You lot always know where the bargain plotters are...

Poly · 03 July 2018, 07:17

So after about 10 years of good service my Lowrance iFinder GPS (its a handheld GPS with a roughly 1.5” black and white plotter screen which I mount on a bracket and connect to power and VHF via an adaptor) has given up on life (will no longer turn on). On investigation it appears some of the plastic around the battery compartment has gone brittle, snapped off and let moisture in which has killed it.

So I obviously need to replace. Tech has moved on, we use it more than I expected, partly because I travel further than expected when I bought it and partly because increasingly the family are helming more and they don’t tend to have learned where the submerged rocks are!

I know some of you keep your eyes on the market and know what is a good deal, and when I looked last night realised the pricing is almost as confusing as mobile phone shopping with some including maps (some better than others) some offering sounder capability too (but then not necessarily coming with the transducer) etc...

So here is the spec:

1. I’m brand agnostic. I do like to use Navionics WebApp for home based passage thoughts so if it was easy to export routes from there that would be nice but not essential.
2. I do need NMEA0183 position output for the VHF.
3. A plotter not just a GPS position.
4. Free standing not flush mount as I don’t have space for it.
5. Obviously properly waterproof - where it sits it is going to get plenty of spray.
6. I’ve made do with 1.5” B&W so can make do with virtually any screen size (especially as they all seem to be colour).
7. I don’t currently have a fish finder/ sounder set up. I did experiment with a fish finder but it didn’t work if moving at all (perhaps just too close to the engine on a small boat). I can live without one. If I had one it would be used 99% of the time as a sounder only. Even that I have managed without so far.
8. It needs to appeal to my inherently Scottish wallet! It’s going on a 3.9m boat.
9. The iFinder has reasonably detailed charts on a CF card. Even in the unlikely event they worked they are now well out of date in some areas - not least due to the addition of a new bridge across the Forth a few miles from home. I’d like actual chart level detail with bouys, depths, etc rather than just a coastal outline.

So, what do you suggest/is a good deal at the moment?

willk · 03 July 2018, 08:29

I'm not up to speed with the market, but a couple of things to remember:

Navionics Silver charts are often bundled in cheap deals. They are "restricted" and only have contour lines out to 10m. Pants IMO.

Wifi is now a thing. A really small screen can be duplicated on a small device such as an old tablet etc. Useful for uploading routes etc on arriving at the boat.

You're a citeog so beware the righty oriented thumb wheel

simonl · 03 July 2018, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

You're a citeog so beware the righty oriented thumb wheel

I had to google it..

'Citeog' is the Irish expression for a leftie. Nobody knows where it first started but its generally an endearing term and not at all offensive ciotógach = Gaelic ...

Poly · 03 July 2018, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Navionics Silver charts are often bundled in cheap deals. They are "restricted" and only have contour lines out to 10m. Pants IMO.

is that the only restriction? With a draft of < 1m I'm not too worried about depths > 10m. Having never had a sounder I've never navigated by contour. Am I missing something? Even in my wee boaty?

Quote:

Wifi is now a thing. A really small screen can be duplicated on a small device such as an old tablet etc. Useful for uploading routes etc on arriving at the boat.

I nearly made a comment about that on my "requirements". Given I did Largs, Cumbrae, Tighnabruich, Kyles, Largs on Sunday without sitting in the helm seat once - I could see some advantage in having a waterproof phone holder on the back of the front jockey so I can see a position too. If it let me control their screen too - that would be amazing - but it definitely not essential.

Quote:

You're a citeog so beware the righty oriented thumb wheel

Have I not made clear - I don't get to helm any more... they are all "normal".

Pikey Dave · 03 July 2018, 10:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

is that the only restriction? With a draft of < 1m I'm not too worried about depths > 10m. Having never had a sounder I've never navigated by contour. Am I missing something? Even in my wee boaty?

I nearly made a comment about that on my "requirements". Given I did Largs, Cumbrae, Tighnabruich, Kyles, Largs on Sunday without sitting in the helm seat once - I could see some advantage in having a waterproof phone holder on the back of the front jockey so I can see a position too. If it let me control their screen too - that would be amazing - but it definitely not essential.

Have I not made clear - I don't get to helm any more... they are all "normal".

The Lowrance "go free" app allows you to take over the plotter from your phone/tablet. There are some deals on old models at the mo if you hunt around. Depends on how deep the "Scottishness" runs.

jeffstevens763@g · 03 July 2018, 12:12

https://www.force4.co.uk/lowrance-ho...x-n-chart.html

i have this one poly 7 inch screen and love it exactly the same apart from i bought the navionics maps, never had the C maps so can't comment but a good price for the lot including transducer.

gpsguru · 03 July 2018, 12:25

Take a look at Cactus Nav & Comms (used to be Cactus marine electronics) ............ a helpful bunch and you can usually get a geed deal from them .......... Cactus Navigation and Communication Ltd - Electronics

willk · 03 July 2018, 17:41

P. I don't fish but contours are useful when considering the effect of tide around submarine terrain. Think the Corry, but elsewhere. May not be an issue for you....

ShinyShoe · 03 July 2018, 17:52

The wafi tight wadds are quite into navioncs on a tablet in a waterproof case...

Won't do GPS to DSC... Can be done separately without a display although 12v GPS mice are hard to find these days

Now is your chance to integrate a AIS Transponder ... Chinese import liked by the WaFI world

Poly · 03 July 2018, 18:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

P. I don't fish but contours are useful when considering the effect of tide around submarine terrain. Think the Corry, but elsewhere. May not be an issue for you....

I’d quite like to see overfalls marked. I’m not sure I need to worry too much about submarine terrain when on the boat as it’s the sort of thing I consider in the house but less when actually afloat.

Poly · 03 July 2018, 18:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

The wafi tight wadds are quite into navioncs on a tablet in a waterproof case...

Won't do GPS to DSC...

that might suit navigating at 5 knots with a cabin and protection for charging but it’s not sib friendly and the cost of a case, bracket and tablet add up to the sort of money I’m thinking... the charging is a critical issue for me. Security would also mean I’d feel a tablet needed securing more than a bolted down plotter.

Quote:

Can be done separately without a display although 12v GPS mice are hard to find these days

Now is your chance to integrate a AIS Transponder ... Chinese import liked by the WaFI world

I’m perfectly capable of constructing some sort of dedicated gps feed for the vhf, but that’s extra cost, vulnerability and AIS is well down my priority list - low vis and night time use aren’t my normal MO and if I am staring at a 4” screen on a 4m boat hoping some little arrows are going to save my ass something has gone tits up.

Poly · 03 July 2018, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

The Lowrance "go free" app allows you to take over the plotter from your phone/tablet. There are some deals on old models at the mo if you hunt around. Depends on how deep the "Scottishness" runs.

It runs deep. I’m looking for a solution that starts with a 2 or maybe a 3.

Pikey Dave · 03 July 2018, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

It runs deep. I’m looking for a solution that starts with a 2 or maybe a 3.

How many digits[emoji6]?

Poly · 03 July 2018, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

How many digits[emoji6]?

:-) just imagine I’m from Yorkshire but feeling flush!

Pikey Dave · 03 July 2018, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

:-) just imagine I’m from Yorkshire but feeling flush!

http://www.cactusnav.com/garmin-gpsm...SABEgI96_D_BwE

Xk59D · 03 July 2018, 18:44

Something on your list will need to make way or the budget doubled to fulfill your list on original post. Probably circa 500 quid would get you where your list says you need to be..Simrad go5 for example may tick what you need. I don't think has 0183 though, would need to check specs. Some of the garmin would do a job and I like the garmin maps personally.

Poly · 03 July 2018, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

Something on your list will need to make way or the budget doubled to fulfill your list on original post. Probably circa 500 quid would get you where your list says you need to be..

Really- what’s pushing my cost up? pikey’s link is the Garmin modern equivalent of what I have so would do the job - although no doubt there is a special cable and ram mount that costs another £50-70! And I’ve not researched which maps it includes.

But as random examples do these not tick the boxes?
https://www.marinesuperstore.com/gps...omap-plus-45cv
https://www.marinesuperstore.com/gps...ragonfly-4-pro
https://www.bottomlinemarine.com/pro...info_desc2-tab

Xk59D · 03 July 2018, 19:33

Charts and or transducers, by time you add them you may as well pay the extra for a better unit imo...unless you are happy spending 400 quid ish to look at a smaller screen with potentially basic charts.

edit- my mistake it was something you quoted I read about charts, Apologies for not reading correctly.

In which case what you linked looks reasonable for budget.

Poly · 03 July 2018, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xk59D

Charts and or transducers, by time you add them you may as well pay the extra for a better unit imo...unless you are happy spending 400 quid ish to look at a smaller screen with basic charts.

I’m not fussed about transducer (obv if it’s free or little extra but not essential - sorry if that wasn’t clear in the OP), its all an upgrade from 1.5” B&W.

Quote:

edit- my mistake it was something you quoted I read but I'll leave the following anyway- but you seemed to question the navionics silver so you will need to spend on charts. You are in the budget where a little more gets quite a bit more imo

Yeah that the bit I have no real feel for - how good the various chart flavours are.

Xk59D · 03 July 2018, 19:48

I edited the post buddy....my bad.

Never used base maps but I guess it is what you are used to, sounds like just about anything will be an upgrade. You can always upgrade the maps later and add the transducer.