Raymarine chart plotters one or two?

iangrant

iangrant

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wondering about a colour displayto replace the RL70 mono ones.
I really can't see me using a second display at the chart table so am considering the C series single display at the helm position with radar ais and nav charts.

Does the panel think it's worth a second display below?

Ian
 
I've just been through this and plugged for the C80 series as single station. Although I have mounted down below. The E series is great if you want two stations and video output. One of my main considerations was power consumption. the E draw twice as much power as the C series. And is a deeper plotter for mounting outside.
 
When we upgraded the plotter on Saguday we put the new E80 at the helm and just moved the old one to the nav station - dead useful as it repeated all the nav info, instruments etc without any further expense.
 
What is the advantage of E over C?

I have a RL80CRC below and RL70CRC on top. My GPS is on the way out and wondered about replacing the 80 display with C80. This would then give me radar overlay on the chart, AIS and direct input from GPS without need for separate GPS.

What advantage is there to the E80 vs C80 apart from the video - which I do not have or want?

Thanks

TudorDoc
 
We have a colour RL70CRC at the chart table and the repeater version of the same thing 5?? in the cockpit. Downstairs for course planning, waypoint inputting etc etc. Cockpit for real time "where are we in relation to that sandbank?" Both can display the radar.

Have a C80 on last boat (see sig) the E series can share (a la RL70) whereas the C series is standalone. Great display though.

Simon
 
Will the E series accept all other stuff via the seatalk even if the setup is 7 years old?????

Can I plug the existing GPS aerial into the E series or does it need GPS data from a separate GPS unit as the RL does?

TudorDoc
 
We did this over a year and a half ago and figured I wouldn't want to go to this much expense again too quickly, so bought what I thought had the most features and future-proof-ness I could afford.

I liked the fact the E could drive multiple displays (if needed) but couldn't justify the cost of 2 of them straight away so used the existing RL70C at the nav desk. It worked a treat for our cruise although the charts are different so I assumed I'd eventually replace it with another E or sumfink later. Actually, software (charts) was a key issue too - I assumed that over time I'd invest a lot in cartridges and wanted to base that on the new Navionics ones the E supported. E can also handle Platinum charts which I didn't buy at the time (and still haven't) but will probably be the way to go in future, when I'm a bit richer of course.

I also added radar at the same time and liked the integrated overlays, which were heavily used during night crossings around NY and NJ and fog in Maine.

Truth is I mostly used a PC for passage planning and uploaded waypoints into the E - the RL70C was great as an instrument repeater when I sat at the nav desk doing logs and stuff (and when we hid below in a thunderstorm...) but really the E is so easy to use and powerful it was the tool of choice when underway. I would seriously consider a secod E at the nav station but with the remote keyboard to replace the RL70C eventually.

I realise all of this means I am admitting I am not a proper yottie but there you go - it was key to enabling a safe 6 month family cruise of the US East Coast (backed up by paper charts and pilot books of course).

There were probably some other reasons but I've forgotten them now.
 
From what I understand the C series is for single use only i.e. you canot have two displays as per the RL plotters. To get the same level of functionality [sic] you have to buy the e series. A cheap methos of getting two displays withthe e series is to have a plotter up top and a dum screen on the nave table and then buy the remote controler for the one up top. You then use the remote keyboard at the nave table. The only downside is that both display will show the same thing all the time.

If you have one rl series you need a secondhand RL to double up, they are not copmpatible withthe e series.

All the above is what I have been told at my local Raymarine dealer, if this info is wrong I will be delighted as the owner of a single RL70C as I want a second display in the cockpit.
 
Not really. We have a C70 radar/plotter display on the wheel pedestal and a 2002 vintage Furuno plotter at the chart table, which mainly functions as a GPS source for plotting fixes on paper and providing COG/Sog info. I am going to try running Seaclear and AIS on a lap top at the chart table next year. I think that two independent systems give better protection against a breakdown, but, as they say, you pays your money and you takes your choice.
 
what I am in the process of puchasing and fitting, is an E80 for use at the helm, and since we always have a laptop on board, running the Raymarine RNS software and this will be driven from the E80, giving a 15.4 inch fully functional plotter below, with all the other laptop benefits.
 
I replaced a mono RL70RC with a colour RL70CRC 18 months ago. It was a cost effective straight quick swap out and the existing cables just plugged in. It was just to get colour.

BEWARE if replacing an older RL70 or RL80 with a new C or E series you will probably have to replace the radar scanner also unless it was manufactured after 2003.

Few points
  1. C-Series is single station only
  2. E-Series like the old HSB2 series is multistation - but pricey
  3. C-Series worked only with Navionics "Gold" charts
  4. E-Series worked with "Gold" and "Platinum" charts
  5. C-Series software upgrade will shortly support "Platinum" charts and display features such as photos, 3D, sea bed, and tidal stream animations.
So for two stations it's E, one it's C, but there's a heck of a price difference. You could use two C-series using NMEA to repeat GPS data but not radar, only one unit could display radar info.
 
In addition to the above replies, an advantage of the Eseries is its sunlight viewability is significantly better than the Cseries. That's the main reason the power consumption is so much higher (which means that you can save power by turning the backlight down when not actively viewing it if you want).

For Chart table use you could use a PC running Raytech which will link to the Eseries via Ethernet. This will give you planning and also full 2nd station capability. You can download the planning version of Raytech for free from the Raymarine www site to see if you like it first. But you'll have to pay for the version that allows comms with the Eseries. Of course, in the future if you decide you want another Eseries 2nd station you still have that option.

Hope this helps.
 
[ QUOTE ]
wondering about a colour displayto replace the RL70 mono ones.
I really can't see me using a second display at the chart table so am considering the C series single display at the helm position with radar ais and nav charts.

Does the panel think it's worth a second display below?

Ian

[/ QUOTE ]

Ian,

When I bought Rogue I walked into the local electronics dealer and saw the E series - and I wanted it, with a second screen down below. It would have cost about £5K to fit 2 x E80s and upgrade the radar scanner. Bought a lowrance 3600i for £450 including Nauticpath chart, which has done us proud from glasson Dock to malta.

I think if you have a plotter it should be at the helm to get the best use out of it.

The Lowrance 3600i sits on a swivel at the helm and can be removed when necessary. I usually plot routes at the helm on the "fly", (cause I'm a bit lazy), but this is after researching the trip in some detail in advance.

There is a second power source at the chart table so, whilst I have never used it, I could power it up down below for planning etc..

So I would suggest that a second plotter/screen/whatever down below is an unnecessary luxury - nice if you've got pots of money.
 
We have and E80 in the cockpit and a 21 inch tele in the cabin that can also show the E series output. On the chart table I have a remote pad that has all the controls on it. The Tele then can be a tele, show DVDs or do the passage planning. The cockpit display is for real time.
 
Hmmm
Spoilt for choice me thinks and thanks for the input. Still thinking it through.

E series is great by the look of it but tooooo expensive to justify the extras.

I think a C70/(80/120?) at the helm in a rail mounted pod 9.5" with radar, bracket, NASA ais engine, diplexor, GPS and NMEA out to the DSC. about 2.3K pounds - even as a "pack special offer". OUCH

That gets the essentials for short handed channel crossings (bad vis, night, shipping traffic) catered for at the helm position.

If the unit kicks up about the nmea outputs muddling up then another hand held GPS output to the DSC is cheaper than the Raymarine all singing AIS!

Hang onto the RL black and white screen 'cause the old chart will work maybe even chuck it and dust off the 12" raytheon that reads the same chart cartridge!

Possibly bring the laptop on board and connect it to the flat screen that the kids insist for TV etc... navtex and AIS if i can split the output if it's needed down below.

As someone said a laptop is a seperate system for backup probably with the seaclear software

Blimey - minefield of connections etc.....cables, replace radar dome, woodwork, time, money,
 
[ QUOTE ]
For Chart table use you could use a PC running Raytech which will link to the Eseries via Ethernet. This will give you planning and also full 2nd station capability. You can download the planning version of Raytech for free from the Raymarine www site to see if you like it first. But you'll have to pay for the version that allows comms with the Eseries. Of course, in the future if you decide you want another Eseries 2nd station you still have that option.

[/ QUOTE ]

See my reply above
 
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