I am looking at installing new electronics on my boat over the winter. Does anyone have experience with the Navman series 3100? I am looking at the Navman 3100 or the Raymarine ST60. Both have packages going on right now and look comparable. I would like to install wind, depth, and speed with a repeater at the nav station. Any comments? Tony
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Navman 3100 series
I installed Navman 3100 depth, speed, and wind instruments in my 1989 Hunter 30G this summer (with some help from my yard, which handled the masthead wind transducer). My previous boat had a comparable ST60 setup. Both systems perform admirably. Indeed, they are quite similar. Both have proprietary bus architectures (for connecting the instruments to each other and to a GPS/chartplotter) but also work with the NMEA standard. The Raymarine instruments offer many more features, most of which I never used; on balance, I'd say that the Navman instruments are more ergonomic -- easier and less confusing to use. Either system is a good bet; Navman got the edge, for me, due to price (but that was before Raymarine offered package discounts). If you already have (or are planning to buy) a Raymarine autopilot & chartplotter, you'll find it somewhat easier to get everything working smoothly if you go for the Raymarine instruments (which "speak" the proprietary Raymarine SeaTalk communications protocol). I'm using the Navman 3100 instruments with a Standard Horizon CP160 plotter and a Raymarine ST4000+ autopilot, and I'm quite pleased with the results.
I installed Navman 3100 depth, speed, and wind instruments in my 1989 Hunter 30G this summer (with some help from my yard, which handled the masthead wind transducer). My previous boat had a comparable ST60 setup. Both systems perform admirably. Indeed, they are quite similar. Both have proprietary bus architectures (for connecting the instruments to each other and to a GPS/chartplotter) but also work with the NMEA standard. The Raymarine instruments offer many more features, most of which I never used; on balance, I'd say that the Navman instruments are more ergonomic -- easier and less confusing to use. Either system is a good bet; Navman got the edge, for me, due to price (but that was before Raymarine offered package discounts). If you already have (or are planning to buy) a Raymarine autopilot & chartplotter, you'll find it somewhat easier to get everything working smoothly if you go for the Raymarine instruments (which "speak" the proprietary Raymarine SeaTalk communications protocol). I'm using the Navman 3100 instruments with a Standard Horizon CP160 plotter and a Raymarine ST4000+ autopilot, and I'm quite pleased with the results.
Check Plastic for Durability
One thing I would look at is the types of the plastic used for the outer shell, both the opaque and the dial portion. Some, the older B&G and Raytheon, deteriorated fairly fast in the elements. Maybe e-mail the manufacturer under "contact us"? They will all look nice now when they're new but how will they look ten years? Also check the push button heistory for failure. Contact an electronic repair shop that services both brands for "issues"?
One thing I would look at is the types of the plastic used for the outer shell, both the opaque and the dial portion. Some, the older B&G and Raytheon, deteriorated fairly fast in the elements. Maybe e-mail the manufacturer under "contact us"? They will all look nice now when they're new but how will they look ten years? Also check the push button heistory for failure. Contact an electronic repair shop that services both brands for "issues"?
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