Chartplotter

[davej]

Hi There,

I am looking for some advice for buying a new Chartplotter for my BSAC Dive Branch RIB.

Been looking about on the net and by following personal recommendation ie towards Raymarine, have thought that a Raymarine e65 looks suitable and as regards buying charts think that Navionics NW Europe with Irelands looks good.

It must have good definition charts ( are Navio )nics the bestand what about the touch screen in a RIB with potentially spray around?

If anyone has one I would be grateful for user feedback, does any one use the WiFi feature?

Thanks Dave J

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by davej

Hi There,



I am looking for some advice for buying a new Chartplotter for my BSAC Dive Branch RIB.



Been looking about on the net and by following personal recommendation ie towards Raymarine, have thought that a Raymarine e65 looks suitable and as regards buying charts think that Navionics NW Europe with Irelands looks good.



It must have good definition charts ( are Navio )nics the bestand what about the touch screen in a RIB with potentially spray around?



If anyone has one I would be grateful for user feedback, does any one use the WiFi feature?



Thanks Dave J

Having used both Raymarine & Lowrance on various boats, I prefer Lowrance. I've been diving/fishing for 30 odd years & keep coming back to Lowrance. They tend to be aimed at the fishing sector of the market, whereas I find Raymarine are biased towards the rag & string brigade. Current boat has an HDS9 gen3 with through hull M260 transducer & structure scan, can't fault it. Whichever way you go, Navionics are the charts to have, imho. Especially when wreck hunting.
Personally I don't rate Garmin charts, I find em a bit "fisher price" fine for simple a-b navigation, but if you want seabed detail similar to a proper paper chart, I'd go Navionics.

[jeffstevens763@g]

+1 lowrance with navionics charts.
had garmin & hummingbird on the last boat liked them too

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

+1 lowrance with navionics charts.
had garmin & hummingbird on the last boat liked them too

At least we agree on summat[emoji1]

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

At least we agree on summat[emoji1]

heathy debate dave gives everone both sides

[davej]

Thank you for these really helpful comments, the lowerance hd9 gen 3 s look a great piece of kit but it's way over our budget as I have about 800 inc the chart. Any specific recommendations?

Has anyone used a touch screen in an open boat?

I am not specifically focused on raymarine. And in a couple of weeks will be working in Portsmouth so expect to go and have close look at possibilities.

Yours Dave

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by davej

Thank you for these really helpful comments, the lowerance hd9 gen 3 s look a great piece of kit but it's way over our budget as I have about 800 inc the chart. Any specific recommendations?

Has anyone used a touch screen in an open boat?

I am not specifically focused on raymarine. And in a couple of weeks will be working in Portsmouth so expect to go and have close look at possibilities.

Yours Dave

dave i use the elite 7 combo really happy with it splits into three screens if required chart, sounder & downscan cost was £600 + chart not the best deal you would get a good deal this time of year.

never used a touch screen i personnaly would find it difficult bobbing about and if i were to buy one i would go for the duel control best of both worlds then.
i use my sat nav[touch screen] off road and always swearing at it.
if you can go and have a play on them best way, raymarine is good stuff.

on a personnel level i am a bit idle i set everthing to auto where i can and set it up and leave it just use the zoom feature and swap screen size chart to sounder etc theres that much stuff on them i get bogged down would rather look at the view above & below the water others may differ just my take on it cheers hope you get sorted

[jambo]

Agree with both Dave and Jeff. I've used Lowrance and Navionics and never had an issue

[Pikey Dave]

I was sceptical about the touch screen so went for the gen3 which is hybrid. In all but the lumpiest conditions I use the touch screen & never had a problem even in very wet conditions. If it's very lairy, I use the buttons as you can grip the side of the screen bezel & take good aim.
Just as an aside, I was talking to Lance on the Navionics stand at the boat show & bemoaning the lack of syncing between the Navionics app & Lowrance plotters (Raymarine already have it) this allows you to plot routes, waypoints etc on your iPad & sync them to the plotter using the plotters built in wifi. He told me that it's in the pipeline & hey presto, the latest Navionics update has the option to sync to other plotters, there's a firmware update due for the HDS to add the facility.[emoji106]

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I was sceptical about the touch screen so went for the gen3 which is hybrid. In all but the lumpiest conditions I use the touch screen & never had a problem even in very wet conditions. If it's very lairy, I use the buttons as you can grip the side of the screen bezel & take good aim.
Just as an aside, I was talking to Lance on the Navionics stand at the boat show & bemoaning the lack of syncing between the Navionics app & Lowrance plotters (Raymarine already have it) this allows you to plot routes, waypoints etc on your iPad & sync them to the plotter using the plotters built in wifi. He told me that it's in the pipeline & hey presto, the latest Navionics update has the option to sync to other plotters, there's a firmware update due for the HDS to add the facility.[emoji106]

Nice one that will make a big difference

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I was sceptical about the touch screen so went for the gen3 which is hybrid. In all but the lumpiest conditions I use the touch screen & never had a problem even in very wet conditions.

Works ok with gloves?

I'm using Navionics now but to be honest, a bit disappointed at the lack of shallow water detail. I was very, very impressed with "Antares" but won't run on fixed GPS and limited cover (West of Scotland only) PC based and the screen on the "Panasonic Tough Book" just wasn't bright enough.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Works ok with gloves?



I'm using Navionics now but to be honest, a bit disappointed at the lack of shallow water detail. I was very, very impressed with "Antares" but won't run on fixed GPS and limited cover (West of Scotland only) PC based and the screen on the "Panasonic Tough Book" just wasn't bright enough.

Works fine with gloves, it's one of the selling points.
I'm surprised at your comment re. detail, which charts are you using? I find the Navionics detail to be the same as admiralty charts.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Works fine with gloves, it's one of the selling points.
I'm surprised at your comment re. detail, which charts are you using? I find the Navionics detail to be the same as admiralty charts.

Me to and the sonar ones are detailed

[diver 1]

I've got all 3 on mine - the Lowrance is the best by a long shot. Its very adaptable and easy to understand. Navionics charts are superb. I would personally avoid touch screen at all costs.

[Pikey Dave]

Here're a couple of screen shots of Easdale, one is with sonar chart on & other off.

[davej]

Hi Jeff, Thank you and everyone else for the helpful comments; and the fact that you are happy with the Lowrance Elite 7, which I presume has a 7" screen?

What I think I need to do is go and see a few demo sets in various dealers before a final decision is made.

What about the detail on the Navionic charts, what is the practical difference between the various navionics charts?

We want the best underwater detail ( with wrecks) we can get and don't need various pictures of ports.

Many thanks David

[Pikey Dave]

Which area do you do most of your diving in?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by davej

Hi Jeff, Thank you and everyone else for the helpful comments; and the fact that you are happy with the Lowrance Elite 7, which I presume has a 7" screen?



What I think I need to do is go and see a few demo sets in various dealers before a final decision is made.



What about the detail on the Navionic charts, what is the practical difference between the various navionics charts?



We want the best underwater detail ( with wrecks) we can get and don't need various pictures of ports.



Many thanks David

Afaik, you only get the port photos & pilot book on the platinum+ charts. If you go for the gold charts they are the same detail without the frills.

[davej]

Hi,

I guess all over if that makes any sense. Bedford Scuba divers keep the boat near Sea Palling in Norfolk for most of the season and dive from the beach there but the RIB goes on various trips from the west coast of Scotland to more usually Portland/ Plymouth and occasionally the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales, which is a bit of a favourite of mine.

However, the Norfolk diving is bril with 10s of Wrecks within 15nm and while Bedford is far from the sea Norfolk is just over 2 hrs early morning.

We just need to upgrade our old GPS to something of 21st C Technology.

Dave

[Bigplumbs]

Garmin always