Which Chartplotter

[wwelbourn]

I am looking at Chartplotters and need some advice.

I want a chartplotter for the cockpit, it will be reasonably exposed to the elements and will NOT be interfaced with any other instruments. I want it to be simple.

What is the difference between all these different chart types, blue chart, navionics, c-map etc?

All your pearls of wisdom will be much appreciated - thanks in advance.

Will

 

[thomshap]

I currently use a garmin 276 and now want a larger screen, I've been hunting around for the last couple of week and narrowed it down to a Garmin 2006c and a Raymarine C70 after haveing a look at some at Port Solent this morning. I like the Blue Chart and C-Map cartography, as the Raymarine is Navionics I expect we'll go for the Garmin.


We set a budget of £1000 and like you we will not be adding to it.

Hope it helps.

 

[KevB]

The best value for money I have seen (a friend recently bought one) is the Standard Horizon cp1000. 10.4" colour.

He bought his from ebay for around £850 new inc postage.

The same seller is currently advertising it for £910 inc free Standard Horizon DSC VHF.

See here

Standard Horizon

Can't vouch for the seller but my friends arrived and it is fantastic.

 

[Stemar]

Worth checking the kit's CE marked. If not, the radio may not have some of the UK channels, will be illegal to use and liable to seizure and a big fine if OFFCOM or whoever the current radio rottweilers find out. (You decide how likely that is!)

 

[Barry777]

i recommend the Garmin 2010C. If you look around you should be able to get one for around £1000, which is less than half the price when first launched. They were this price at the LBS in January so I doubt they have gone up since. I have one sited at the steering position and would not be without it now. I prefer the Garmin Blue Chart to the C-Map as I think the graphics are clearer. Also compared with the Raytheon the menu is easier to navigate.

Still i suppose it's all a matter of preference.

 

[chubby]

I have been very happy with the Lowrance 3500c mounted in an open wheelhouse with a little mushroom aerial alongside, easy to use and easy to detach for security and under £400, Navionics charts fine, or look at the smaller Navman with integral aerial

 

[Talbot]

Garmin have a great record for hardwae, but their record for software is poor. When they last changed their chart type, they immediately stopped support for the older format, whereas C-Map are still supporting their original format despite two changes since. The newest C-Map (Max) and Navionics are very similar in capability and are IMHO the best. So it then commes down to exactly what you want as a plotter.

A simple system at a reasonable price, that will sit in the wet is the Navman 5600. - this runs on C-Map NT+ which is a lower spec than the newer C-Map Max.

I have its smaller brother, the Navman 5500 and have een very satisfied with it.

 

[duncan]

Suspect that you are going to be buying in the States (somehow) so you will probably find the latest Lowrance models with Navionics or Garmin with Blue Chart relatively cheap, easy to use and OK for open cockpit environments.

One point I would add is that with the absolute tumbling of price for quality colour units you may consider a unit that can double as a high res colour sonar as well. For example the Lowrance 332 can be purchased in the US for a shade over $600 then another 150 say for charts. This delivers a 480 x 480 daylight viewable display on a 5" screen. You pay only a small amount in this over the plotter only equivelent unit.
As an added element you can record sonar pictures to use on a standard PC with Lowrances unit emulator, and this records location data with the sonar trace so you can create a waypoint for an interesting feature sitting back in the bar!
Good diving.