Chart plotters

[gjgm]

A good point raised about where you can fit it. First, it isnt much advantage have a bigger screen if you physically have to mount it 2 ft further away. Secondly, a plotter isnt much use if you cant use or reach the controls, or those controls are too small and fiddly.
Dont worry about the cartoon look to Garmin G2; its very intuitive, and just takes a few hours use to get familiar. All I would note is that it might be easier with navionics type if you use paper close by, as the two are so similar.
Consider where you boat; if its is a tool for familiar waters, then you neednt worry about the size scale so much, as its the "close up" you are interested in. But as Solitaire mentions, if you need the "big picture",- and I only do in unfamiliar waters- a paper chart has it all, and the bigger the plotter, the better.
Not easy to do this, but going to a store large enough where you can physically see them is a huge plus, as you may like/loath some button layouts.
Personally, I find Garmin easiest to use, raymarine ok when you ve got the hang of it, and SH/Lowrance a struggle, but that might be unfair as its over a few years, and products change.
The only thing at the boat show that blew me away was the garmin 7 series.. wasnt even a boat, but cost as much as a small one !

 

[Philiz]

Another vote for Garmin. I updated to a Garmin 4008 from foruno at the start of this year. Excellent unit, easy to use and top notch product support from garmin. The homeport software is also very good and interacts well with the plotter. I'd also recommend the biggest screen you can fit in, particularly if you're planning to integrate radar, AIS etc.

 

[madabouttheboat]

Lots of votes for Garmin but I actualy prefer Raymarine.

As well as the cartoon look of the charts, and the lack of detail without zooming right in, I also am not happy being at the mercy of the plotter manufacturer to get my cartography. Anyone with an older Garmin will probably find that they can no longer get updated charts for it, wheras most older Cmap and Navionics run plotters are still usable with up to date charts.

Having only this year gone over to Garmin from Raymarine, the biggest annoyance is the inability to offset the vessel on the screen. With Ray kit I usually has the vessel two thirds offset so that there was more screen in front than behind. With Garmin you can't do this. If you use it in head up mode it is fine as it automaticxally puts the vessel towards the bottom of the screen, but in the more useful north up mode you have very little detail in front of you, especially if going north or south.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

The main reasons behind the decision were the poor support from Navionics and Raymarine.

?

Paul what was your prob with Navionics? I've just returned a cartridge to them for updating (£150) and my plotter (Geonav 11C) now says there's no file on the cartridge. Navionics can't give me any explanation, despite several calls, and don't seem remotely interested in helping other than to say that my plotter should be compatible with the cartridge. I feel like chucking the plotter away and buying another with C Maps or Bluecharts

 

[gjgm]

.

Having only this year gone over to Garmin from Raymarine, the biggest annoyance is the inability to offset the vessel on the screen. With Ray kit I usually has the vessel two thirds offset so that there was more screen in front than behind. With Garmin you can't do this. If you use it in head up mode it is fine as it automaticxally puts the vessel towards the bottom of the screen, but in the more useful north up mode you have very little detail in front of you, especially if going north or south.

Ok, that is really useless..

 

[PaulGooch]

Paul what was your prob with Navionics? I've just returned a cartridge to them for updating (£150) and my plotter (Geonav 11C) now says there's no file on the cartridge. Navionics can't give me any explanation, despite several calls, and don't seem remotely interested in helping other than to say that my plotter should be compatible with the cartridge. I feel like chucking the plotter away and buying another with C Maps or Bluecharts

I bought a new Raymarine C90W from the chandlers and I bought a card from someone on Ebay, brand new and unopened. At lower zoom levels the card went blank. Being unsure if it was the plotter or the card, i contacted Raymarine. They promptly told me cartography was nothing to do with them and that i should contact Navionics. This is despite the plotter being tied to Navionics for cartography and despite no-one knowing if the problem was the plotter or the chart.

I spoke to the chandler, who kindly lent me a card, which conformed the problem was the chart card, not the plotter. They offered to get the card swapped for me, as Lance, the MD of Navionics was visiting them that week. Lance looked at the card, allegedly mumbled something about it being a pirate card and looked at it on his laptop. He agreed there was something wrong with the card, but oddly didn't swap it. I had to collect it from the chandlers, some 170 mile round trip, with instructions to send it back to Navionics (bizarre). The manager of the chandlers told me about the "pirate card" comment and i went mildly ballistic. Monday, i phoned Lance and he denied making the comment, a few phone calls back and forth between the chandlers and Navionics regarding the "alleged" comments led to all parties denying that any comment was made and a total denial that i was even told of such a comment. Lance told me that it was impossible to copy Navionics cards, if it was, they would be out of business (he said) When i put the card on my Navionics reader on the PC, the charts were all totally blank. I suspected the card had been wiped, but this was also denied.

He told me to send the card to him and he would "look at it". Another week of messing me around ensued, at the end of which, he told me he couldn't work out what had gone wrong. I said i wasn't interested in what had gone wrong, i just wanted a card i could use. He told me he needed to send it to Navionics tech dept in Italy, to see if they could identify the problem. I said this was unacceptable and that i would be taking the plotter back for a refund, as it was unfit for use without the card and i would pursue Navionics through the small claims court for the card. I then phoned the chandler, who in turn phoned Navionics and persuaded them to swap the card.

All in all, took 3 weeks to resolve and if it were not for the chandler, i think Navionics would have never replaced the card. At the end of the day, it's only some software to them, it didn't exactly cost them any hard cash. It left a very sour taste and i would never deal with them again. Raymarine support was also piss poor and it put me off of them too. A few weeks later, the plotter began to act up and i managed to get my money back.

I put the card on Ebay and sold it. I also sold the Raymarine radome on Ebay. I bought a Garmin plotter, radar and chart card. Best move i made so far with electronics.

 

[PaulGooch]

Lots of votes for Garmin but I actualy prefer Raymarine.

As well as the cartoon look of the charts, and the lack of detail without zooming right in, I also am not happy being at the mercy of the plotter manufacturer to get my cartography. Anyone with an older Garmin will probably find that they can no longer get updated charts for it, wheras most older Cmap and Navionics run plotters are still usable with up to date charts.

Having only this year gone over to Garmin from Raymarine, the biggest annoyance is the inability to offset the vessel on the screen. With Ray kit I usually has the vessel two thirds offset so that there was more screen in front than behind. With Garmin you can't do this. If you use it in head up mode it is fine as it automaticxally puts the vessel towards the bottom of the screen, but in the more useful north up mode you have very little detail in front of you, especially if going north or south.

Personally, i prefer Garmin. I just swapped one of the latest widescreen Raymarines (C90W) for a Garmin 4010. Overall, it's miles ahead of the Raymarine plotter. There are some things that were "better" on the Raymarine and indeed some of the SH features were better than either. There are preferable or dislikeable features on all three. I'd rather be at the mercy of the plotter manufacturer than some 3rd party company. It's in Garmins best interest to keep their customers happy with cartography, whereas Navionics don't give a stuff.

If there are issues such as the offset you mention, get in touch with Garmin. They have released many updates over the past year or so, so this might get added. I use mine in heading up, so hadn't noticed it, otherwise it would bug me too. Keep a check on the Garmin website for updates too. Reminds me, i must check there myself

 

[madabouttheboat]

It's in Garmins best interest to keep their customers happy with cartography

Tell that to anyone who bought or owns a Garmin plotter pre 2004 that uses G charts

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I bought a new Raymarine C90W from the chandlers and I bought a card from someone on Ebay, brand new and unopened. At lower zoom levels the card went blank. Being unsure if it was the plotter or the card, i contacted Raymarine. They promptly told me cartography was nothing to do with them and that i should contact Navionics. This is despite the plotter being tied to Navionics for cartography and despite no-one knowing if the problem was the plotter or the chart.

I spoke to the chandler, who kindly lent me a card, which conformed the problem was the chart card, not the plotter. They offered to get the card swapped for me, as Lance, the MD of Navionics was visiting them that week. Lance looked at the card, allegedly mumbled something about it being a pirate card and looked at it on his laptop. He agreed there was something wrong with the card, but oddly didn't swap it. I had to collect it from the chandlers, some 170 mile round trip, with instructions to send it back to Navionics (bizarre). The manager of the chandlers told me about the "pirate card" comment and i went mildly ballistic. Monday, i phoned Lance and he denied making the comment, a few phone calls back and forth between the chandlers and Navionics regarding the "alleged" comments led to all parties denying that any comment was made and a total denial that i was even told of such a comment. Lance told me that it was impossible to copy Navionics cards, if it was, they would be out of business (he said) When i put the card on my Navionics reader on the PC, the charts were all totally blank. I suspected the card had been wiped, but this was also denied.

He told me to send the card to him and he would "look at it". Another week of messing me around ensued, at the end of which, he told me he couldn't work out what had gone wrong. I said i wasn't interested in what had gone wrong, i just wanted a card i could use. He told me he needed to send it to Navionics tech dept in Italy, to see if they could identify the problem. I said this was unacceptable and that i would be taking the plotter back for a refund, as it was unfit for use without the card and i would pursue Navionics through the small claims court for the card. I then phoned the chandler, who in turn phoned Navionics and persuaded them to swap the card.

All in all, took 3 weeks to resolve and if it were not for the chandler, i think Navionics would have never replaced the card. At the end of the day, it's only some software to them, it didn't exactly cost them any hard cash. It left a very sour taste and i would never deal with them again. Raymarine support was also piss poor and it put me off of them too. A few weeks later, the plotter began to act up and i managed to get my money back.

I put the card on Ebay and sold it. I also sold the Raymarine radome on Ebay. I bought a Garmin plotter, radar and chart card. Best move i made so far with electronics.

Bloody hell thats poor. My experience is starting to sound similar

 

[PaulGooch]

Tell that to anyone who bought or owns a Garmin plotter pre 2004 that uses G charts

G charts were discontinued in 2004, they were Navionics based, not Garmin cartography. How come Navionics don't still supply them direct ?

 

[madabouttheboat]

G charts were discontinued in 2004, they were Navionics based, not Garmin cartography. How come Navionics don't still supply them direct ?

Because they were a GARMIN product, produced using Navionics data. Navionics should not be lumbered with supporting random chart configurations at the whim of the electonics manufacturer. Why didn't Gamrin simply use Navionics cards? I am guessing it's all down to making more money, so it should be up to them to use some of that money to continue supporting their existing customers!