chartplotters

Welcome to the forum.

The CP-180/180i get really great reviews in the tests, as does its big brother the CP-300/300i. They win on ease of use, clarity of screens and most like the joystick control of the cursor.

The CP300 has almost twice the screen res of the CP-180 yet the CP-180 is very good for its size and it sells very well.
It goes directly head to head with the Garmin 550 and at the recent London Boat Show the CP-180 was out selling the 550 on most of the dealers stands.

Also to consider is that the CP-180 screen is "landscape" where the Garmin 550 is "portrait" this may have an impact on your choice.
IMHO neither is better but you may prefer one to the other.

There maybe boat show deals left with some of the larger dealers, free hand held VHF with every SH chartplotter so well worth asking.
Even if you don't need the Hand Held VHF its worth a good £85 on e-bay!

All the SH range have NMEA in and out so this will allow you to conect to tiller pilots, VHF's etc.
The Garmin and SH range have DSC sofware in them.
This mean when connected to a VHF that outputs NMEA, SH and some Icom, when you get a DSC distress call the vessels position will show it on the plotter and if you do a DSC position request to another vessel when they respond again they appear on the plotter.

If I can be of any further help please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
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It is so clear that it is not a new boat so it will not be obselelete next year.
When some one has just brought a new to them boat the last thing they want to hear is a stupid comment like yours IMHO

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here here !!

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where where??
 
Can't argue with any of that ... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I would ask if it is really _THAT_ important to have the CP linked to the tiller pilot ... ours is the ST1000, I've added a link to the Windex so it can sail by the wind, but not to the CPs because you still have to acknowledge and change everything for a course change ... so not worth the additional cost! However, pretty much all CPs will output NMEA for the TP so not a big issue.

One other point - the SH internal antennas are cheaper than the external ones - and they are as good operating down below as they are on deck - so if you don't have a mounting issue then I'd get an internal one ...

We have the SH180i ... I'd prefer the 300i, but wasn't worth the additional £200 ...
 
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Can't argue with any of that ... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
One other point - the SH internal antennas are cheaper than the external ones - and they are as good operating down below as they are on deck - so if you don't have a mounting issue then I'd get an internal one ...


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Would have to say this depends on the build of the boat.
On "most" GRP builds they will work fine.
My rule of thumb here is if you can get a good fix on a hand held GPS down below then you will be fine.

Don't buy the internal antenna version expecting it to work down below, I know many boats that it won't, this will be true of any internal antenna unit not just SH.

Also like most CP it is either or when it comes to the antenna, it wont do both.

Cheers
 
Interesting ... cos I had my CP180i working just fine in my sitting room!! Perhaps I've just got thin ceilings /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
But I like your rule of thumb - good test /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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I would ask if it is really _THAT_ important to have the CP linked to the tiller pilot

[/ QUOTE ]It can be if you are experiencing a strong cross current in a narrow channel with hazards on either sides - e.g. rocks or shallows - and you are short-handed or have other issues to address. If you can set the CP up for a safe approach radial - e.g. 125(T) fixed radial to a safe point in the inner harbour or just a WP then you can concentrate on checking that everything happens as it should along the way and just tick off the landmarks/bearings as you come in on autopilot. Magic, and very much safer. You can approximate to that manually by selecting a radial and nudging + and - as required to maintain that radial which is what you do if the link fails or you don't have a TP with the link.
 
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Ah - so get it to do the COG rather than compass course ... get ya! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]Yes, that's correct, but if you think of it as a fixed line of approach, or 'radial' then you can use that safe radial from the CP, any GPS or even a HBC if the WP is visible (correcting for M & T and variation, of course). Having determined that, say, 125(T) is safe then you can get a 9 year old to nudge the TP + and - to keep the BTW at 125(T). Even non-sailors quickly catch on just like playing a (very simple) computer game and you can get on with things that require experience, real skill and seamanship /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif When my link to an ST2000+ failed when approaching the Needles Channel in poorish viz just before dawn, I got my wife to nudge the + and - and she is completely and utterly a non-navigator or helmsman yet she took us right through with a strong cross-tide as if we were on railway lines. Even better if you can make it work on auto, though.
 
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