Which Nav system for my 30' Newport?

[Bazzer]

We have purchased a 1986 Newport 30 and I am wanting to install a Radar and Nav system, what would you recommend at a reasonable cost? At the moment we are using a Macbook with MacENC, but this is no good for cockpit use, wonderful for planning. I would like to also include a AIS receiver as well. I have considered interfacing a radar to my macbook with a small remote VGA Screen. I have found several cheap screens intended for auto use, so maybe this is the way to go? Personally I would prefer the ruggedness of Raymarine or Garmin.
Bazzer

 

[Ed Schenck]

There is lots of info here, both in current threads and in the archives. There was a very recent discussion about the value of a single system that networked.

I have found it is much less expensive to buy components. My chartplotter is Garmin, my instruments are Nexus, the wheelpilot is Simrad, and the radar is JRC. Nothing fancy but because there is a standard interface(NEMA) they can be tied together.

If money is no object then you go to a reputable marine electronics shop and buy their "system". It would most likely NOT be Raymarine or Garmin.

 

[Stu Jackson]

It all depends on what you want at your helm station

A big display with everything or modular, smaller components that can be battery operated or plugged into your DC system.

Also depends on where you're gonna be cruising. Being in Bencia, you could either be sailing locally or planning ocean trips.

If local, as we do mostly, we just use a Garmin GPSMap 76 Cx, with an Autohelm ST3000. Also works great for both our Delta trips and for our ocean sailing. I personally dislike the big displays that force you to stand up to see over them. I also don't see a need to interface everything, but that's just me (and Ed, too!).

Your ENC is great for trip planning. Depends on what you think you want or need at the helm.

Your boat, your choice.

 

[Bazzer]

I should note that I am a bit of a electronics geek, ex military who is used to looking into a crt! I have iNavx on my phone as well as a handheld Garmin. But I want Radar and a decent sized chartplotter on deck, maybe 7 or 8 inches. I would like the plotter to show all as well as being to upload routes etc from my laptop.
I looked for the thread on the networked system, can somebody point me to it?
Thanks
Bazzer

 

[Jim]

A cheap one!

 

[Stu Jackson]

Networked Nav Systems

Bazzer,

Suggest you go the "the sources" -- like West Marine's catalogs or their website, and any of the reputable manufacturers of marine nav gear (Raymarine, Garmin, etc.) and the ads in any sailing magazine. They give your the bare bones in the ads and in catalogs and you can learn more from their individual websites, in addition to any searches you can do here on "network" or "navigational systemns". That's what I'd do if I was looking.

 

[Ed Schenck]

This might be the thread I wrote of:
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=595125 .

But the "Search" tab really does work well.

 

[Stu Jackson]

If you look at Reply #6 in Ed's link

you'll see what I mean about having to look over instruments to go sailing. And having to look through all the plastic makes me wonder if "the great outdoors" is really there at all on that boat, as nice as it is.

 

[Bazzer]

you'll see what I mean about having to look over instruments to go sailing. And having to look through all the plastic makes me wonder if "the great outdoors" is really there at all on that boat, as nice as it is.

That is why I only want a small plotter mounted maybe on the bulkhead adjacent to the companionway. A readable slave to the inside plotter would be nice along with the radar. I can actually show that on my iphone currently with iNavx and MacENC, but the iphone screen is a little to small for me. It needs to be bright enough to read in direct sunlight of course. I'm still thinking Raymarine C80 or Garmin with the touch screen, does anyone have any comments about either in sunlight? I know the new handheld Garmins don't do so well in sunlight, but how about the Plotters?
Bazzer

 

[Bazzer]

West Marine

Bazzer,

Suggest you go the "the sources" -- like West Marine's catalogs or their website, and any of the reputable manufacturers of marine nav gear (Raymarine, Garmin, etc.) and the ads in any sailing magazine. They give your the bare bones in the ads and in catalogs and you can learn more from their individual websites, in addition to any searches you can do here on "network" or "navigational systemns". That's what I'd do if I was looking.

I've done all you suggest, including a visit to West Marine flagship store in Alameda, The level of knowledge there was not all that great when it came to the electronics. They of course have both Raymarine and Garmin, but inside with good lighting and demo charts only.

Bazzer

 

[Stu Jackson]

Maine Sail's suggestion in the provided link

seems to be the key. YOU have to test them out yourself, and not depend on store help to make your decision.

Have you tried the electronics store in Alameda Marina? SeaPower on Kennedy Street in Oakland just over the Park Street Bridge also has a good electronics store.

Our Garmin handheld is just great in bright sunlight, only time I don't need the backlighting. The C80 is HUGE. My friend's C80 is fine in sunlight, although it's on a Sea Ray 34 with a full bridgedeck Sunbrella cover.

There's more sunlight in that Alameda WM store where the electronics display is located than there is outside.

You're comparing apples and oranges here, me thinks.

 

[Maine Sail]

With radar

With radar you have few good options; Raymarine, Furuno and Garmin.

A Garmin 3200 series plotter and a GMR dome will be the least expensive option. Personally I do not like touch screens on boats. Between salt spray and finger grease from sunblock and such they become very un-readable and blurred quickly. If it were me I'd narrow it down to the three mentioned above. The Garmin will usually be the most user friendly and cost effective and they also stand behind their products better than just about anyone other than Harken....

 

[seadaddler]

I love my C-80 and easy to read in sun light,

 

[richk]

I have a Garmin GPS 48. It has no graphics. It is as precise as other units. You can either plot lat/lon on paper or use a laptop w/appropriate s/w. I recommend a cheap laptop with Seaclear II.
1. Seaclear's free (http://www.sping.com/)
2. There is an online, responsible govt source for free charts (http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm)
3. replace laptop when it breaks

 

[Bazzer]

Thanks

I love my C-80 and easy to read in sun light,

Hi, thanks for the observation.
Barry

 

[Bazzer]

I have a Garmin GPS 48. It has no graphics. It is as precise as other units. You can either plot lat/lon on paper or use a laptop w/appropriate s/w. I recommend a cheap laptop with Seaclear II.
1. Seaclear's free (http://www.sping.com/)
2. There is an online, responsible govt source for free charts (http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download.htm)
3. replace laptop when it breaks

Thanks, I have considered a rugged laptop, in fact there are many on Ebay to choose from. I am currently using a new MacBook Pro that has MacEnc installed. It works very well the only thing that it doesn't do is a Radar overlay on the screen with charts showing. It does show targets both from a Radar as well as AIS. If only it were waterproof. There are available touch screens which can control the cursor movement. Unfortunately they are not waterproof either. If they were I could keep the laptop at the Nav station and have the small screen for display on deck. I might just find a low cost radar and small(er) screen for sailing and my MacBook for Planning. I could do this with Raymarine, but their cost is high. The only low cost item they offer is the route planning software, but at least that will upload to the C series.
Bazzer

 

[Stu Jackson]

Good points, Bazzer

But I still would love to hear where you're panning to sail, based on one of my earlier threads. I do remember you love to tinker with electronics, though.

We still have (and use) our old Magellan Blazer 10, similar to the Garmin 48 with just numbers, no charts. I used that for ten years or more, Monterey to the Delta, before I "broke down" ad bought our Garmin GPSMap 76 Cx last year. It's a nicer "toy" but I went to Monterey on Loran in 1994 and there again in 2007 with just the Magellan. Returned safely, too.

 

[zeus1931]

That is why I only want a small plotter mounted maybe on the bulkhead adjacent to the companionway. A readable slave to the inside plotter would be nice along with the radar. I can actually show that on my iphone currently with iNavx and MacENC, but the iphone screen is a little to small for me. It needs to be bright enough to read in direct sunlight of course. I'm still thinking Raymarine C80 or Garmin with the touch screen, does anyone have any comments about either in sunlight? I know the new handheld Garmins don't do so well in sunlight, but how about the Plotters?
Bazzer

I use a Garmin IqueM5 (no longer sold by Garmin) on deck and find the screen is superb.
As the M5 is a PDA you also have the full Pocket PC facilities including e-mails and web browsing.

The software I use is Oziexplorer on my laptop at the chart table, and OziexplorerCE on the PDA, so I have the same charts on both. The M5 has it's own GPS built-in, and uses the Arm processor and chipset, so once a fix is found I can take the PDA below decks and it continues to navigate.

You can pick up these M5's on E-bay from around $80. They were £700+ when new, so they are a real bargain, and easy to load with software. Look in the PDA section on E-bay, not the GPS section if you want to find a real bargain.

With a 2gb SD card in the slot, you could carry around a portfolio of charts in your pocket that would fill your chart table to overflowing!

The M5 is not waterproof, but with care and a decent case, it can be pocketed without damage so long as you don't crash around the deck in bad weather. It has a built-in antenna and a screen twice as big as the current Garmin handhelds. My M5 can get a fix on the "birds" in less than 30secs. At night it is an absolute godsend. It is powered by a removable Li-ion battery which can be replaced (costs about $12 on E-Bay) and lasts for around six hours, but the M5 is supplied with the usual auto windscreen mount and PDA mount, so is easy to re-charge from a 12-volt or mains voltage system.


Good sailing in 2009!

Zeus1931

 

[Bazzer]

But I still would love to hear where you're panning to sail, based on one of my earlier threads. I do remember you love to tinker with electronics, though.

We still have (and use) our old Magellan Blazer 10, similar to the Garmin 48 with just numbers, no charts. I used that for ten years or more, Monterey to the Delta, before I "broke down" ad bought our Garmin GPSMap 76 Cx last year. It's a nicer "toy" but I went to Monterey on Loran in 1994 and there again in 2007 with just the Magellan. Returned safely, too.

Stu, I'm a pretty navigator without any electronics, been depending on DR for years around the Solent and the South of England in my quarter tonner; sailed out of Boston as the skipper on a 65 footer with no working electronics other than a semi functional radar which the owner was to mean to fix. Now I really like the security of electronics as much as the shear fun in "playing" with them. I want radar for the Bay 'cause there is fog there once in a while.........AIS will provide "belts and braces" so to speak. I feel good when there is zero visibility being able to "see" that gas tanker heading up the Carquinez Strait at a good rate of knots. The Ferry's aren't exactly all that user friendly either. But I guess a "Salty Old Dog" might not need anything other than a tame Gull and a piece of seaweed

 

[Bazzer]

I use a Garmin IqueM5 (no longer sold by Garmin) on deck and find the screen is superb.
As the M5 is a PDA you also have the full Pocket PC facilities including e-mails and web browsing.

The software I use is Oziexplorer on my laptop at the chart table, and OziexplorerCE on the PDA, so I have the same charts on both. The M5 has it's own GPS built-in, and uses the Arm processor and chipset, so once a fix is found I can take the PDA below decks and it continues to navigate.

You can pick up these M5's on E-bay from around $80. They were £700+ when new, so they are a real bargain, and easy to load with software. Look in the PDA section on E-bay, not the GPS section if you want to find a real bargain.

With a 2gb SD card in the slot, you could carry around a portfolio of charts in your pocket that would fill your chart table to overflowing!

The M5 is not waterproof, but with care and a decent case, it can be pocketed without damage so long as you don't crash around the deck in bad weather. It has a built-in antenna and a screen twice as big as the current Garmin handhelds. My M5 can get a fix on the "birds" in less than 30secs. At night it is an absolute godsend. It is powered by a removable Li-ion battery which can be replaced (costs about $12 on E-Bay) and lasts for around six hours, but the M5 is supplied with the usual auto windscreen mount and PDA mount, so is easy to re-charge from a 12-volt or mains voltage system.


Good sailing in 2009!

Zeus1931

You out of Glasgow? Send me some Haggis!!! I am familiar with the M5, actually you might well be able to get a waterproof case for one via OtterBox, I haven't checked. I used one of their waterproof box's for the original iphone and using a Dremel I made it fit my 3G iphone which of course has a GPS built in, the battery life is crap however. Using a combo of MacENC and iNavx you can "relay" realtime info from the mac to the iphone, shows up all the instruments you might need for sailing. If I attached the Otterbox and phone to the cockpit area and wire in 12v to it I would have a highly functional system. But I really prefer the current marine electronic chartplotter.