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Brent

Brent

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
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Location
Greenwood, Indiana & Charlotte Harbor, Florida
I am planning to upgrade my FF to a single multifunction unit. What you are using? I will buying a new equipment and interested in the new or refurb models. My budget is roughly $1000 with required signoff from the Admiral. I would like 6 - 7 inch display and will be using an external transducer. I have the Yamaha fuel management system but like the Northstar integrated fuel meter. I dont know which map chip system is better or worse but clearly understand the pricing. Can C-map chips be updated? How often are maps update. The chips on E bay are a good deal but several years old. Do most chartplotters come with a base map? How detailed are base maps?

thanks
 
salbrent":1p5lq0h8 said:
I am planning to upgrade my FF to a single multifunction unit. My budget is roughly $1000 with required signoff from the Admiral. I would like 6 - 7 inch display and will be using an external transducer.
Click to expand...
Personally I find even larger displays (at least those < 12") fairly poor at presenting all of the data, but that is my experience when using my friends' units. To me, Raytheon (12" display) totally screwed up the orientation of their fishfinder when using together with the radar and chartplotter, forcing the FF display to the bottom 2" screen-width of the display. You can't even see a thing when in 300' of water, with those signals processed over a 2" tall display section.

So my advice to you is get on every boat and go to every marine store you can and play with as many units as you can and 'test drive' them before you make a hard choice.

That said, I run separate Navman/Northstar units and love them. I have no experience with their combo units and heard a rumor Northstar (which bought out Navman) may be in trouble. Believe this news/blurb came from BOE Marine?

salbrent":1p5lq0h8 said:
Can C-map chips be updated? How often are maps update?
Click to expand...

Yes they can, but they are only good as the update to the charts themselves. Charts from the Gov can be years old (as in up to 20) if not more :shock: !

salbrent":1p5lq0h8 said:
How detailed are base maps?
Click to expand...
Good enough for 100-mile details ... that's it. Totally unreliable :( for any boating or sporting use in my opinion.
 
For the price and installation check out the new Lowrance HDS Units

All plug and play...maps all pre-loaded

Only issue with mine is a falty temp reading right now...everything else has been great
 
I run a 10" chartplotter (Garmin 2010) and a separate fishfinder (Furuno FCV 600L) for the very reason Dale mentions... screen real estate.

Image-0B0288F859B911DC.jpg


Notice that even on the 10" screen, about 1/3 of the screen is taken up with speed, heading, time, and position, in addition to the chart data.

If I were to add a fishfinder to that screen, I don't think I would like the results, even though I have friends who display all of the functions on a single screen, and don't seem to have a problem with it. It's all what you are used to I suppose.

Image-0B01416259B911DC.jpg


As to the map question, I believe it is hard to argue against the Garmin Bluechart maps. They are some of the best in the business.
In addition to the Bluechart chip, my plotter has a second chip slot which I filled with a Garmin Bathymetric chip.

What you may want to do, after reading the opinions of the members here, is to take all of this information and call Jim Maier at BOE Marine.
866-735-5926 toll free

Ask your questions based on your needs, and I'll bet Jim can suggest a solution to fit your application, and within your budget.

Good luck!
 
thanks again,

I have been emailing Jim and will buy from him as soon as I decide.

Any others bought any new nav equipment?

It is very interesting looking and researching them and all of the options.

For now, I am looking at best value to fit my needs. (subject to daily change at the present)

When are the newer models released? It is in the winter or early spring?
 
Yes. You can hide and restore any of the windows at any time.
It is all available from the set up page button.
In fact, you set up a number of pre-set views that you can rotate through.
 
Current item of the day is a Humminbird 917c with 7" screen and 800 x 400 resolution. It includes a transducer and maps with resolution to 30 m, and
costs $850 from Defender. Is Defender a reputable retailer? I emailed Jim at BOE for a quote b/c this item is not posted
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... Id=1420622
 
salbrent":2yjlrobq said:
I emailed Jim at BOE for a quote b/c this item is not posted
Click to expand...

Best bet is to call him and ask.
He carries many items that you might not find on his web site.
 
Salbrent,

My marina is about 2 miles from Defender. I buy all my electronics and other boat gear from there, usually, due to it being so convenient. Their prices are usually great. I know I mentioned it before, but you should consider the Lowrance HDS-7 if you are considering that Hummingbird model.

Pete
 
pmeggers":2vzbksi7 said:
Salbrent,

My marina is about 2 miles from Defender. I buy all my electronics and other boat gear from there, usually, due to it being so convenient. Their prices are usually great. I know I mentioned it before, but you should consider the Lowrance HDS-7 if you are considering that Hummingbird model.

Pete
Click to expand...

will do, thanks
 
pmeggers":1uue04vf said:
Salbrent,

My marina is about 2 miles from Defender. I buy all my electronics and other boat gear from there, usually, due to it being so convenient. Their prices are usually great. I know I mentioned it before, but you should consider the Lowrance HDS-7 if you are considering that Hummingbird model.

Pete
Click to expand...

nice system but over my budget
 
Salbrent

Have you tried Defender's site. They have a Special or Overstock page. I have found as with Raymarine, tomorrow all bets are off. The company could get sold or they dicide to make the model you just bought discontinued. With the constant industry marketing and upgrades, I would just find one that I liked, buy it and be done with it. Just my .02 cents worth.

Good Luck

PS Jim at BOE is an excellant source also.
 
I have story most buying elecytronics will appreciate.

I have Lowrance HDS 7's in my boat. On Thursday I went down to the boat to get things ready for a little striper tournament I was in on Friday-Saturday. One of my screens (3 months old) turned on, flickered, then died. I called Lowrance and they told me 6-8 weeks repair turnaround. So I marched over to Defenders in Waterford to see what they would say since I boguht it for them.

The young man who helped me, John, said it would be up to his supervisor if he could replace it for me. But he said it did not look good as it was out of box failure over 3 months past the purchase date. Then he said it looked even worse bc there was only 1 left in stock. Needless to say, John and Defenders gave me a brand new unit on the spot.

It showed me what real customer service is. They replaced the unit within 20 minutes of me showing up at the store.

GOOD NEWS !
 
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