Foruno

[Powersalt]

Anyone had any experience of the Foruno hd radar and 3d chartplotter. Ease of use practical etc etc. ?? Looks good in the brochure and a cut above Raymarine gear it would appear

 

[yankee1]

FURUNO

I have Furuno gear on P42 and I am definitely still getting used to it. So far, I have to say I liked the Raymarine kit (E series) I had on previous boat. Furuno seems to refresh more quickly, but I found the ESeries screen to be more clear and with better presentation of information. I am struggling to see the usefulness of the 3D capability. The furuno 4KW open array radar is excellent.

 

[Nick_H]

The 3D gets rid of the big problem with the previous generation of Furuno gear, namely the awful trackball. It's just a bad design, not great even before you get a few salt crystals in, but once you do that's it, the action becomes so jerky that it's very difficult to get the curser where you want it. The software is OK though, and I agree with Yankee1 that refresh rates are good.

 

[mjf]

The 3D gets rid of the big problem with the previous generation of Furuno gear, namely the awful trackball. It's just a bad design, not great even before you get a few salt crystals in, but once you do that's it, the action becomes so jerky that it's very difficult to get the curser where you want it. The software is OK though, and I agree with Yankee1 that refresh rates are good.

But if that happens you can always use the remote until you clean up the track ball.


I noticed on the raymarine test boat that they have two huge open array HD scanners fitted as well as Furuno dome (with the name removed) SWMBO reckoned that the Furuno was there to get them home should the Raymarine stuff fail in bad wx........

 

[Nick_H]

But if that happens you can always use the remote until you clean up the track ball

Well, even if I had a remote it's still hassle to have to go and get it because of a poor design by Furuno. Also, even with the ball clean it doesn't work very well. There was a trackball version next to the new 3D version on an electronics stand at SIBS, so I gave it a quick go and sure enough it was sticky, and that's on a brand new plotter!

Otherwise I like the Furuno, and i'd happily spec one of the new 3D plotters on a new boat, but the trackball is just bad design imho.

 

[aquatom]

I don't think you can beat the Raymarine gear on pleasure craft as it is so easy to use. The other makes are ok if you use them every day.
Has anyone had any experiance with the new toutch screen Garmin stuff?

 

[Powersalt]

I would have gone raymarine as a matter of course but all the fitters and dealers all say Furuno new 3d kit is the best ever, possibly until the raymarine touch screen comes out next year. Does Furuno operate like Raymarine in that you can do reverse routes, you can put out waypoints and give them names and make them into routes with ease??

Whats so special about furuno 3d then that Raymarine c series widescreen and platinium charts has not got?? help please

 

[mjf]

Yes the furuno will do routes and reverse ones as well as naming waypoints.

I also use the draw function for important chart corrections too.

There are loads of functions. Raymarine is easier to use but I think Furuno is better - once you can use it. Agree with other poster too. If you use the gear day after day its fab, problem is I do not and need the hefty manual to recall how to do some stuff on the system.

 

[Powersalt]

Thats a bit more re assuring. I think the touch screens are not good yet and so might well give the Furuno a try. Anyone know if they are as big and customer focused as Raymarine??

I have been told to get vecta charts as they are better???

All a big game really as I only go to about 6 places each year, so once plugged in I never change things, my wife thinks its hialrios, all my deliberations and she says I could point you to where we go at weekends. Men and toys, I guess