Tranona
Well-known member
Perfect example, your plotter uses far too much power to leave on all the time plus unless you have a big budget won't have any charts on it most of the time anyway, a stand alone depth/log will draw next to nothing so you can leave it on 24/7 for weeks to check distance over the ground against distance through water on crossings. Long distance is a different ball game in many ways which might not be immediately obvious.
That may be valid if you spend all your time on the oceans, but what happens when you stop on the way or get to the other end? as ever how you equip your boat is a compromise - hence my observation about the contrary advice you will receive when you ask such a question. Borne out already in this thread.
In the end you have to listen, draw on your own prior experience, decide what is important for you and then buy. To me the biggest issue is not knowing enough about the capability of the latest gear and how to use it - just like my dishwasher, washing machine, tablet etc so look for how well a bit of kit does what I know how to use and then try to explore what else I can do.