anecdotes about people entering narrow harbour entrances in fog - they were lucky!
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I like to have my plotter at the helm to support close-quarters navigation. It should never tempt you to do things that you would not attempt without it, but if you view it as a map extract that is centred around the boat and take the reported GPS derived location with a moderate degree of suspicion, then it is useful. As far as entering a narrow harbour entrance in fog under GPS control is concerned - never plan on doing it but if, just as you are getting into the tricky bit, the fog comes down and you are faced with having to get to safety, the GPS is probably as good an option as anything else you could do. Once again, it will provide valuable assistance to basic pilotage.
 
Plotters ought to be visible from the helm. Mine's under the sprayhood, so I can see it from the wheel, as well as being able to see it when I'm cowering under the sprayhood in our unique British weather and letting the autopilot steer.
 
I looked at the 750 and went for the ipad, no brainer:
10 inch screen
Mobile, cockpit or chart table.
Imray charts with automatic updates, £35 per region.
Tide planner overlay
Harwich Harbour guide on pdf
Engine manual on pdf
East coast pilot on pdf
Radio manual on pdf
iPlayer for the family at anchor
Email
Forum access
Google
Marine traffic AIS app.(obviously needs 3G)
etc. Etc.
 
I had a Lowrance Hds5 then Hds7 before my Garmin GPSMAP750. Screen went on the HDS5, then the HDS7 would not talk two ways to my Radio Ocean RO4800 VHF / AIS, so attempt three was the Garmin. Only disadvantage for me with the Garmin is that is doesn't have a separate video input.

My prior boat had a Northstar 557 and that was a superb unit. Available still from PRS Comms (EBay) but no longer made, sadly.
 
The plotter vs. tablet discussion has been done to death several times, but it is worth repeating that tablets are fragile beasts compared with even a cheap plotter. If you are a fair weather sailor, or never want your plotter display up near the helm, a tablet may be a valid option, but never forget that they are not likely to survive ling in an open cockpit in bad weather.
 
maby said:
The plotter vs. tablet discussion has been done to death several times, but it is worth repeating that tablets are fragile beasts compared with even a cheap plotter. If you are a fair weather sailor, or never want your plotter display up near the helm, a tablet may be a valid option, but never forget that they are not likely to survive ling in an open cockpit in bad weather.
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Also difficult to see in direct sunlight, drains batteries etc etc as said it's been done to death also GPS signal ability not so good apparently according to a mag right up which preferred plotters designed for the job but then it comes down also to how people use them and for what - not one thing will be right for everyone!

IMG_3057_zps23d5648e.jpg
 
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maby said:
The plotter vs. tablet discussion has been done to death several times, but it is worth repeating that tablets are fragile beasts compared with even a cheap plotter. If you are a fair weather sailor, or never want your plotter display up near the helm, a tablet may be a valid option, but never forget that they are not likely to survive ling in an open cockpit in bad weather.
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It is true iPads and iPhones are delicate devices, however you can protect them. On the video on our homepage (www.albinballad.co.uk), I was double checking my dead reckoning and Yeoman data with my iPhone the whole time to make sure I wasn't going to run up the Gunfleet sands. The Griffin Survivor case I purchased for sub 30 quid does a good job (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0XJtbYaEbM) at stopping me destroying the device (I am just a happy customer, no affiliation), meaning I can get it wet and get it bashed around with no fear it will fall to pieces. I would dearly love a Garmin 750, my father has the Garmin five thousand and something and it is a joy, but he mounts his on the chart table, as would I. There I could use it for passage planning at anchor, navigating from down below in comfort with a clear head, and it keeps it out of harms way (one day I will own one...).

The ideal solution? Surely both! The iPad has great applications away from the boat too, but nothing beats something like the Garmin that has been so well thought out and put together for pure navigation.
 
Really useful thread - thanks, guys. Especially for the reminder that my Wi-Fi non 3G iPad can't be used for navigation (without a GPS dongle), and reading the screen in daylight would be problematic too. Time to look for a dedicated chart plotter deal!
 
I'm also in the same position.

From reading this thread the Garmin 750 seems popular, but from the pictures it appears to be touchscreen only with no buttons, are there any other options similar to the Garmin 750 which have supporting buttons. My reasoning is that touchscreens must be a pain to work with in anything but calm conditions :D

I'd like to get a chartplotter which takes a radar input which I believe the Garmin 750 does but the SH300 doesn't.
 
Have not read the full thread so apologies if already said & rejected but there is a lot to be said for the Yeoman plotter
So simple the wife can use it & not totally reliant on all electrics working correctly
 
Daydream believer said:
Have not read the full thread so apologies if already said & rejected but there is a lot to be said for the Yeoman plotter
So simple the wife can use it & not totally reliant on all electrics working correctly
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I've always had a sneeking wish for a Yeoman, but it really is not an alternative to a full screen plotter at the helm. I would like to have both but if I could only have one, it would be a standard plotter everytime.
 
prv said:
The SH CP300 can have a radar added. I think the CP180 may be able to as well although the picture must be unusably small in that case.

Pete
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Are you certain of that? SH don't manufacture radar scanners and I doubt that they will be compatible with the products of any of their competitors.

Update : the manual does indeed say that it will work with a 3rd party radar antenna from SI-TEX, but it is described as a USA option only. They don't currently seem to have any UK distributor.
 
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maby said:
Are you certain of that? SH don't manufacture radar scanners and I doubt that they will be compatible with the products of any of their competitors.
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I'm sure the manual with mine had a section on radar. You're right that the scanners are made by a third party; "Si-Tex" or something like that rings a bell.

EDIT: Googling Si-Tex threw up this document: http://www.standardhorizon.com/PDF/RADAR INSTALLATION MANUAL.pdf

Confirms that these radars can be used with the following Standard Horizon plotters:

· CP180
· CP180i
· CP300
· CP300i
· CPV350
· CP500
· CPV550

Pete
 
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