Looking for a new gps/chartplotter recommend

There were thee issues brought up here that sent me to my lowrance. 1. Basemap quality, 2. Buttons vs. touchscreen, and 3. simplicity of menus.

First, is the idea of your position displaying incorrectly on a GPS, especially in backup/handheld devices. This was properly attributed to bad map data, and not necessarily bad position data. My Garmin marine plotters regularly show me running my boat over land, etc. Especially this far North. Add to that channels that shift and move, and it gets challenging. The isnight genesis tool fixes this. You scan the area of interest and you have first hand depth and contour data. You can even record bottom type, vegetation, etc. It's beyond cool, and fixes this common problem.

Second, the touch screen vs. buttons: Lowrance HDS Gen2 has both. It's pretty easy to operate using either method, and my screen is fine to touch in rough water.

Finally, the menu of older lowrance gear was not really all that great. To me, the newer versions of the lowrance menu, accompanied by HDS models has bypassed Garmin as the most intuitive and user friendly.

If any of you make it to Cordova, look me up! I'd be happy to show you all of our systems to help you out.

FWIW, our Furuno gear has the most sensitive sonar (not even chirp, but it sees everything) and best mapping interface for its plotter. It's a very cumbersome unit to operate, but it outperforms most if you get it dialed in just right. That said, it was triple the price of any of our other setups, but has a few more bells and whistles.
 
I can see from all the responses that I will need to do more research on this subject. I have decided to up the size screen to at least a 7" if not bigger. A radar will be needed in the short future, so the unit will need to be compatible to it. Thanks for all the help you have given to me.
 
Good Day Walt & Glad to see you back! Not sure if you have attended any of the C-Brat gatherings, but that are also a great way to see and check out other equipment. The ones where we really get out in the water and travel on our boats are the ones I like best.

A web site is good general information, even seeing a unit and playing with it on a display sure helps....but nothing like getting on board and getting to see the different "gear" set ups on others boats.

Electronics, lighting, storage ideas, fishing gear, sleeping gear, cooking gear.... it is just fun.

Thanks for asking about this Walt as I have not kept up with the chartplotters and the changes over the past several years and this has been a good update.

I have old gear on ALOYSIUS...but it works fine...was some of the best on the market when I put the system together.. Back then, I went Raymarine, the E series as it had two processors where the C only had one...for what that was worth, and there were a few more over the top gizmoz that you could get and do with the higher dollar cards.

Was looking at a boat a few months ago that has basically the same functions/abilities as my "system"... and oh my how the prices have come down!

This is starting to kill me...I need to get out and go make bubbles. Need to get out and get at least one layer of funk off ALOYSIUS after out trip cross country.
Cheers and thanks to all for the input on their new gear!
 
Good grief, Charlie Brown, this post only started 18 hour ago and it's already on page 2.

So here's my comments. It's either Garmin or Lowrance (Navionics) if you're going to add a radar later. Both use a commercial ethernet link to their display. And why is that important you may ask? Well, that allows one to connect the radar to a laptop (or any other) computer and use (free) OpenCpn to overlay radar data on (free) NOAA charts, both for coastal and inland waterway charts. The latter is supplied via the Army Core of Engineers. Actually one uses a ethernet hub so that you can run the radar on both the Lowrance display and the PC simultaneously. OpenCpn does not yet display depth sounder data but since that's also piped in via ethernet, I assume it's on the way. Here's an in-depth discussion of radar display on OpenCpn: 3G Radar and OpenCpn . There's one for the Garmin also: Garmin radar and OpenCpn . Be on notice that reading either will make your head ache.

And if those charts make you happy, you can have a 15.6" display for ~$600. The cabin of a C-Dory is warm and dry enough to make a PC happy; I've proved it. Route planning and setting waypoints is a heck of a lot easier on a PC with keyboard and mouse then on a dedicated display. Those routes and displays can then be uploaded to the Lowrance display. I assume Garmin has that transfer capability as well, but I don't know.

As to radar, which is radar spelled backwards, the 3G radar is in a class of it's own. Good clear short range displays, good range out to 16 miles. And all on low power, so one doesn't have to worry about getting cooked. 4G is better, but more expensive and a C-Dory doesn't need it.

Another feature of Lowrance/Simrad/etc. is that they can display more than their proprietary charts; for example C-Map in addition to Navionics. And they have good depth sounder sensors and displays.

And I also own a Garmin GPS display for my bicycle. Works well.

Boris
 
Boris has good points I didn't know about, Thanks!
No one else has mentioned it, but I think the (unique?) Garmin Auto-Guide plotter feature is fantastic...just mark your destination, and it automatically plots a proposed purple route using your preferences for minimal depth and preferred distance from shore, around points, around any obstacles, out the pass, down the coast. No mid route waypoints needed. Instead of hundreds of mid-route waypoints, I don't ever need any anymore. A one-button auto route of 1,000 miles or more! Cool!
It's compatible with Garmin's new Reactor Autopilot. My 4212 came pre loaded with basic cartography, but Auto-Guide requires Garmin Vision card too...I got a new one for the whole Gulf Coast on Ebay for $150. I didn't think I'd use it, but now we'd NEVER consider a plotter without it...which means Garmin. Plotter must be Vision compatible. Garmin is close to if not #1 in 'intuitive interface'...you won't need the manual til you're into the esoteric details.
With a Garmin AIS and VHF on your N2K network, any AIS target shown on your Garmin plotter will also include a unique (in the non-professional sphere) one-button plotter option to call that targets MMSI DSC VHF # directly. I haven't used that option as much as I thought I would. The Garmin Auto-Guide feature is a real advance, and once using it, you'll never go back. It seems much less likely to make a human error than I am (such as my route running us into a bouy), and has been spot-on to date. Of course, it's using ONLY card data, and you the skipper are responsible for situational awareness when piloting. The major downside to me is that Garmin has no answer yet for the superb Lowrance/Simrad 3G/4G close in digital radar, but hopefully someday they will (I don't need radar quite yet). Dr Bob predicts Garmin will have a competitive radar before I retire in 5 years or so.
The fine prints states Garmin electronics aren't included, but the past 2 Thanksgiving "15% off Everything Online Only" on Westmarine.com I got the 15% off on Garmin plus the Member Advantage coupons, which is as good a deal as I've found anywhere ever on Garmin stuff.
Have fun shopping, and remember my research on this stuff is now over 2 years old so a lot may have changed.
Cheers!
John
 
My vote goes to Standard Horizon. I have been very happy with mine. When I bought my boat I was going to get a Raymarine. The parts guy at the dealership talked me into the Standard Horizon. He said they have a faster redraw rate than a lot of other plotters. This is an important consideration when using a small 5in. screen. Also very easy to understand and use.

The auto plotting feature on the Garmin sounds interesting and the brand seems to be well received by many with experience here. However like RobbL L - I had many problems with "land Garmins" and would not buy another. Lots of problems with data as well as on screen keyboard. I now use Magellan in my truck and also have a handheld in the boat for backup.

Regards, Rob
 
Late last summer I upgraded from the Garmin GPSMAP 541s to the GPSMAP 840xs. I'm very happy with it. I just got the Downview transducer. No side view. Also upgraded to the Garmin Radar GMR 18HD. Still getting use to it. (Before that I had a B&W Raymarine Pathfinder...) Somebody mentioned auto guidance. You have to have the vision chips for that to work, but it works nice if you do. Garmin Tech support has been pretty good for me as well. Colby
 
One has to be a little cautious with "auto guidance" Panbo had a good blog on the issues a couple of years ago. I prefer to make my own routes, then I can do homework on potential issues, with depth, bridge height. As I recollect a real life experinece for Garmin Engineers on Jeff Siegel's (Acitive Captain) boat when they used auto routing, and it put the boat under a section of the bridge will far less airdraft than his boat had....
 
The best prices anywhere are from Gil travis on the Hull truth forum.
Has a sale on garmin 741xs right now. and others.
Jim Swor
 
Mr. Byrdman, to answer your first question: My newly purchased 22 C-Dory Cruiser has only a VHS radio installed on it. In the next couple weeks I will be adding a porta potty, anchor & lines, portable cooler, anchor lock, anchor coated chain, dock lines and gps system. I have not decided on the system (gps) as of this hour. In the near future I'll be adding a radar, most likely a Garmin 18 HD. My yacht has a 90 hp Honda with a 8 hp kicker, high top and window coverings. Color is blue and I named the yacht the "Kylie Lynn II", as my last boat was the 19 C-Dory Angler also named the Kylie Lynn.
I'll be on the Puget Sound as soon as it warms up some. I'll be needing to get with some experienced boaters in the sound area to talk me through some of the better areas of cruising, as this might be another topic for another day.
I see you live in the State of Tennessee. Five yrs ago I lived in Jonesborough and loved living there and boated on Watauga Lake. Then I moves to Idaho for the grandkids.
I used to watch television and now I spend my evenings shopping and reading forums on a IPad and a laptop. What's next????
 
Regarding the use of Auto-Guidance. I agree with Bob. It doesn't remove the necessity of navigating safely. I consider it a "tool". In aviation we are taught to use everything to our advantage. But don't allow that advantage to leave us out of the loop. Colby
 
Lowrance had an auto-route feature on it's latest software update. It's only available when you're not in North America. When I asked the reps, they didn't really know but guessed liability.

Nothing against auto-routing, but it's not a feature I would really want. My trips aren't that long. And I'm not sure what the difference is between auto-guidance and auto-routing. In my world, routing plots a course form some waypoint and guidance steers that course. Does Garmin Auto Guide also steer?

Boris
 
My 2014 dated Lowrance (radar, chart plotter, heading, and display) is hooked up to a hub. I am told that the autopilot is near plug and play, with perhaps 4 hours of installation.
 
Same thing I think Boris. Altho I am looking at autopilots. Right now the Ray Marine EV-100 seems like the best bet for me. The Garmin G10 might be nice, but RM is cheaper. And supposedly I can hook it up to my Garmin GPSMAP. I like to make my own routes. But since I had a vision chip I tried the autoguidance last summer, and it saves some time. But as Bob said, you still have to be cognizant of where it's taking you! Colby
 
Yes, The garmin sysem will interphase with the auto pilot and do the whoole job....Just don't go and take a nap, or other play up forward!
 
Despite my love for Garmin, I would currently wait a few months, and look very seriously at the latest Lowrance Gen 3. Some very interesting features, plus the new "outboard pilot" is only $999. (Hydraulic steering) and uses the Simrad/Robertson techology--but a cheaper (good size displacement pump) Also inclues the point one compass. For not too many bucks, you would have the chart pllotter/4G radar, and a good pilot (The pilot and latest Gen 3 are still in the "to be shipped" phase...

One of my issues with Lowrance was service--that seems to have improved.
 
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