Upgrading from Raymarine C Series to Axium ???
- Thread starter hardee
- Start date
Peter & Judy
New member
Yes we are getting a depth reading. This is the main reason I bought it. In 2019 we set out on first cruises off Vancouver Island and sometimes found that the Raymarine depth sounder was not giving me a reading or giving me something that based on the charts was completely wrong. Now if I'm in 500 feet of water I don't really care, but if I'm in 10 feet of water, I really want to know how deep I am. So between cruises I bought this unit for less than $200 and it came with it's own transducer which I installed next to the one for the Raymarine. I like it as it has a fish finder (it can find the fish, but I still have trouble catching them) and a few other features that have been useful like an anchor drag alarm.
As I mentioned before, off the east coast of Vancouver Island, especially when you get to the big inlets going into the BC mainland there is a lot of cold glacier fresh water flowing in that I am told really can play havoc with the depth sounder. I have noticed that often when I am in deep water, both sounders will tell me that I am in very shallow water. Sometimes the reading is very similar, but other times there is a big difference between the two units. In shallow water like an anchorage, I rarely have problems seeing the bottom and getting the right depth to drop the hook in.
One of the reasons that I am buying the Axiom+ is the Real Vision depth Sounder so that I can see the bottom better in anchorages. A lot of the anchorages off the BC coast had logging operations in the past and the bottoms may be fouled with old cables, docks and other junk. I really like my anchor and don't want to loose it. So I hope it will give me a better view of the bottom before I drop the hook.
Ahh yes, I remember being up in Knight Inlet, first time I was real sure of what was going on when I saw 800+ feet on the chart and the sonar is showing me a bottom line at 12 feet. I was far up into the inlet and it was definitely the milky glacier water. Turns out that is showing a layer depth of the fresh water, colder, and less dense than the salt water and the sounder is seeing that thermal layer.
It sounds like your reasons and mine for going with the update/upgrade are very similar. Do you know what frequencies your Garmin transducer is working on. I have read that if you have multiple transducers, and they are on the same frequencies, that can cause interference and may give erroneous readings, or even no reading.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
. That is a very valid consideration--and not only for BC and AK. There are all sorts of bottom junk in many harbors. (I have an extensive list of items I have snagged with anchors thru the years).
It will be interesting to see how well the Real Vision shows those objects. I am considering putting one of the Axiom plus units on my 18' Caracal Cat.
If an object protrudes into the water column it will be seen with down scan and side scan--so should be easily ID with the "Real Vision". We have been using down scan technology for a number of years to avoid trees, and other underwater items which would foul an anchor.. What I am not so sure about is cable and chain which is in or under the superficial layer of mud or sand on the bottom--that may not show up.
Bob, I have a spot I am going back to for sure, just to see if that big tuna tower type of metal harassment I hauled up and spent an hour unwinding from is still there and visible. It was perfect anchorage, with a spectacular view and 300 degrees of protection. YUP, I want to see if it is safe to anchor there again.
OH, The North Border will have to be open though.
Anxious to be able to see my anchor plainly.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
OH, The North Border will have to be open though.
Anxious to be able to see my anchor plainly.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Peter & Judy
New member
I have the Garmin Striker 4 as my secondary sounder. It works on Chirp 77/200 KHz.
Well - I did install the axiom+9 RV last weekend. Went fine. Bright screen, touch seems good with pinch mode supported as well. Hooked my P58 transducer with a converter cable and seems better than what I had with the old e7D. I do have the Rv-100 as well but I keep my boat in the water so can't really install until I have a reason to pull the boat again. So will be waiting for that...
I think there are limits with this axiom+ vs the PRO model in terms of multiple transducers.
Nice: was able to update the axiom over the marine wifi. About a 1G download - so took a bit of time but not too bad. Also installed ray control on my ipad, and I can switch to the wifi of the MFD and control from my ipad. Nice. But then I am switching from Radar to MFD, etc...
Using lighthouse charts. Not sure on these yet...
Still need to play with the unit to customize the screen data to what I want, but the raymarine youtube vids are good - though I usually just like short cheat sheets.
I am running my radar to an ipad2 - so really need to figure out a good ipad2 mount.
So far, so good.
I think there are limits with this axiom+ vs the PRO model in terms of multiple transducers.
Nice: was able to update the axiom over the marine wifi. About a 1G download - so took a bit of time but not too bad. Also installed ray control on my ipad, and I can switch to the wifi of the MFD and control from my ipad. Nice. But then I am switching from Radar to MFD, etc...
Using lighthouse charts. Not sure on these yet...
Still need to play with the unit to customize the screen data to what I want, but the raymarine youtube vids are good - though I usually just like short cheat sheets.
I am running my radar to an ipad2 - so really need to figure out a good ipad2 mount.
So far, so good.
Peter & Judy
New member
I ordered my Raymarine Axiom+ system yesterday and plan to install it this spring once I have 100% of the parts. There are some supply chain issues that hopefully will not cause problems. I don't want to pull my old system, also it's too cold to do so here in Alberta now, until I know that everything is here to replace it with.
I did make a decision to go from a 12" screen to a 9" and a 7" dual screen system at the last moment. There is a real shortage of 12" Axiom+ units now and they have been backordered for months with no real firm date for them to arrive. My dealer, Binnacle Marine, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, just got a big shipment of 7" and 9" plotters with most being spoken for already. The bonus going to the dual screen system is that it will be about C$800 cheaper than going with the 12". I am now going to set up the system with the 9" screen being mostly dedicated to above water, chart plotter and radar, and the 7" screen being for sonar. I will be able to switch between these as the need arises. I will be installing theReal vision RV-100 transducer.
I am doing a complete system upgrade and a I am installing a Quantum 2 with Doppler Radar, wired into the plotter. I am also replacing the Auto Pilot EV-150 control system. Finally I am adding a B&G ZG-100 GPS antenna.
I plan on keeping my boat for at least 10 more years and I would hate to have the old 2005 Raymarine C80 system fail me when I am somewhere remote like Haida Gwaii or Alaska. We decided to bite the bullet now and have a safe and enjoyable system instead of keeping money for our inheritance to children we do not have.
I did make a decision to go from a 12" screen to a 9" and a 7" dual screen system at the last moment. There is a real shortage of 12" Axiom+ units now and they have been backordered for months with no real firm date for them to arrive. My dealer, Binnacle Marine, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, just got a big shipment of 7" and 9" plotters with most being spoken for already. The bonus going to the dual screen system is that it will be about C$800 cheaper than going with the 12". I am now going to set up the system with the 9" screen being mostly dedicated to above water, chart plotter and radar, and the 7" screen being for sonar. I will be able to switch between these as the need arises. I will be installing theReal vision RV-100 transducer.
I am doing a complete system upgrade and a I am installing a Quantum 2 with Doppler Radar, wired into the plotter. I am also replacing the Auto Pilot EV-150 control system. Finally I am adding a B&G ZG-100 GPS antenna.
I plan on keeping my boat for at least 10 more years and I would hate to have the old 2005 Raymarine C80 system fail me when I am somewhere remote like Haida Gwaii or Alaska. We decided to bite the bullet now and have a safe and enjoyable system instead of keeping money for our inheritance to children we do not have.
Peter & Judy
New member
I use a Ram Mount for the iPad, which I attach with the Ram suction cup to the centre dash board. It works very well, but put a safety line onto the mount as I have had if fall off once or twice in rough seas.
krc":kjuv3ke1 said:
It should be on the downflow side of the prop. I checked with RayMarine because I am going to keep my old transducer too, and it is mounted on the stbd side, just in from the trim tab. They agreed that just to port from the hull drain plug, about 4 inches, should be fine. That puts it on the down side of the port OB and far enough from the stbd OB to not be affected.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
You should be able to put both depth sounder transducers on the Starboard side. If you don't already have a Starboard block to attach them to, this would be a good time. The only issue is how well will the Side scan work to the Port side of the boat. If it is forward of the lower units and turbulence it should be fine.