Need Advice

sailcruiser · Nov 27, 2011

Tom, some additional info would be helpful. Do you intend to tie he two together? (not everyone does) art there other instruments on board? If so what protocol ate you interfacing to? And probably most importantly what do you want it to do? Just plot and steer or do you want to incorporate AIS, radar, wether etc as well? There are choices but once you decide what goals you want to meet we can perhaps make a few suggestions.

Right now I'm just not sure which way to go.

SC

sailcruiser · Nov 27, 2011

Ok that's progress!

tell me about sailing location (generally ie south Florida , great lakes etc) What type of sailing do you do now and have immediate plans for? Are you a day sailor now with dreams of a few trips or ?

My boat which is equipped as a coastal cruiser has instruments for wind direction and speed, depth and speed. The wind is helpful for sail trim but I'm old school and still mostly use the windex. The wind speed is nice so I can see if things are building and leave time to reef. Speed hasn't worked and I don't miss it but do have the parts to fix it. I choose not to hook the auto helm to the plotter because I don't ever want to become reliant on electronics. (personal preference). I force myself to keep my head in the game if you will.

My last boat had nothing and did fine. I had a handheld depth gauge. The only electronics on board were a radio and nav lights. It's all first what you can afford and second what you want.

If you are in an area where water is shallow or sandbars move I'd say depth is important. I'd have to sit down with google for sites but most instruments these days speak to each other using a common language (protocol) being NMEA 2000 and some use TacTic which is wireless but I can't say how proprietary it is. I'd have to look as I haven't worked with it. Basically you need to make sure all these items can speak to each other. You could have a Garmin plotter talking to Raymarine instruments with some third party auto helm. (Raymarine is all that comes to mind at 3 am!)

Another factor is how good are your eyes and do you have a budget? do you plan to do this in steps or one big bill?

I know full of questions but I am trying to narrow down your goals.

SC

Bill Roosa · Nov 28, 2011

Also understand that NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 are not interchangable.
NMEA 0183 is a single talker many listeners type protocal while NMEA 2000 is a compleatly different network all talker, all listener type.
There are two methods along the upgrade path. Both suffer greatly during the "second upgrade" if you don't develope a long range plan for what you want on the boat.
You can either commit to a single manufacturer and their propriatary (but plug and play) protocal or you can commit to NMEA xxxx (and fight the wiring diagrams fight). The manufacturer route is by far easier but then you HAVE to buy their products.
The real problem arises 5 years down the road when you want to upgrade again and there is not direct plug and play route. You end up either not upgrading or replacing perfictly working equipment. It pays to determin what you want in the final configuration (to include map file formats!!!!!!) before you go buying the first incrimental upgrade. Also consider that the manufacturers want you to keep buying their stuff and will slowly phase out what ever system they use in favor of a new (and shinny) system.

Ed Schenck · Nov 28, 2011

To simplify I would assume that your C-30 would want a wheelpilot. If so then Raymarine is your one option I think. Unless you find something used.

So if a Raymarine autopilot then do you want to connect it to wind or GPS? If yes then this other current discussion is helpful: http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=869516#post869516

Nodak7 · Nov 28, 2011

I had a Lowrance HDS7 on my previous boat tied into the Raymarine ST50 Auto Pilot. It worked great! I highly recommend the Lowrance HDS Chart Plotters. Intuative to use and lots of great features. I currently have a Raymarine E120/E80 and find it not as easy to use and lacking the features of the Lowrance. Not to say anything about the additional power usage.

zeehag · Nov 28, 2011

Lost Parent said:
My current old Garmin {235} is just fine but cards are no longer available for it up here in Canada that would cover the Gulf Islands , I do have some but we are misdsing major ones so I am looking at a new Garmin 441S and a raymarine autohelm X5 wich would be seperate but that is ok

if it takes the blue chart g2 non vision, order from garmin online....i did and i got mine easily.

sailcruiser · Nov 28, 2011

On the Garmin 441, I have a 540 which is a few more features and last years model. If your vision is at the over 40 stage this can be hard to see. My father in law had a heck of a time even with bifocals. Try one in a store if this could be a concern. Aside from that it's a nice plotter. I use Homeport on the PC for route planning. ($30ish) I don't think it's as robust as some units in features especially if you add weather as I plan to. The screen seems like it will clutter quickly. The vision thing would be my biggest concern. I am one to opt for the most integration path for me personally as I'm frugal shopper and getting all one manufacturer rarely works out for the frugal.

SC

zeehag · Nov 28, 2011

my 180 took same chips as my 498--not the vision ones-- the older ones that are only 160 dollars each. my 180 was from 2003 or 2004, also.
same chips g2 not vision

call garmin and they will work with the number of the garmin device needing maps and you will get the right ones. garmin are ok folks.

Jalepeno · Nov 28, 2011

Lost Parent
I recommend you wait for the Xmas sales. Last year I got a Lowrance Elite-5 Gold, Chart-Plotter / Sounder & Fish Finder combo with the Navionics Gold series of ALL of the Canadian coastal charts (west, artic and east coasts) along with US coastal charts for a total of about $500 + HST at the local West Marine store here in Richmond. Keep an eye out for Xmas specials at Stevenston Marine, Nika Industries, West Marine and your local stores over on The Island. Also remember this is the year of the bi-annual Boat Show over here in February. You don’t have to go to the show get the show special pricing.
s/v Jalepeno