Instrument recommendations please

[JasperII]

Hi all,

I'm looking to replace the instruments on my Oyster Heritage. The current ones are the original B&G analogue instruments, which I personally quite like the look of, but I would like some that will talk to my plotter.

Does anyone have any reviews on the Raymarine i50 / i60 pack - I'm looking for wind / depth / speed with appropriate transducers. Is there an alternative anyone would suggest?

They seem crazy expensive so wanted to get some feedback / advice before I bite the bullet and get them bought!

Thanks, Greg.

 

[lpdsn]

Very hard to know where to start. What else do you want out of your instruments? What else do you have fitted? What constraints do you have? etc. etc.

I think any set of instruments will give you basic wind/depth/speed. If they can't do that then....

 

[Yngmar]

Best match your chartplotter for an easy fit, else you'll have to convert between protocols and connectors. Unfortunately you didn't tell us what you have.

I agree that they're all ridiculously expensive, but the only somewhat more sensibly priced option is NASA marine, and at least their wind transducer has a bit of a dubious reputation (although I don't have one myself, and their other gear works fine). They're not doing any NMEA2k though.

Often you can leave the existing transducers and just fit new converters to display on a MFD or chartplotter.

 

[JasperII]

Very hard to know where to start. What else do you want out of your instruments? What else do you have fitted? What constraints do you have? etc. etc.

I think any set of instruments will give you basic wind/depth/speed. If they can't do that then....

I don't need them to do anything fancy, and the boat is currently undergoing a complete refit so now seems a good time to run wiring etc.

Best match your chartplotter for an easy fit, else you'll have to convert between protocols and connectors. Unfortunately you didn't tell us what you have.

I agree that they're all ridiculously expensive, but the only somewhat more sensibly priced option is NASA marine, and at least their wind transducer has a bit of a dubious reputation (although I don't have one myself, and their other gear works fine). They're not doing any NMEA2k though.

Often you can leave the existing transducers and just fit new converters to display on a MFD or chartplotter.

Thanks for the reply. I looked at the NASA unit, but like you mentioned, read a few reviews questioning the quality of the mast head unit.

You're right, I forgot to mention what the plotter is, its a Raymarine C120W so something which will talk with that (NMEA2000) would be great.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I don't need them to do anything fancy, and the boat is currently undergoing a complete refit so now seems a good time to run wiring etc.




Thanks for the reply. I looked at the NASA unit, but like you mentioned, read a few reviews questioning the quality of the mast head unit.

You're right, I forgot to mention what the plotter is, its a Raymarine C120W so something which will talk with that (NMEA2000) would be great.

B&G do a range that talk NMEA2000 but have analogue dial displays. Part of the H5000 range. Not cheap though.

 

[Yngmar]

You're right, I forgot to mention what the plotter is, its a Raymarine C120W so something which will talk with that (NMEA2000) would be great.

That's a Seatalk NG (NMEA 2000 with Raymarine proprietary connectors) device, so you should stick with that bus and cabling for the greatest ease of installation. It is different from the Simrad (B&G) and Garmin cabling. Apart from price, there's nothing wrong with the Raymarine kit.

 

[JasperII]

B&G do a range that talk NMEA2000 but have analogue dial displays. Part of the H5000 range. Not cheap though.

Just had a look, and the H5000 does looks great (intact looks the same as what is currently installed!) but definitely can't really justify the price.

That's a Seatalk NG (NMEA 2000 with Raymarine proprietary connectors) device, so you should stick with that bus and cabling for the greatest ease of installation. It is different from the Simrad (B&G) and Garmin cabling. Apart from price, there's nothing wrong with the Raymarine kit.

Thanks for the information, sounds like it will be easiest to go with the Raymarine kit then.

 

[Neeves]

I think the advice of considering an integrated, one supplier, system is the easiest way to go. Its simple, plug and play.

You have therefore locked yourself in to a Raymarine system - based on simply adding, speed, depth, wind. You now have little choice

Further down the track -what else might you want, autopilot, radar? You are moving toward locking yourself into Raymarine for everything - which might be the right way to go (or not). Radar is usually the big issue as most systems don't easily, or cheaply, work with another's software.

If might be worth looking at another system, Garmin of Navico - and having the Raymarine screen as a spare stand alone system (which might integrate, or not).

Jonathan

 

[bedouin]

Being in a similar situation I think there are really 3 choices.

Firstly go with the Raymarine i50/i60 pack that integrates nicely either via SeaTalk or SeaTalkng

Secondly go Raymarine digital based on the i70 displays - works out a bit more expensive than the i50/i60 if you want the same number of displays but they can do a lot more.

Thirdly go with another NMEA 2000 set up like the B&G Triton - going this route the cost of the wiring can be alarming!

Or of course save yourself a fortune and go for NASA kit forgoing the integration.

 

[Neeves]

B&G have just released, in Australia, a wireless, or a wired, masthead wind sensor. It may have been available in the UK earlier - or it might be a coordinated release - but it might merit investigation as one model obviously, does not involve the hassle of feeding a cable down the mast.

Their WS310 or WS320.

I cannot say it looks very cheap - but I'm not in touch with instrument prices.

Jonathan