sailingrbg
Well-Known Member
Chart Plotters :- Garmin v Lowrance At London Boat Show
After a recent visit to the London Boat show, I went with the view of looking at the Lowrance 3500/3600 or the New Garmin 500 series chart plotter, after all Yachting Monthly in December stated "don't buy a chart plotter for Christmas until you see the new Garmin". Well I went with the view of evaluating the Garmin which is not available until the spring, but as my boat is on the hard till April this was not a major problem. All I can say is that I was very disappointed with the Garmin Rep. I asked for a demonstration and while I personally know very little about chart plotters, reckoned I new more than him, after trying to show the features of the "google earth" type display which did not work I then asked for a demonstration of what the chart plotter did and this was also seemed to be a problem.
I then went to the Lowrance stand where I asked for a demonstration of the 3500 / 3600 and was most impressed especially when I could get an answer to my wiring question of having the unit in two sites on deck and below deck. The Rep went through all the points for and against each option and costed out the additional wiring that would be required if external aerial option used (3500C). after initially wanting to go for an external aerial in my situation the internal option better suited my needs, all be it that the unit can be used down below for constructing way points and routes.
Overall the rep knew his stuff and was a credit to Lowrance. Needless to say which unit I bought (from M.E.S.), additionally it was roughly half the price of the Garmin.
Perhaps I was just unlucky with the Garmin rep, but then I was really lucky getting the Lowrance at a great price with free UK and Europe chart
Full marks to Lowrance
After a recent visit to the London Boat show, I went with the view of looking at the Lowrance 3500/3600 or the New Garmin 500 series chart plotter, after all Yachting Monthly in December stated "don't buy a chart plotter for Christmas until you see the new Garmin". Well I went with the view of evaluating the Garmin which is not available until the spring, but as my boat is on the hard till April this was not a major problem. All I can say is that I was very disappointed with the Garmin Rep. I asked for a demonstration and while I personally know very little about chart plotters, reckoned I new more than him, after trying to show the features of the "google earth" type display which did not work I then asked for a demonstration of what the chart plotter did and this was also seemed to be a problem.
I then went to the Lowrance stand where I asked for a demonstration of the 3500 / 3600 and was most impressed especially when I could get an answer to my wiring question of having the unit in two sites on deck and below deck. The Rep went through all the points for and against each option and costed out the additional wiring that would be required if external aerial option used (3500C). after initially wanting to go for an external aerial in my situation the internal option better suited my needs, all be it that the unit can be used down below for constructing way points and routes.
Overall the rep knew his stuff and was a credit to Lowrance. Needless to say which unit I bought (from M.E.S.), additionally it was roughly half the price of the Garmin.
Perhaps I was just unlucky with the Garmin rep, but then I was really lucky getting the Lowrance at a great price with free UK and Europe chart
Full marks to Lowrance
