which chartplotter? your recommendations please.

[colinwcolclough]

Hi guys,

would anyone like to reccommend a chartplotter for me? My situation is:

small fast open helmed fishing boat
looking for accurate positioning around wrecks and reefs
on screen trace of position whilst drifting over wrecks
coverage to be scottish west coast from solway to skye

thanks for your help.

colin

 

[Whitelighter]

A Navman 5505. Come with internal or external ariel.
I had the previous 5500 and it was a very good unit, easy to read screen and the chart software (C-Map) seemed to be accurate.

 

[omega2]

Not sure but I think the only makers who give a gaurantee as to being water tight are Lowrance, good gear but generally dearer than the rest.

 

[ianmacaulay]

new lowrance 5150 cheap and good right up's

 

[SnaxMuppet]

I have had a Garmin GPSMAP 178C on my open boat for the past year. It has performed flawlessley and as I have a Garmin handheld GPS too I have been able to use the charts for that too.

I did remove it from the boat when not in use though as I am not sure than any small GPS unit is 100% waterproof and even if it is then it can't do it good to be left in the open all the time... not to mention risk of theft /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I am getting a Lowrance on the new boat but that is because the Lowrance has a NMEA 2000 interface to connect it up to my engine for fuelflow, rpm etc. otherwise I would definitely have another Garmin.

 

[Pete7]

Happy to recommend the Garmins. Last week they replaced my 188c after 3 years (and out of warrantee) with a brand new one. It spent 3 years on an exposed rib console and stood up to the weather and salt just as good as my lowrance. Others have also had this sort of service. Had a 4 month battle to get a Navman fuel computer replaced after 3 months when it failed with water ingress.

Pete

 

[nonitoo]

I use the Navman 5505 and their web site quotes it as "Rugged waterproof housing rated IP67" whatever that means.

Appears to be a good unit, doing what it says on the box.

Tom

 

[Sneds]

Example of rating : IP65

First number (Protection against solid objects)
Definition
Second number (Protection against liquids)
Definition

0
No protection
0
No protection

1
Protected against solids objects over 50mm (e.g. accidental touch by hands
1
Protected against vertically falling drops of water

2
Protected against solids objects over 12mm (e.g. fingers)
2
Protected against direct sprays up to 15o from the vertical

3
Protected against solids objects over 2.5mm (e.g. tools and wires)
3
Protected against direct sprays up to 60o from the vertical

4
Protected against solids objects over 1mm (e.g. tools, wires and small wires
4
Protected against sprays from all directions - limited ingress permitted

5
Protected against dust - limited ingress (no harmful deposit)
5
Protected against low pressure jets if water from all directions - limited ingress permitted

6
Totally protected against dust
6
Protected against strong jets of water e.g. for use on shipdecks - limited ingress permitted



7
Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm and 1m. Duration of test 30 minutes



8
Protected against long periods of immersion under pressure

 

[nonitoo]

Thank you kind sir.

 

[gjgm]

ease of menus is really a key factor, and I think Garmin is very good. Try Malthouse on here as he does some extra discounts for the forum; garmin have a new fancy range out, so the next step down (292) comes with charts included-though check your area. Their new G2 charts area bit of a shock if you are used to Admiralty, but all the detail is of course there, its just it takes a little while to get familiar with the G2 chart styling

 

[gravygraham]

Navman Trackfish. It's got good screen resolution and it's intuitive - I've not once had to use the instruction manual.

Graham

 

[oceanfroggie]

Garmin 276C is bright and removeable 4" screen, super unit for an open boat arrangement. Newer Garmin 550 comes with built in UK, Irl and channel charts (G2 Vision), satallite image overlaps, bla, bla, bla, great value because of embedded charts. Garmin in my exerience are simply the best of the best. I've used many makes, but may favorite combination is Raymarine for Radar, and Garmin for plotting, the rest of the pack have some great kit, but follow these two. Garmin handhelds are in a class of their own. It will be interesting to see if and how Garmin break into the Radar market, unto now dominated by the leader Raymarine. They perhaps need some OEM deals with UK boat builders.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Just bought the Lowrance 5150c, and thoroughly delighted with it.... only £379 at the moment with full Nauticpath charts for Western Europe....

 

[Richard10002]

That's incredibly cheap and excellent value.

With hindsight I would have bought Navionics charts with my Lowrance, but the Nauticpath seem OK for the UK, just a bit lacking for parts of Europe/The med.

Also use a laptop with SOB and C-Map on the saloon table which can be seen from the wheel.

 

[DAKA]

The Navman 5110i is the same but B&W @ £160 + chart of your choice for £60
http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/PromotionDetails1.aspx?promotion_id=180

 

[Sinbad2222]

Don't use any Lowrance plotter with Navionics charts. You will get erroneous tidal data. Lowrance have known about this problem but refuse to sort it out because they want to promote their own inferior Nauticpath softwre.

 

[Dave99]

Standard Horizon - I'm a fan having seen their latest products.
I now have started stocking them, definitely worth playing with to see if you like the functionality