We followed Les Lampman's recommendation to install an integrated Raymarine electronics system. My father was an electrician, and were he alive today, he would truly appreciate Les' beautiful wiring job. We have the C90W GPS chartplotter, 18" High Definition radar, S1000 auto pilot, NMEA interface between the Honda and the Plotter, transducer and electronic compass. He also installed a Ritchie back-up compass on the dash. Having used a Garmin 540s for 4 years, we were ery pleasantly surprised by the feel and control of the Raymarine system. Les says that the difference between Garmin and Raymarine is personal preference -- its like an IBM vs. Apple thing. I should say that after spending 32 years in the IBM/Microsoft field, that the computer I bought for home use was an Apple.
As you are no doubt aware, on the C90W, the radar screen can be set to overlap the chartplotter. We use the radar all the time, and it is a good thing we did. When we left Friday Harbor two week's ago, we encountered pea soup fog well out into the Rosario Straight. Raymarine radar is so sharp, that we can even pick up pilings and buoys. We found it easy to stay out of the way of other boats. It should be noted that the large ferry does not always show up as a small, crisp image. It can be so large when close by, that it looks like a reflective echo from an adjacent land mass. Thank heavens for AIS. At any rate, after using Raymarine, I don't think we'll ever use anything else. There is no question in our minds that radar is not a luxury -- it is a necessity. In Long Island Sound on the East Coast, we have seen thick fog banks roll in from Block Island sound when the wind direction changes during the middle of a summer's day, reducing visibility to zero, while people speed by at a high rate of speed, because they have radar. We need radar not to go fast, but to steer away from these people!
Regarding the wiring, when Les installed the twin-horns, the manufacturer did not state what size of fuse to use. So we had to replace a fuse after the first one had blown. It was so easy, because all the fuses were properly labeled and easily accessible. This may seem like a small point, but there are scores of fuses on this boat. It was a pleasure to go directly to the right fuse for inspection and replacement.
Finally, the Matrix radio worked great. We loved the way the cord was out of the way and it was nearly impossible for us to accidently knock the mic off of its bracket like what used to happen our CD 16. Also, Les' philosophy has been to make the microphone easily reachable by either the pilot or copilot, which it is.
As you are no doubt aware, on the C90W, the radar screen can be set to overlap the chartplotter. We use the radar all the time, and it is a good thing we did. When we left Friday Harbor two week's ago, we encountered pea soup fog well out into the Rosario Straight. Raymarine radar is so sharp, that we can even pick up pilings and buoys. We found it easy to stay out of the way of other boats. It should be noted that the large ferry does not always show up as a small, crisp image. It can be so large when close by, that it looks like a reflective echo from an adjacent land mass. Thank heavens for AIS. At any rate, after using Raymarine, I don't think we'll ever use anything else. There is no question in our minds that radar is not a luxury -- it is a necessity. In Long Island Sound on the East Coast, we have seen thick fog banks roll in from Block Island sound when the wind direction changes during the middle of a summer's day, reducing visibility to zero, while people speed by at a high rate of speed, because they have radar. We need radar not to go fast, but to steer away from these people!
Regarding the wiring, when Les installed the twin-horns, the manufacturer did not state what size of fuse to use. So we had to replace a fuse after the first one had blown. It was so easy, because all the fuses were properly labeled and easily accessible. This may seem like a small point, but there are scores of fuses on this boat. It was a pleasure to go directly to the right fuse for inspection and replacement.
Finally, the Matrix radio worked great. We loved the way the cord was out of the way and it was nearly impossible for us to accidently knock the mic off of its bracket like what used to happen our CD 16. Also, Les' philosophy has been to make the microphone easily reachable by either the pilot or copilot, which it is.
