GlennG
Well-Known Member
I have a Contessa 32 and want to install a stand-alone chart plotter on the cockpit instrument console which is a moulding that sits above the companionway. This holds the 6 B&G Network instruments and the Raymarine ST60+ autopilot as three in the centre and two on each side.
I'm quite happy with the instruments and don't want to replace any of them. I'm not particularly bothered about reading the data as it's the proprietary B&G protocol and I really can't be bothered to fit a protocol converter (£+++).
I want a chart plotter as I'm fed up with using the slide rule and log tables when I can just use a calculator. I've no plans to fit Radar or AIS (although I would like the GPS to be able to display the AIS data -- nice for crossing shipping lanes). I don't fish.
The mounting position will need to use a standard mounting bracket. There's an unobstructed view of the sky (well, apart from the boom), so an internal aerial is preferred. I'd prefer to have a single power cable. It will be removed from the boat when not in use so the cables need to come out reasonably easily.
Budget: less than £1000, preferably a lot less.
I've identified three that I like the look of, but it's just not possible to have long enough at a boat show to know which is best. That's where you lot come in
1) Raymarine A70. Looks nice and I've always liked Raymarine kit -- has a nice solid feel and good user interfaces. It's quite recent so should be fairly fast to redraw (is it?).
2) Standard-Horizon CP300i. Great price, nice look to it, but it's getting rather long in the tooth. I'm concerned that the screen resolution (pixels) are not particularly good and that the redraw is a bit slow. Opinions?
3) Advansea T56. I saw this at the boat show and was impressed with its speed and screen resolution. However it's a tad small for my liking (a real pity they don't do one that's a bit larger).
Any others? I got a bit confused with the Garmin range. Seem to be either too small or too expensive? Is the MAP750 viable?
So, I'd like to know what you think. What's the redraw like? What's the user interface like? Do they have a daylight / dusk / night time display? What are they like to live with? Any others to recommend?
Are there any websites with decent reviews of this kit?
TIA.
I'm quite happy with the instruments and don't want to replace any of them. I'm not particularly bothered about reading the data as it's the proprietary B&G protocol and I really can't be bothered to fit a protocol converter (£+++).
I want a chart plotter as I'm fed up with using the slide rule and log tables when I can just use a calculator. I've no plans to fit Radar or AIS (although I would like the GPS to be able to display the AIS data -- nice for crossing shipping lanes). I don't fish.
The mounting position will need to use a standard mounting bracket. There's an unobstructed view of the sky (well, apart from the boom), so an internal aerial is preferred. I'd prefer to have a single power cable. It will be removed from the boat when not in use so the cables need to come out reasonably easily.
Budget: less than £1000, preferably a lot less.
I've identified three that I like the look of, but it's just not possible to have long enough at a boat show to know which is best. That's where you lot come in
1) Raymarine A70. Looks nice and I've always liked Raymarine kit -- has a nice solid feel and good user interfaces. It's quite recent so should be fairly fast to redraw (is it?).
2) Standard-Horizon CP300i. Great price, nice look to it, but it's getting rather long in the tooth. I'm concerned that the screen resolution (pixels) are not particularly good and that the redraw is a bit slow. Opinions?
3) Advansea T56. I saw this at the boat show and was impressed with its speed and screen resolution. However it's a tad small for my liking (a real pity they don't do one that's a bit larger).
Any others? I got a bit confused with the Garmin range. Seem to be either too small or too expensive? Is the MAP750 viable?
So, I'd like to know what you think. What's the redraw like? What's the user interface like? Do they have a daylight / dusk / night time display? What are they like to live with? Any others to recommend?
Are there any websites with decent reviews of this kit?
TIA.
