How Old is Too Old

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Aug 16, 2009
1,000
Hunter 1986 H31 California Yacht Marina, Chula Vista, CA
Respect the budget or sleep aft says She Who Must Be Obeyed. Received donation of near new Lowrance Globalmap 3300 with the appropriate chart card, an X48 , some NMEA cables and a GPS antenna. Question is whether it is rational to go through the trouble of installing these dated devices, or wait and save for a used newer device such as a Humminbird Combo unit.
 

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Respect the budget or sleep aft says She Who Must Be Obeyed. Received donation of near new Lowrance Globalmap 3300 with the appropriate chart card, an X48 , some NMEA cables and a GPS antenna. Question is whether it is rational to go through the trouble of installing these dated devices, or wait and save for a used newer device such as a Humminbird Combo unit.
First off it doesn't appear to be that dated. However, this is coming from a geek who is usually 3 gernerations behind the times. Why not use it until you can afford "better".
It seems to have all of the features including NMEA connection so you should be able to send to your autopilot and VHS radio DSC emergency functions.
The only function I don't see on yours that is on mine is the depth sounder and fish finder. Your manual is available online FYI.
BTW I noticed this week that my newer GPSmap does not have the shipping lanes delineated as my older unit did. Could have used it on way back from Catalina.
I had an oil tanker in front of me and a cargo ship behind me. It would have been nice to know when I was out of harms way.
 

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Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
As long as it does what its intended to do - I'd install it. I have a 1973 boat pulled by a 1971 truck thus I have no aversion to being "dated". The boat floats and the truck pulls after 40 years.

So....If you you don't want to go thru the trouble feel free to donate it to me and I'll go the trouble and send you a thank you card I have stashed from 1975.
 
Aug 16, 2009
1,000
Hunter 1986 H31 California Yacht Marina, Chula Vista, CA
Er . . . the autopilot is a surprisingly game Navico WP10. Not sure that unit will interface with anything but my compass. I appreciate the encouragement and will probably build an NMEA backbone to operate the Lowrance devices.
 
Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
Al long as it does what you need and works - install it. :D

Respect the budget or sleep aft says She Who Must Be Obeyed. Received donation of near new Lowrance Globalmap 3300 with the appropriate chart card, an X48 , some NMEA cables and a GPS antenna. Question is whether it is rational to go through the trouble of installing these dated devices, or wait and save for a used newer device such as a Humminbird Combo unit.
 
Oct 2, 2006
1,517
Jboat J24 commack
I have the 3500C and it not lacking in any area and as i have and A4 powered boat the EP fuel flow is now coming in very handy for planing stop if i have to do long range motoring

The only issue is it has the older style blue NEMA 2000 cables and If it is a problem they have adapters that tallow the use of the new style red cables
 
May 24, 2004
7,213
CC 30 South Florida
Nothing wrong with free and if it works it will guide you to the same places as the newer units. Do you really want to pay for some bells and whistles.
 
Jan 22, 2008
423
Catalina 30 Mandeville, La.
I recently purchased a bopat with an older chart plotter. I was concerned about the older data on it since the copyright screen indicated 2005. I used this extensively from Pensacola to New Orleans through many areas devastated by severe hurricanes since then. I found the charted depths & markers to be almost exact as the chart plotter indicated. There were a few obvious places, like the Chef Menteur bridge over the Rigolets is now a fixed bridge instead of bascule. I would study a newer chart and compare channels and markers to what was on the chart plotter. I trust the data, but will still confirm port approach markers and channels with newer data. I would think this might one of the least accurate areas because of the storms and shallow waters, but so far so good with the old data.
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,751
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
You might want to check if there are any software updates before you install it. Only because if you need to connect it to a PC for an upgrade it's much easier then when mounted on the boat.
 
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