Chartplotter Upgrade (of sorts)

[Fire99]

Howdy folks,

This is just chewing the breeze at the mo but my boat is still running it's original 20 year old Raymarine kit. So I've a whole set. Seatalk backbone, RL80c (10 inch) plotter/radar on the lower helm along with separate speed / depth and autohelm displays, and the same 'up top' but with an RL70c (7 inch) and all the other gauges..
The thing is I like to be up on the flybridge most of the time and for navigating the RL70c is too small for me to use in anger. It's ok for radar but not navigation. Most of the time to be honest, in good weather I'm a Philistine and use Navionics and Savvy Navvy on a tablet but the tablet is limited on brightness and can be a pain in strong sunlight and it's not the best for getting damp... which also happens.
I've a 2nd RL80c in a box which I could use but that would carve a big chunk into my upper helm..

Cost aside I'm not too keen on replacing the whole Raymarine kit as it's of a very well built era and it all works.
I was toying with going to the dark side and buying something like a Garmin GPSMap 1223xsv and using separately on the flybridge but I am thinking future upgrade compatibility in my mind.

As I say it's purely a bit of pondering at the mo but if anyone has any wild insight I'd be interested.

cheers..

​

 

[Greg2]

Cue the Garmin v Raymarine debate!

We have a Raymarine Axiom 9 on the fly, which I installed because there was nothing there before and like you I prefer being up top whenever possible. But I did it as part of an upgrade to the old Raymarine kit apart from the speed/depth and autopilot, which I retained because, as you say, they work very well. This meant that we installed the newer Raymarine network for two Axioms and radar with an adaptor for the older kit, which obviously adds to the cost.

As far as the Axiom 9 goes it is the touchscreen only version and I find it works well. I have the brightness cranked up but I can always see it and I haven’t had any major dramas with the touchscreen when wet. There is an option to add a unit with buttons and a dial but I didn’t want to spend more unless I needed to and it turns out that I don’t.

The thing is that I really value the system being networked and courses I plot on the Axiom 12 in the wheelhouse being available on both as well as the auto-pilot heads talking to each other. Stand-alone would work but if budget permits a networked solution would be better IMHO.

Edit: Having read Paul’s post perhaps networking doesn’t need to be expensive?

.

 

[PaulRainbow]

How about, Garmin GPSMAP on the flybridge, a Seatalk to STNG converter, with a STNG converter cable to the plotter. Gives you a new plotter (N2K) but you still retain all of the older Raymarine kit, with data sent to the plotter. Fit an Android tablet at the lower helm, which, with the Garmin Active Captain app can be used as a stand alone plotter, or it can mirror the GPSMAP by WIFI. You can get a new 10.4" tablet for £120

Here's my lower helm, with 2 tablets, mirroring a GPSMAP 1223xsv and a GPSMAP 923 on the flybridge:

 

[PaulRainbow]

Cue the Garmin v Raymarine debate!

We have a Raymarine Axiom 9 on the fly, which I installed because there was nothing there before and like you I prefer being up top whenever possible. But I did it as part of an upgrade to the old Raymarine kit apart from the speed/depth and autopilot, which I retained because, as you say, they work very well. This meant that we installed the newer Raymarine network for two Axioms and radar with an adaptor for the older kit, which obviously adds to the cost.

As far as the Axiom 9 goes it is the touchscreen only version and I find it works well. I have the brightness cranked up but I can always see it and I haven’t had any major dramas with the touchscreen when wet. There is an option to add a unit with buttons and a dial but I didn’t want to spend more unless I needed to and it turns out that I don’t.

The thing is that I really value the system being networked and courses I plot on the Axiom 12 in the wheelhouse being available on both as well as the auto-pilot heads talking to each other. Stand-alone would work but if budget permits a networked solution would be better IMHO.

Just my tuppence worth
.

Not criticising your choices, but had you have chosen Garmin plotters and radar, with the Seatalk to STNG converter, everything would work the same as it does with Raymarine.

 

[DavidJ]

I’m thinking your radar will be analogue. Will this still work with an Axiom?

 

[Greg2]

Not criticising your choices, but had you have chosen Garmin plotters and radar, with the Seatalk to STNG converter, everything would work the same as it does with Raymarine.

Interesting and I get that I could probably have spent a lot less than I did.
As we have discussed previously, I just prefer Raymarine to Garmin but acknowledge that has probably cost me
.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Interesting and I get that I could probably have spent a lot less than I did.
As we have discussed previously, I just prefer Raymarine to Garmin but acknowledge that has probably cost me
.

Didn't mention it due to cost, just that, the Seatalk to STNG converter works just as well with non Raymarine plotters. For a change, it's really good value too

 

[Greg2]

For a change, it's really good value too

Not words you hear often when talking boats!

 

[Fire99]

How about, Garmin GPSMAP on the flybridge, a Seatalk to STNG converter, with a STNG converter cable to the plotter. Gives you a new plotter (N2K) but you still retain all of the older Raymarine kit, with data sent to the plotter. Fit an Android tablet at the lower helm, which, with the Garmin Active Captain app can be used as a stand alone plotter, or it can mirror the GPSMAP by WIFI. You can get a new 10.4" tablet for £120

Here's my lower helm, with 2 tablets, mirroring a GPSMAP 1223xsv and a GPSMAP 923 on the flybridge:

View attachment 178733

That looks very impressive Paul. Certainly some food for thought with that setup. I'm pretty handy (it was my job for a long time) with networking and computer related malarkey so this does appeal to my slightly nerdy streak.

 

[Fire99]

Cue the Garmin v Raymarine debate!

We have a Raymarine Axiom 9 on the fly, which I installed because there was nothing there before and like you I prefer being up top whenever possible. But I did it as part of an upgrade to the old Raymarine kit apart from the speed/depth and autopilot, which I retained because, as you say, they work very well. This meant that we installed the newer Raymarine network for two Axioms and radar with an adaptor for the older kit, which obviously adds to the cost.

As far as the Axiom 9 goes it is the touchscreen only version and I find it works well. I have the brightness cranked up but I can always see it and I haven’t had any major dramas with the touchscreen when wet. There is an option to add a unit with buttons and a dial but I didn’t want to spend more unless I needed to and it turns out that I don’t.

The thing is that I really value the system being networked and courses I plot on the Axiom 12 in the wheelhouse being available on both as well as the auto-pilot heads talking to each other. Stand-alone would work but if budget permits a networked solution would be better IMHO.

Edit: Having read Paul’s post perhaps networking doesn’t need to be expensive?

.

Haha.. Thanks Greg. I'm not welded to a defection from Raymarine, more I'm just keeping my options open for different manufacturers and sometimes I just like to try something different. It's certainly at the exploratory stage at the mo and I'll probably try and demo a Garmin and Raymarine screen (and maybe a couple of others) to see what works best.

I think as with a lot of things, sometimes it's what works best for you rather than one being notably better than the others. Most of the big players seem pretty competitive with eachother.

 

[PaulRainbow]

That looks very impressive Paul. Certainly some food for thought with that setup. I'm pretty handy (it was my job for a long time) with networking and computer related malarkey so this does appeal to my slightly nerdy streak.

Note the tablet on the left is showing engine data, that's not necessary at the lower helm, as there are analogue gauges there, but the boat (1988 P45) only had tachos and warning lights on the flybridge. So i fitted an Actisense EMU-1 and connected the engine sensors to it, putting the data on the N2K network. Also fitted the Garmin N2K converter for the Bennett trim tabs. Pretty cool for older TAMD71 engines i think

 

[Fire99]

Note the tablet on the left is showing engine data, that's not necessary at the lower helm, as there are analogue gauges there, but the boat (1988 P45) only had tachos and warning lights on the flybridge. So i fitted an Actisense EMU-1 and connected the engine sensors to it, putting the data on the N2K network. Also fitted the Garmin N2K converter for the Bennett trim tabs. Pretty cool for older TAMD71 engines i think

I agree that is pretty cool. Give a very contemporary look. I know with my CATs, though I've already got digital displays, I can do the J1939 output and broadcast all kinds of funky info onto a tablet. I may do that since the CAT digital displays aren't the most visible.. Lots of scope to try something new..

 

[PaulRainbow]

I agree that is pretty cool. Give a very contemporary look. I know with my CATs, though I've already got digital displays, I can do the J1939 output and broadcast all kinds of funky info onto a tablet. I may do that since the CAT digital displays aren't the most visible.. Lots of scope to try something new..

The GPSMAP 1223 (and lots of others) has a J1939 port.

 

[Gustywinds]

Howdy folks,

This is just chewing the breeze at the mo but my boat is still running it's original 20 year old Raymarine kit. So I've a whole set. Seatalk backbone, RL80c (10 inch) plotter/radar on the lower helm along with separate speed / depth and autohelm displays, and the same 'up top' but with an RL70c (7 inch) and all the other gauges..
The thing is I like to be up on the flybridge most of the time and for navigating the RL70c is too small for me to use in anger. It's ok for radar but not navigation. Most of the time to be honest, in good weather I'm a Philistine and use Navionics and Savvy Navvy on a tablet but the tablet is limited on brightness and can be a pain in strong sunlight and it's not the best for getting damp... which also happens.
I've a 2nd RL80c in a box which I could use but that would carve a big chunk into my upper helm..

Cost aside I'm not too keen on replacing the whole Raymarine kit as it's of a very well built era and it all works.
I was toying with going to the dark side and buying something like a Garmin GPSMap 1223xsv and using separately on the flybridge but I am thinking future upgrade compatibility in my mind.

As I say it's purely a bit of pondering at the mo but if anyone has any wild insight I'd be interested.

cheers..

​

If you do go with Garmin, Marine Superstore have some deals on at the moment Garmin GPSMAP 1223.
I nearly bought but found a supplier in Netherlands who price matched and could fit along with some other stuff I wanted. Going in right now.

 

[Greg2]

Note the tablet on the left is showing engine data, that's not necessary at the lower helm, as there are analogue gauges there, but the boat (1988 P45) only had tachos and warning lights on the flybridge. So i fitted an Actisense EMU-1 and connected the engine sensors to it, putting the data on the N2K network. Also fitted the Garmin N2K converter for the Bennett trim tabs. Pretty cool for older TAMD71 engines i think

Mr Googler has done something similar with e analogue engine data. I am in a similar situation with only tachos and warning lights for our Perkins M265TI on the fly. Do you reckon I could install an Actisense EMU-1 to feed into our Raymarine network to show on our Axioms?

 

[PaulRainbow]

Mr Googler has done something similar with e analogue engine data. I am in a similar situation with only tachos and warning lights for our Perkins M265TI on the fly. Do you reckon I could install an Actisense EMU-1 to feed into our Raymarine network to show on our Axioms?

Yes, should work fine with your Axioms. With the Actisense you also need an Actisense NGT-1 or NGX-1 to program it. I already had the USB version from a pervious project so left it connected to the N2K network and the onboard laptop, so i can see everything there too.

 

[Fire99]

If you do go with Garmin, Marine Superstore have some deals on at the moment Garmin GPSMAP 1223.
I nearly bought but found a supplier in Netherlands who price matched and could fit along with some other stuff I wanted. Going in right now.

Thanks. Yeah I think it was the 'keenly priced' ones at Marine Superstore that got the brain working..

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks. Yeah I think it was the 'keenly priced' ones at Marine Superstore that got the brain working..

Garmin are heavily discounting some equipment at the moment, including the 1223xsv. I suspect they might discontinue production soon.

 

[Gustywinds]

Garmin are heavily discounting some equipment at the moment, including the 1223xsv. I suspect they might discontinue production soon.

Yes, its a fairly old model now but seems plenty good enough for what I want. At least it has a big screen, one of the other boats I looked at had a small (7 inch I think) Raymarine unit. I'd need binoculars to see that with my eyesight.

 

[Fire99]

Yes, its a fairly old model now but seems plenty good enough for what I want. At least it has a big screen, one of the other boats I looked at had a small (7 inch I think) Raymarine unit. I'd need binoculars to see that with my eyesight.

My flybridge unit (the RL70c) is old and small and in the bright sunlight, I have to admit or navigating it's not ideal. I'm not too concerned about it being the latest 'state of the art' equipment. If it's 'good enough' for me then I'm happy. The resolution looks pretty clear so if I can somehow try one somewhere to see how the controls respond etc then it may sway me..

Oddly I just looked at CactusNav again and yesterday it was 1401 quid or so.. Today it's 2303 so not quite the great day as 24 hours ago.