Upgrade Advice please

[mainshiptom]

I have been using an ipad with c map embark to navigate up to now but want to install something a bit more advanced.

My issues/ wants are:
chartplotter
3 stations cabin, flybridge, fishing station
Fish finder perfablly forward looking?
Depth water temp and speed

I have no clue if to buy one unit and then connect with wifi or BT to a portable device ?
do I buy a marine plotter or better off with a pc/apple?


any advice is welcome

 

[powerskipper]

I have been using an ipad with c map embark to navigate up to now but want to install something a bit more advanced.

My issues/ wants are:
chartplotter
3 stations cabin, flybridge, fishing station
Fish finder perfablly forward looking?
Depth water temp and speed

I have no clue if to buy one unit and then connect with wifi or BT to a portable device ?
do I buy a marine plotter or better off with a pc/apple?


any advice is welcome

Look at Raymarine stuff they will allow you to do all that. you could install 2 chart plotters and use a tablet at you fishing station to view and control plotter from there.
Disadvantage of PC is constant power and not waterproof. and they can get damaged if not secured somehow.

 

[ChromeDome]

YBW article:
Best chartplotter: 6 great options from marine MFDs to tablets

You'd need to look at all the makes and models that fit your budget - and become still more confused by the features offered.

In purpose of finding a device that is not aimed at fishing I noted that Lowrance are focussing very much on that area and therefore was taken off my list

If happy with C-Map that might be a requirement for your next setup (exclude Garmin and some others). Navionics was aquired by Garmin, still offered under their own brand however. If interested note that some chart versions provide virtual bathymetry or seabed views based on chart depth data.

There are more names than manufacturers:
The Navico group is behind Lowrance, Simrad, B&G and C-Map so some similarities or shared technologies can be found among them.
Raymarine was, following a bankrupcy in 2010, aquired by FLIR in the US. In Jan 2021 all of FLIR was aquired by Teledyne so Raymarine looks solid now.
Hummingbird was and is independent, owned for many years by Johnson Outdoors in the US
Standard Horizon is owned by Motorola

-and then some less common in this part of the world.