Which GPS? HDS-5m, CP300i, 551

[winsbury]

I'm looking to install a 5 inch plotter for a 24 foot sailing yacht to include mapping software and AIS capability (with an external ais receiver.) I've shortlisted to three which have the features I'm looking for but all use different chart software.

The only quantitive comparision I can make at the moment is pounds per pixel which puts the Lowrance more than twice as good as the nearest competition but is also the dearest system so means digging the deepest in fluff laden pockets.

So, what do you think of these, which would you go for and why ?...

1. Lowrance HDS-5M gen 2 with Navionics Gold 28XG
2. Standard Horizon CP180i with C-MAP MW2 Atlantic coasts
3. Garmin 551 with BlueChart English Channel


Let the debate begin ....

 

[prv]

I have the Standard Horizon, which I guess is a recommendation of sorts. I did try most of the alternatives at the Boat Show a couple of years ago, and that's the one I preferred.

Overall, though, I don't like it as much as I expected to. Possibly 5" is just too small for a worthwhile plotter? (Or rather, whatever resolution the CP180 uses - it's resolution that matters more than absolute size.) Its AIS display is also poor - knowing that you will come within 200 yards of a ship is not much help if you don't know if that's round the stern or under its bow - and it doesn't give you a bearing to AIS targets. But perhaps most of the others are no better?

Pete

 

[maby]

Not sure how meaningful this is - few of us will detailed experience of more than one of the above so, unless someone regrets his purchase, you are really just taking a survey of the levels of ownership of each.

 

[V1701]

Not sure how meaningful this is - few of us will detailed experience of more than one of the above so, unless someone regrets his purchase, you are really just taking a survey of the levels of ownership of each.

Quite, I have SH CP180i, happy with it and connections were easily made to NASA AIS & SH GX1100e VHF DSC radio. Mine was bought from Marine Superstore Port Solent, they had a special offer with the charts half price so might be worth keeping an eye on them over the winter in case they repeat the offer. They also changed the chart on offer for the one I wanted, very good service...

 

[pvb]

Let the debate begin ....

I think you put the answer in the post title! Spend a few quid more and get a CP300i. 7" screen, 800x480 pixels, hugely more useful than a baby plotter. At £520 it's great value, and there are bundled offers which get you a MegaWide chart for another £150 or so.

 

[yoda]

Why get the Blue Chart with the 551? It comes ready loaded with the UK charts which covers the CI and seems to do bits of France with reasonable detail.

Yoda

 

[Vara]

Having just replaced a 5" plotter with a SH 300 I would echo the thought that the extra sized screen is well worth going for if you can fit/afford it.

I matched it with the SH VHF GX2100 with AIS built in, made for a nice tidy easy installation.

More than happy with the Cmap mapping.

Just an afterthought, the internal GPS in the SH is very good and it worked perfectly at my chart table before mounting it in the binnacle, might be a saving there, no gtee though.

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I'd second the CP300, we also matched it to a SH VHF GX2100 + remote mic. Very happy with the setup ....

Before and after ....

 

[ianfr]

I have had the CP180i now for three years and it easy to use, and clear.

I have it connected to VHF, AIS and Tillerpilot and the combination was very straightforward in setting up.

During refit I changed to a SH VHF 1500 which is well built and simple to use.

I have a SH Hand held as well.

I guess I think that I rate SH kit very highly, for what that is worth.

Ian

 

[winsbury]

Mistake in the title

Actually I ruled the CP300i out as its just too big for the space without having a major re-alignment of the instruments already there, hence I'm mainly interested in 5" models.

That said, I did include the CP300i in my original thinking ( hence it snuck into the thread title - oops, it should have read CP180i ) and although its the dearest of the bunch does have the lowest per pixel cost so is clearly a good choice for some.

I was hoping too that this wont become a straw poll of whats installed, instead I was hoping some readers will have experienced more than one plotter / chart and can share some more balanced views

 

[doug748]

I updated a few months ago so went through the same sort of process. A few notes:

I disounted Garmin cos they abandoned some folks, in terms of back up for charting, a few years ago. I am not fond of being bound to their charting product either.

5in screens are fine for pilotage, if you do your planning on paper charts. They are a handy size for a small boat and don't use too much power. Above the companion is the place.

In a recent YM test the Lowrance model was give top billing for resolution of screen and readability. It was only marked down because the menus were fussy. If, like me, you only naviagte from waypoint to waypoint, and are not sure what a route is, then that should be no problem.

For my own reasons I bought a Digital Yacht unit with built in AIS. It works ok but has all the AIS drawbacks outlined by prv plus some extra, more general, ones.

I am not too fond of the cartoon appearance of C Map and suspect Navionics might look better but this is based only on prodding at stuff in the chandlers.

So it's Lowrance for me.

 

[Monique]

I would go for Garmin.. because it is the 1500 pound gorilla.

Well established, profitable, growth company. You should not be let down anytime soon...

GL with your selection.

 

[maby]

Well, breaking away from straw polls of who owns what (I own Lowrance), I'm unhappy with touch screens in the cockpit. Not sure if this applies to any devices at the 5" end of the market, but they have had a tendency to go crazy when splashed with salt water. Some manufacturers have issued patches which are claimed to reduce the problem, but I remain sceptical. Stick to good old fashioned buttons.

 

[macd]

I have a Lowrance HDS7M, much the same as the 5 but with larger screen.
Plus points:
superb screen resolution;
excellent daylight visibility (even in places where the sun shines);
price.

Negatives:
no speed filter, so speed and course leap about all over the place every second. Daft: even Garmin GPS units have had filters since dinosaurs roamed the Earth;
For same reason AIS (if fitted) gives lots of spurious alarms;
Only one NMEA port, so can integrate with, say, steering or AIS but not both.
Moronic, frivolous icons (you can put a golf course or burger joint on your chart but not a nav hazard), but maybe they all have those?
Trendy user 'interface', probably inspired by some video game rather than anything nautical.

Wouldn't buy another.

Incidentally, the UK importer responded to these criticisms with a complete lack of understanding and the boast that Lowrance were best sellers in their field. I replied that so was the News of the World, until...

 

[prv]

Trendy user 'interface', probably inspired by some video game rather than anything nautical.

That was one of my complaints about the Garmins I tried at the Show. The CP180 seemed understated and professional by comparison (though possibly "basic" and "primitive" would be a less charitable explanation )

Pete

 

[ditchcrawler]

I went through the same process but a few years ago.I prefer the Navionics charts so I plumped for a Lowrance 7".I have found it easy to use and the display is good.I have used a S/H on a friends boat and that is easy to use.I did find the orientation of the S/H a drawback as in course up mode you do not have much screen in front of you.
I now use the Navionics charts on my I Pad as well.

 

[maby]

I have a Lowrance HDS7M, much the same as the 5 but with larger screen.
Plus points:
superb screen resolution;
excellent daylight visibility (even in places where the sun shines);
price.

Negatives:
no speed filter, so speed and course leap about all over the place every second. Daft: even Garmin GPS units have had filters since dinosaurs roamed the Earth;
For same reason AIS (if fitted) gives lots of spurious alarms;
Only one NMEA port, so can integrate with, say, steering or AIS but not both.
Moronic, frivolous icons (you can put a golf course or burger joint on your chart but not a nav hazard), but maybe they all have those?
Trendy user 'interface', probably inspired by some video game rather than anything nautical.

Wouldn't buy another.

Incidentally, the UK importer responded to these criticisms with a complete lack of understanding and the boast that Lowrance were best sellers in their field. I replied that so was the News of the World, until...

Are you sure about the lack of filters? We have an HDS7m with the latest firmware loaded and the fix seems pretty stable.

 

[macd]

Are you sure about the lack of filters? We have an HDS7m with the latest firmware loaded and the fix seems pretty stable.

Last winter I asked the UK importer if there was any means of speed filtering; "No". Mail on the same subject to Lowrance (US) consumer service (ha!) elicited no reply at all. Queries on this site also brought no workable suggestions (although peeps tried earnestly, as always).

So thanks for the possible heads-up. I'll check out a firmware solution. But are we talking about the same thing? The fix isn't the problem, it's the second-by-second changes in displayed speed and heading that brass me off. Sailing boats yaw. Don't Lowrance know that? Methinks that perhaps Mr PowerboatUS likes the idea of recording 30knots for a nanosecond and sod what's really happening.

 

[Aeolus]

I have the CP180 (non-i version). Very happy with it - it's mounted on the bulkhead to the side of the companionway in the cockpit and has been fine for 6 years so far. I find it very easy to use, easily visible in the brightest of sunlight.

I have called SH for support a couple of times and they have been very helpful - maybe you should take that into account also.

 

[maby]

Last winter I asked the UK importer if there was any means of speed filtering; "No". Mail on the same subject to Lowrance (US) consumer service (ha!) elicited no reply at all. Queries on this site also brought no workable suggestions (although peeps tried earnestly, as always).

So thanks for the possible heads-up. I'll check out a firmware solution. But are we talking about the same thing? The fix isn't the problem, it's the second-by-second changes in displayed speed and heading that brass me off. Sailing boats yaw. Don't Lowrance know that? Methinks that perhaps Mr PowerboatUS likes the idea of recording 30knots for a nanosecond and sod what's really happening.

Well, I must admit that I don't spend my time at the helm glued to the plotter watching every fluctuation, but if we are on a passage, I will take readings from it to fill in the log and I've never seen any evidence of a lack of filtering. We have an HDS8m Gen2 at the helm and an HDS7m Gen1 at the chart table, networked together and feeding data to the other instruments. I often display SOG derived from the plotter on one of the other displays and it seems pretty stable and plausible.