GPS/Chartplotter

[Lance]

Looking to buy a GPS/Chartplotter combined.
The Lawrence 3500c looks good value, but any suggestions/experience of best one and where to buy?

Thanks

Lance

 

[DavidJ]

I've got the Raymarine RL70 which is excellent. I notice there are some really good offers on at the moment ( www.gaelforce.net) £1800
My choice was based solely on that all my other instruments were Raymarine so no compatibility problems.

David

 

[jfm]

The RL70CRC is excellent but they are availalbe now (last few, then no longer made) for about £700 brand new. I just bought one at that price. Tis a bargain i think

 

[duncan]

I know a couple of people who have fitted that range recently and are please with them. I have an LCX - 15MT which uses the same interface and it's reasonable but not brilliant.
The Navman unit also seems to get a lot of support on here.

 

[Nautical]

Raymarine C series was what I went for in the end, just found it easier to use and understand what all the twidlely bits did.

It is one of those products that seem to 'do exactly what is says on the tin' without any real fancy bits or complicated soft keys you have to hit fifty times to get to where you want to be.

The older unit I think RL70 or something is a good unit and a bargin at less than a grand.

 

[romany123]

Lance
I have just received in the post today the 3500c, but have not yet tried it out in anger. I also bought the Navtronic chart 25G UK which covers from the Wash to the tip of Cornwall, Hamburg to Brittany. It apparently only costs about £15 per year to update (according to the man at force 4 ) I look forward to reading the instruction book tonight.

 

[CaptainThames]

Having been caught out with Garmin withdrawing G Charts, the recommendation from various distributors at the boat show is to go for something that uses charts that are used by a number of plotter manufacturers rather than a type produced by a manufacturer for their specific units e.g. Garmin Blue chart. There is a greater chance of the former type remaining in production for some time, where as who knows when the likes of Garmin for instance will ditch Blue chart and move on to a new format. The recommended solution for myself was to buy a new plotter or look on e-bay for cartridges. I was offered £30 as a trade in, which is not much of a dent against £1000 (ish or more) for a new set. Other tip is to buy the charts for all likely cruising grounds as soon as you can.
If anyone has a Thames estuary and east coast rivers G chart cartridge that is no-longer required, I would be happy to buy it.