New Garmin Chartplotters Rock

[mixman]

I recently dropped a few thousand on electronic upgrades: New chartplotter, new radar, new transducer. I went with Garmin as I find their charts to be excellent, their units well built, and their tech support to be excellent. My 2013 Honda outboards are NMEA2000 compliant so I now have full integration for engine information (real-time fuel flow, RPM, etc.). NOTE: I have 100% redundancy with my old depth sounder, older Garmin 640 Chartplotter, and analog instruments. But having so much information on the new CP is awesome. I also added SiriusXM music as well as weather. So underway we've got not only tunes to listen to (Bluetooth is also built in) but also real-time satellite weather.

Here is a screen capture I took with my Android phone of the "Auto Guidance" feature of the unit. Note that it automatically figured out the channel where I am and followed my tracks out (the Garmin 741xs can be fully remote controlled by Android and iOS devices).

 

[Reel Antsy]

Very cool Kurt! What's the Garmin app called?

 

[jmeirhofer]

It looks just like the homeport app on Ipad/Iphone. I really like my 740S but likely that will be relegated to back up status by next season if I still have the same boat or any boat as I intend to use my Ipad as the primary. Of course with my slip neighbor having a 740xs and telling me all the cool features, that may be the route I go instead.

 

[mixman]

Jamie, there are a few apps this thing works with. Garmin BlueChart for iOS will sync routes with it (app free, N. America charts $30 - sit at home, make a route, sync it via Wi-Fi when at that boat). I took the screen capture with "Garmin Helm" which is iOS and Android. "Garmin Helm" is, get this, 100% full remote control of the chartplotter. So, John, I can now sit on your boat and turn my music up and own (seriously).

Note: I'm a tech-oriented kind of guy. I removed my radar to put this new chartplotter in. I kept my old Garmin 240 FishFinder and my old Garmin 640 chartplotter. I thought I wouldn't need the two of them but I keep them up as this 741xs really is "excess". I have so much engine information available I need the 640 to have a chart up on! I'll take some more screen captures shortly.

 

[mixman]

More screenshots (note: I didn't touch the chartplotter to do this as my Android phone remote controlled it):

Auto Routing with satellite imagery:

Satellite Music (Bluetooth is also built in).

SiriusXM Satellite Weather (showing precip to the west and the tropical storm in the Atlantic).

 

[Padraig]

How do you like the touch screen? Is it easier to use,while moving, then the tradional push buttons and rocker type controls?

 

[mixman]

I've had a 640 for a number of years. That was touch-screen, but it was older technology. This thing is very much like a modern tablet or smartphone. I know buttons have their advantages when you're bouncing around, but I would never go back now. This screen is very responsive and large enough to navigate easily.

 

[mixman]

Some engine integration screen captures. We just filled up so I reset the fuel to our full 72 gallons of non-ethanol. That particular figure has proven to be very accurate since the fuel burn is being reported in real-time via the ECMs on the engines.

Here are the options that can be displayed from my Honda outboards on top of the charts:

 

[Chesagansett]

Very nice stuff!

 

[RWS]

quote:

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Originally posted by mixman

<SNIP>

Note: I'm a tech-oriented kind of guy. I removed my radar to put this new chartplotter in. I kept my old Garmin 240 FishFinder and my old Garmin 640 chartplotter. I thought I wouldn't need the two of them but I keep them up as this 741xs really is "excess". I have so much engine information available I need the 640 to have a chart up on! I'll take some more screen captures shortly.

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What is the current status of your Radar?

I am curious as I do plan to SOMEDAY move up from Rayjunk to Garmin.

RWS

 

[mixman]

My old radar? I sold it to on Craigslist.