Electonics question

J

jacko

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I am thinking of upgrading my electronics.

I am looking at Garmin.
The current boat has Raymarine, radar, I am not sure what the plotter is. It also has autohelm

So my question is
Can you mix and match?
Can I just up grade the GPS to Garmin and/or the radar and stick with the existing autohelm?
 
For the most common functions, I think yes. All the standard stuff is part of the NMEA 0183, or NMEA 2000 (is 2000 the current one?) sentence - your lat/long, speed, course, et cetera.

Raymarine and Autohelm are both Raytheon. Came up on boats using Raytheon gear (the AN/SPS-69 RaDAR and later, the Nav-398 GPS), so I'm a big fan of their gear. To me, though, a chartplotter is a chartplotter is a chartplotter. If you're not using it as an ECS, and you're 'driving the chartplotter', it might really matter - or, then again, it really wouldn't.

But look at why you're upgrading, and what advantage it's giving you. You can mix and match to some degree, but without knowing how you run your boat, only you can answer your question.
 
Charlie, here is the deal. My current boat has a small GPS unit that came with it.

My new boat I am planning on. has everything in it already. It is several years old so I thought I would upgrade to the latest in electronics. Do I need to do this no ....but I plan on having this boat for awhile so I want to look at the newer products now.
 
Go to say a West Marine store and play with the stuff that is out to get an idea of what features you like and don't like on the different units and brands. In anything but a large boat I might shy away from touch screen units.
 
quote:
Originally posted by jacko

Charlie, here is the deal. My current boat has a small GPS unit that came with it.

My new boat I am planning on. has everything in it already. It is several years old so I thought I would upgrade to the latest in electronics. Do I need to do this no ....but I plan on having this boat for awhile so I want to look at the newer products now.

Click to expand...


If the current electronics are several years old (how many years is several?) it is probable that new electronics will not be compatible.

I recently upgraded from Raymarine electronics that were 10 years old. Nothing was compatible. I had to change out GPS antenae and the depth function transducer. The Raymarine radar will not work with the new Garmin, but I have not changed that yet.

The old Raymarine consisted of two main units, the GPS/chartplotter and the depth finder/fish finder. The newest equipment has this all in one and uses split screen.

George
 
Capt. Bill1 what do you consider a large boat?
 
.When I did it I added a much improved chart plotter but kept the old radar. I much prefer dedicated units instead of sharing one display. The touch screen allowed placing a larger display in the dash than would have been possible with buttons taking up space. I also got the wireless remote. That gives me the buttons too.
Both buttons and touch screen can be hard to hit when galloping across waves. The remote is easier in that instance.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

Capt. Bill1 what do you consider a large boat?

Click to expand...


Anything over 60,65 feet or so I guess.

Bruce's solution of using a remote is a good one. Had that on a couple boats I've run. Works very well. At least in an enclosed helm.

Not sure how weather/water resistant the remotes are these days.
 
I've got a touch screen on my 30' boat that I absolutely love. I was worried when I first bought it, but I found it easier to work with than my former "button" model. It's not even that large of a unit (Garmin 640):

cf-lg.jpg


Bill, what is it you don't like about touch screens on small boats?
 
Aren't their software programs that some of the functions via a PC or MAC?
 
How you will use the boat is the most critical factor... Perhaps even more than the side. For day trips and week end runs you really don't need the very latest, except for the cool (and distracting) factor
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

I've got a touch screen on my 30' boat that I absolutely love. I was worried when I first bought it, but I found it easier to work with than my former "button" model. It's not even that large of a unit (Garmin 640):

cf-lg.jpg


Bill, what is it you don't like about touch screens on small boats?

Click to expand...


I don't like small screens on any size boat anymore. But that is an age/eyesight thing. :-)

Yes, it's that I find buttons easier to use in rough weather on a small boat. But as usual, YMMV. :-)
 
quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

How you will use the boat is the most critical factor... Perhaps even more than the side. For day trips and week end runs you really don't need the very latest, except for the cool (and distracting) factor

Click to expand...


My time in the boat is most every weekend and a couple of week trips during the summer. i would like it all to function well. I want the radar to show me what is out on the water and what storm might be headed in my way. As for the Autohelm I would like it to go around objects that could sink me. Is this a radar and autohelm function? I have always been behind the wheel and have never had this luxury before
 
if you have room for dual displays then this is the way to go... one GPS and one Radar, they dont' have to be the same brand , personally i almost never use overlay, i find it easier to use both images independently.

going around objects that could sink you is neither a radar nor a autohelm function... it is YOURS!!! Plot a course, get the heading and put that in your autopilot. it's actually a lot easier than bothering with route and coupling the pilot the plotter...

one thing which i find useful is setting the plotter to show the heading line, set at a distance of 5 minutes. this gives me quick indication of distance to buoys, land masses, etc... as well as a quick visual indication that i am on course.

simple works better. using too may advanced functions makes you spend too much time looking at the electronics instead of outside the boat.
 
so it sounds like maybe keeping the stuff that is already installed .....if it is in good enough shape and then add an additional GPS as space allows. This would save me a lot of cost that is for sure. It would also allow for other upgrades to happen.
 
I think you're on the right track with keeping what you have and spending the money somewhere else. The gear you listed as already installed sounds pretty nice.

I'm also with Pascal: KISS! I like to have each device do it's own thing. That way if one goes down, it doesn't take all the other functions with it. I've had a GPS go out on me before. But I still had my RADAR, depth sounder, and compass.
 
Boat shows are a great place to see and try the greatest variety of electronics and talk to mfgrs. reps & dealer /installers about the features & how they interface and what packages might work best for you if you don't have specific units in mind. Many marine electronics seem and perform much different in real life than in the ads, so at least trying them hands-on at the show displays can be of substantial value to a prospective buyer. It's also a good place to talk to other experienced boaters attending about their electronics and preferences and why/what they liked and disliked for add'l perspective that may not have occurred to you.
Unfortunately, the Baltimore show was about a week & 1/2 ago.

As Pascal notes. an autopilot will go where you direct it to steer the boat, whther by simple course heading or nav to GOS WP or series of WP in a route. It will not have nay ability to automatically avoid any kind of hazard you set it to steer toward. You are responsible for command of your boat at all times. The autopilot just makes that a lot easier and can steer a much straiter more economical course over time than most humans.
 
I agree. I never use the plotter to set the course. Too many wierd things happen when you allow electronics to steer the boat.
It gives me the course to steer then I input that to the AP. I often will steer slightly off the direct course to a mark anyway so as to avoid traffic.
 
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