walter
New member
I am thinking of buying an electronic chart plotter what would you all recomend at the lower end of the price scale
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chart plotters
- Thread starter walter
- Start date
Talbot
Active member
Difficult to advise without some details on type of boat etc. Recommend that first you should decide on what type of charts you want to use. my favourite is the C-Map. then you can look at plotters that use the data. Cheaper ones are black and white displays, but I would advise against that. You should be mounting it in a position where it can be seen from the helm position, and the colour makes it much easier to see when you are approaching the puttee. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif Cheaper plotters are available from USA on a personal import (£s for $s) and I like the Navman plotter (I have a 5500, but if you have the money/space, the 5600 is very nice)
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StephenSails
Active member
Raymarine have just brought out a colour plotter that is portable so that you can take it off the boat etc. It should retail under £500, we have not had one in yet but I think they will be popular as there are not many quality colour plotters around for that kind of money?
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Talbot
Active member
The Navman 5600 is cheaper than that if you import from the states, and that has a very large colour screen. The 5500 is even cheaper! at abt £400 from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatus-store.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearch?storeId=20002&catalogId=20002&langId=-1&navbar=Y&keyword=navman+5500>http://www.boatus-store.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearch?storeId=20002&catalogId=20002&langId=-1&navbar=Y&keyword=navman+5500</A>
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B
bob_tyler
Guest
Quite agree about the Navman - excellent performance and value. The 5500i has a built in aerial and works fine below decks on my Invicta, directly below a solar panel.
Why bother with an external aerial model at greater cost and installation complications.
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Why bother with an external aerial model at greater cost and installation complications.
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Peppermint
New member
Re: I bought a Garmin 176C
I like Garmin kit and I like their attitude to customer support. It came from a well known Solent emporium that has a genie and a pothole. For less than £500.
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I like Garmin kit and I like their attitude to customer support. It came from a well known Solent emporium that has a genie and a pothole. For less than £500.
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StephenSails
Active member
That then fuels the war machine that is the USA.
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steve_cronin
N/A
What cartography will it use though? If it's CMap NT then OK IMO but Gold Navionics mightn't prove too popular. Also don't forget Raymarine's tax on the audacity of using other people's instruments in conjunction, in their Seatalk to NMEA interface module. Actually I've found that it isn't always necessary but I wonder how many people have bought one needlessly.
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
StephenSails
Active member
According to one of the 3 Raymarine updates leaflets that were glued to my sailing magazines this month they will use Navionics Gold as the software. I also notticed a new Garmin model that look pretty cheap in my trade magazine.
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Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Please remove your blinkers
That then fuels the war machine that is the USA.
Your not living and trading in the most pacific of countries here, you know.
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That then fuels the war machine that is the USA.
Your not living and trading in the most pacific of countries here, you know.
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StephenSails
Active member
Re: Please remove your blinkers
I do realise that, but the yanks are worse than us.
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I do realise that, but the yanks are worse than us.
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whisper
New member
Do you sell any equipment produced in the USA ? If so, why ?
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pvb
Well-known member
Size matters...
Choice of cartography is important; C-Map charts are very good, Navionics may not be quite as good (although I'd guess they'll improve if Raymarine are standardising on them).
Colour is vital - for clarity and ease of use. Don't even bother thinking of buying a mono plotter. Once you've bought the hardware, you're going to be spending an awful lot of money on chart cartridges, and the saving on a mono plotter will pale into insignificance.
Ease of use is very important too. You don't want to have to search through an instruction manual when it's blowing a gale and pouring with rain. I chose a Navman for this very reason, it has a superbly intuitive operating system.
But if you're going to get the best out a cockpit-mounted plotter, you really need to consider screen size in real-world conditions. There are quite a few 5" plotters on the market, but if you can stretch to the next size up (such as the 6.4" screen of the Navman 5600) you'll find it much easier to use. A 6.4" screen is over 60% bigger than a 5" screen!
The new Raychart 400 looks intriguing, but its 3.5" screen is surely too small for practical use (a 6.4" screen has more than 3 times the area!). Raymarine don't seem to quote screen definition, but I'd assume it's the same 320x240 display that they use in their little fishfinder. Still, for around £480, I think the screen's too small.
Most low-end plotters now have 320x240 screen resolution, and this is fine for cockpit use. Unless your eyesight's exceptional, you won't be able to see much finer detail across the cockpit.
It's worth spending some time looking at plotters actually working, so you can see how easy it is to use them, and so you can get an idea of their features. Check out special features too - for instance, some plotters have a sort of "reverse video" setting for use at night. One of the most useful features I've found on the Navman range is a "ribbon compass" across the top of the screen with a really simple off-track indicator.
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Choice of cartography is important; C-Map charts are very good, Navionics may not be quite as good (although I'd guess they'll improve if Raymarine are standardising on them).
Colour is vital - for clarity and ease of use. Don't even bother thinking of buying a mono plotter. Once you've bought the hardware, you're going to be spending an awful lot of money on chart cartridges, and the saving on a mono plotter will pale into insignificance.
Ease of use is very important too. You don't want to have to search through an instruction manual when it's blowing a gale and pouring with rain. I chose a Navman for this very reason, it has a superbly intuitive operating system.
But if you're going to get the best out a cockpit-mounted plotter, you really need to consider screen size in real-world conditions. There are quite a few 5" plotters on the market, but if you can stretch to the next size up (such as the 6.4" screen of the Navman 5600) you'll find it much easier to use. A 6.4" screen is over 60% bigger than a 5" screen!
The new Raychart 400 looks intriguing, but its 3.5" screen is surely too small for practical use (a 6.4" screen has more than 3 times the area!). Raymarine don't seem to quote screen definition, but I'd assume it's the same 320x240 display that they use in their little fishfinder. Still, for around £480, I think the screen's too small.
Most low-end plotters now have 320x240 screen resolution, and this is fine for cockpit use. Unless your eyesight's exceptional, you won't be able to see much finer detail across the cockpit.
It's worth spending some time looking at plotters actually working, so you can see how easy it is to use them, and so you can get an idea of their features. Check out special features too - for instance, some plotters have a sort of "reverse video" setting for use at night. One of the most useful features I've found on the Navman range is a "ribbon compass" across the top of the screen with a really simple off-track indicator.
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Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Re: Please remove your blinkers
So from which country should I buy marine equipment?
(NZ seems quite peaceable)
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
So from which country should I buy marine equipment?
(NZ seems quite peaceable)
<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
duncan
Active member
Re: Size matters...
whilst I agree that size matters I have to tak eissue with your statement 'don't even think of a mono plotter'.
with high resolutions and up to 16 grey scales they can, if they are set up well with the cartography, deliver as clear a picture of what's going on as colour. The only possible exception to this is their ability to indicate buoyage in red/green/yellow/yb in chart mode which can be usefull approaching ports when you're not folowing a plotted route.
I have both a Garmin 215 and a 225 and whilst the colour one shows the drying areas well the b&w makes it much easier to view the contours at a glance. However I also run a high definition (480 x 360) 10 grey scale Lowrance unit with navionics charting and that is far better still. However if I could have a Garmin 2010C ...............
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whilst I agree that size matters I have to tak eissue with your statement 'don't even think of a mono plotter'.
with high resolutions and up to 16 grey scales they can, if they are set up well with the cartography, deliver as clear a picture of what's going on as colour. The only possible exception to this is their ability to indicate buoyage in red/green/yellow/yb in chart mode which can be usefull approaching ports when you're not folowing a plotted route.
I have both a Garmin 215 and a 225 and whilst the colour one shows the drying areas well the b&w makes it much easier to view the contours at a glance. However I also run a high definition (480 x 360) 10 grey scale Lowrance unit with navionics charting and that is far better still. However if I could have a Garmin 2010C ...............
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kesey
Member
Re: Size matters...
Have a look at the new Raymarine C series. The 8 1/2" and the 12" screens are good value. They are not rigged for networking via HSB2 which is a pain, but as a chartplotter which can act as in cockpit radar display, and a general display unit, they appear a good way to go.
I know Raymarine and a whole lot of useful companies are American, but you can hardly boycott the entire USA simply because they let a lunatic out of the Cuckoo's Nest, or maybe into it. Sincere apologies to any lunatics upset by being associated with the Texan cuckoo.
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Have a look at the new Raymarine C series. The 8 1/2" and the 12" screens are good value. They are not rigged for networking via HSB2 which is a pain, but as a chartplotter which can act as in cockpit radar display, and a general display unit, they appear a good way to go.
I know Raymarine and a whole lot of useful companies are American, but you can hardly boycott the entire USA simply because they let a lunatic out of the Cuckoo's Nest, or maybe into it. Sincere apologies to any lunatics upset by being associated with the Texan cuckoo.
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duncan
Active member
Re: Size matters...
I will admit that I like to be able to invest in one decent screen and then use it for GPS, Charting, radar, sonar; and the C80 loks the pick of the bunch matching the VGA resolution to the screen size nicely. However I can't find any indicative prices and find it hard to believe that I can end up with it as a GPS / plotter for the 15-1600 of a 2010C.
However the good new is that some of the old stock are going to tumble now the Cs are out - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mesltd.co.uk/Products/system/indexspec.htm>http://www.mesltd.co.uk/Products/system/indexspec.htm</A> are doing the Raymarine SL1250RC
Combination 10" (also VGA) Colour Plotter &
Sounder for...........1200 inc!
Now that is amazing and if I didn't have 3 already, with charts in everything but CMap as well, I would be seriously tempted.
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I will admit that I like to be able to invest in one decent screen and then use it for GPS, Charting, radar, sonar; and the C80 loks the pick of the bunch matching the VGA resolution to the screen size nicely. However I can't find any indicative prices and find it hard to believe that I can end up with it as a GPS / plotter for the 15-1600 of a 2010C.
However the good new is that some of the old stock are going to tumble now the Cs are out - <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mesltd.co.uk/Products/system/indexspec.htm>http://www.mesltd.co.uk/Products/system/indexspec.htm</A> are doing the Raymarine SL1250RC
Combination 10" (also VGA) Colour Plotter &
Sounder for...........1200 inc!
Now that is amazing and if I didn't have 3 already, with charts in everything but CMap as well, I would be seriously tempted.
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pvb
Well-known member
I suppose the analogy...
I'm sure that anyone who already has a mono plotter finds it satisfactory to use. And, after all, lots of people were happy with mono TVs, mono computers, and mobile phones with dull LCD displays until we were exposed to the brightness and clarity of colour.
The point I was trying to make was that the actual price of the plotter is only the start: anyone using a plotter seriously is, within a few years, going to spend a lot more on buying and updating the chart cartridges.
I suppose the best analogy would be a DVD player. If one could buy a black & white DVD player for say £25, rather than a colour one at £50, we'd surely all buy the colour one, wouldn't we?
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I'm sure that anyone who already has a mono plotter finds it satisfactory to use. And, after all, lots of people were happy with mono TVs, mono computers, and mobile phones with dull LCD displays until we were exposed to the brightness and clarity of colour.
The point I was trying to make was that the actual price of the plotter is only the start: anyone using a plotter seriously is, within a few years, going to spend a lot more on buying and updating the chart cartridges.
I suppose the best analogy would be a DVD player. If one could buy a black & white DVD player for say £25, rather than a colour one at £50, we'd surely all buy the colour one, wouldn't we?
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rlw
Member
Can anybody explain how personal import from US works. Is it worth it after paying the extra taxes etc. I have looked at buying some stuff from the US but sometimes they only ship to outside the US via a specific carrier that requires you to have a yearly account etc. Any tips welcome. I am currently looking at a Navman 5500 or 5600
Rob
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Rob
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duncan
Active member
Re: I suppose the analogy...
I think we are making different points.
Colour per se is not better or easier to use than mono - example Garmin 225 shows all water as the same shade of blue, and quite dark. However you adjust the settings you cannot get an easy visual on the 2m contour line. If like me this is your 'no go' line then you rather like it to jump off the page. The mono 215 unit shows it clearly as a thicker contour line (but doesn't show the hard stuff in a pretty green and the wet stuff in a pretty blue). I therefore find the mono unit better and fit it to the boat around 3 out of 4 times. The other unit only gets fitted when I have guests on board and they all go - ooooh you have a colour plotter (without fail) and are facinated by the islands in Poole Harbour etc - green land, blue water - simple eh! Moving on to better colour plotters that emulate charts for example, then I agree they are better than comparable mono units - and I think can we agree that a really high definition large mono unit (G2010 for example) is better than a small colour unit (G176C) but that a slightly smaller colour one beats a slightly bigger mono one - use/clarity etc.
Your point re charts is well made but one XL chart at 200 gets you a lot of coverage - how many Solent based boats will need more than Dover to Brest? What will be interesting is if the chart and plotter people get their act together and deliver an electronic almanac as part of the package so that people do update their 'package' every year for say 50 quid. However as has been aluded to already there just isn't the stability in either hardware or software in this area yet to make this a viable long term business proposition. Navionics are going to have an interesting time meeting the expectations of some of the higher end hardware packages but unit volumes can only be low as take up to date itself proves a barrier to people changing overnight to better hardware platforms - I have around 15 L or XL Gcharts from Brest to Germany and just about everything inbetween so I am not going to quit on the hardware to use them easily (unless someone wants a aquire a complete crusing package from me!).
Re your DVD player analogy - yes I would by the colour at that price but I know some for whom the extra 25 would make it a harder call - make it 250 / 500 and I am probably in the same boat but, and importantly I feel, if you made it the purchase of an instructional video for making a log cabin, and you could have it at 25 in bw or 50 colour I would get bw because it would deliver the functionality I think I need.
I also realise that I must have a colour thingy from your other reference as I have a bw phone screen and a bw screen on my blackberry.
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I think we are making different points.
Colour per se is not better or easier to use than mono - example Garmin 225 shows all water as the same shade of blue, and quite dark. However you adjust the settings you cannot get an easy visual on the 2m contour line. If like me this is your 'no go' line then you rather like it to jump off the page. The mono 215 unit shows it clearly as a thicker contour line (but doesn't show the hard stuff in a pretty green and the wet stuff in a pretty blue). I therefore find the mono unit better and fit it to the boat around 3 out of 4 times. The other unit only gets fitted when I have guests on board and they all go - ooooh you have a colour plotter (without fail) and are facinated by the islands in Poole Harbour etc - green land, blue water - simple eh! Moving on to better colour plotters that emulate charts for example, then I agree they are better than comparable mono units - and I think can we agree that a really high definition large mono unit (G2010 for example) is better than a small colour unit (G176C) but that a slightly smaller colour one beats a slightly bigger mono one - use/clarity etc.
Your point re charts is well made but one XL chart at 200 gets you a lot of coverage - how many Solent based boats will need more than Dover to Brest? What will be interesting is if the chart and plotter people get their act together and deliver an electronic almanac as part of the package so that people do update their 'package' every year for say 50 quid. However as has been aluded to already there just isn't the stability in either hardware or software in this area yet to make this a viable long term business proposition. Navionics are going to have an interesting time meeting the expectations of some of the higher end hardware packages but unit volumes can only be low as take up to date itself proves a barrier to people changing overnight to better hardware platforms - I have around 15 L or XL Gcharts from Brest to Germany and just about everything inbetween so I am not going to quit on the hardware to use them easily (unless someone wants a aquire a complete crusing package from me!).
Re your DVD player analogy - yes I would by the colour at that price but I know some for whom the extra 25 would make it a harder call - make it 250 / 500 and I am probably in the same boat but, and importantly I feel, if you made it the purchase of an instructional video for making a log cabin, and you could have it at 25 in bw or 50 colour I would get bw because it would deliver the functionality I think I need.
I also realise that I must have a colour thingy from your other reference as I have a bw phone screen and a bw screen on my blackberry.
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