chartplotter size?

[Boblee]

We went for the C-80 and Raymarine in particular because of the integration of everything onto one screen, think it is way overpriced but----.
As for the maps the new 32xg does the whole of Aust and when I enquired with Navionics, they traded my east coast in on it for just over $100, the three maps used to cost $300+ each so am pretty happy there.
Originally got the C120 as I thought it could help with my eyesight but it looked ugly sitting on top of a Mac pedastal so did a trade and made some money on the deal.

[Terry]

Boblee:
How does the C80 look on the helm pod? Does it fit or look way over size? Can you easily move your body around it or do you have the stand on a swivel to turn the whole unit 90 degrees to get by. It appears on the Raymarine site that one must buy a GPS sensor extra to use the Chartplotter plus Navionics charts and I suppose it is a forgone conclusion that you buy a transducer extra for sonar (can it be a shoot thru hull?). How about a Seatalk cable for the Autohelm is it included or do you buy it extra. Same with the VHF hook up for DSC is there a cable and connection for it?? The Sirrius Radio is extra as is the Radome but extras like that can wait a couple years. After doing some more looking it appears that the base unit is one price and everything to make it work is extra cost, how many extra components did you have to buy to make it function? I want GPS/chartplotter and charts and sonar and seatalk for wheel pilot and a connection to the VHF for DSC & MMSI number, the rest can wait.

[hart]

They have a system builder on the raymarine site you can play with.

But for example your setup might want to be:

C80 Chartplotter
Navionics Charts
DSM300 Digital Sounder Module (for the transducer)
P-79 Plastic Adjustable in-hull depth transducer
Transducer Extension Cable - 3 meter cable

Boblee, does the C80 have an internal GPS antenna? I thought the guy at the store said the unit has an internal one but I might be confusing that with the A series. The Raystar 125 GPS antenna comes with 10 meters of cable.

It comes with a NMEA cable (which you could use for the DSC radio I believe, if it's long enough) and a seatalk cable (in your case for the autopilot).

Terry, if you go with it I hope you'll post your thoughts after install. It's pricey but it is on my list.

[Boblee]

Terry emailed you the photo's prior to coming on here but here they are again as they answer Harts questions too even though they aren't in perspective of the c80.


Hart you need the 125 receiver and it works on seatalk to the system but you can take nmea 0185 or 2000 from the c 80 for your radio depending on brand or from a multiplexer to convert it from seatalk to nmea.
The instructions are clear and simple but if you get into trouble they have a great advice service on their site.
Terry
The c 80 does look a little oversize but wouldn't go smaller as these systems can be split into four windows, I haven't found any problems with moving around it and did originally consider making it swivel but glad I didn't.
Haven't had to buy anything extra above the system components except to make it fit the mac eg brakets autopilot, even have some bits left over.
would suggest as Hart said go on their site and see what is required to build the unit for what you want to do.
For GPS you need the 125 receiver, for chartplotter you need the navionics cards XL9 best, for sonar you need a dsm 300 (best), for radio you need a radio, for radar you need the dome, for auto pilot you need the unit of your choice and if you use all raymarine gear there are no other extras as the c 80 interfaces with the lot.
We use an icom dsc radio which slots in nicely to the supplied nmea cable but did buy a couple of junction boxes just to tidy it up.
They are a bit like the mac you buy the basic unit and keep pouring money in although you can get some good buys depending on what you want to acheive.
There are complete units on ebay most of the time in most configurations.

[hart]

Thanks Boblee for the info and the pictures. That helped a lot.

So what's the closest comparable Garmin unit? The 4208? It's already got charts preloaded for most of us and it comes with the GPS antenna included - there are bundles for the sonar transducer available as well.

Spend some more $$ and the 5208 is a touch screen. Now how well do you think that will work in a saltwater environment when you've got suntan lotion or bugspray on your hands?

Just FYI- there are two "buy it now's" on Ebay for the Raymarine E80 for just under $1900. Both say they are new. As with anything on Ebay do your due diligence and caveat emptor. I have not researched either seller since I'm not actually looking to buy until I own the boat and have sailed it for a while. That's a heck of a price assuming it's legit - seems almost too good to be true which I admit scares me a bit.

[ii2003a]

What about LOWRANCE LCX-38C HD 8.4 Inch Large Screen Sonar / GPS Chartplotter Ext. Antenna, Dual Freq. Transducer? Is it comparable? Or am I off line? Cost - approx $1,600.

[ROAD Soldier]

Best buys for Raymarine on E-Bay is around X-Mas. I kick myself in the hind end everytime I think of the deals I passed up because I didnt have a boat at that time. I saw E80s going for $1200 new, ST60 wind systems for $400 new, and DSM300 for $300 new.

[Boblee]

Have no idea about the Garmins but my little Quest works great and is user friendly even for me.
You should be able to buy a c 80 display for under $1500 at a store (RAYMARINE C80 NAV DIS 8.4 #E02020 -NEW!
$1,495.44) and the one that is $960 should go for about $1200 the other one I wouldn't even bid on it as there is no feedback.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

There's no way I could stomach the price of the Raymarine gear, even on ebay. I can't see spending more than $1,000 for a complete unit.

My Eagle, (a re-branded Lowrance), fit my price range. With my Navionics Gold SD charts for Puget Sound and the Canadian Inside Passage (one expanded region) I still spent less than $1k.

My unit has a nice big 7" color screen, is a chartplotter, sounder, came with the external GPS antenna, a dual frequency sounder transducer, and a paddlewheel speed through water transducer. It was easily hooked up to my Raymarine autopilot. It also feeds my laptop with a simple $10 cable and USB adapter.

Right around now is the time to look for deals. All the new gear is hitting the boat store shelves in the spring and they are closing out last years models. That's how I got mine from Boaters World online. It was over 50% off their normal price.

[Boblee]

You are probably right Duane, for day trips or even extended trips in known waters your unit could even be overkill on a Mac but for our purpose especially as I originally wanted to add radar and keep just one screen for all functions we went this way also fishing is a major priority as are larger maps (all Aust now).
Looked at the lowrance as a mate had one but they were having bad fault and dealer problems at the time and couldn't do what I wanted.
There is no doubt that Raymarine is way overpriced and not as user friendly as some others and the newer ones coming on the market are leaving raymarine behind IMO.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

With the correct chart chip installed there is no feature the Raymarine unit has that the Eagle doesn't have (aside from radar capability and the latest units now have that). There is nothing that makes it better for un-known waters. You're not buying any more functionality at the higher price.

The dual frequency sounder / fish finder in the Eagle is excellent for fishing. It matches every view that the Raymarine has. I use my Eagle on extended trips to many places I've never been before. It happily drives the boat on autopilot while I enjoy the new scenery. There is no more information on the chart in the Raymarine than the same chart in the Eagle.

What differences do you feel there are that make the Raymarine better / worth more money?

[SailDog]

...

My Eagle, (a re-branded Lowrance), fit my price range. With my Navionics Gold SD charts for Puget Sound and the Canadian Inside Passage (one expanded region) I still spent less than $1k.

My unit has a nice big 7" color screen, is a chartplotter, sounder, came with the external GPS antenna, a dual frequency sounder transducer, and a paddlewheel speed through water transducer. It was easily hooked up to my Raymarine autopilot. It also feeds my laptop with a simple $10 cable and USB adapter.
...

I can't find a 7" Eagle unit. Which one is it?

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I don't think Eagle is selling the model anymore. It was a closeout at the time and that was a couple years ago. They were making the transition from the ones that didn't support radar to the ones that did.

The same updated unit is available from Lowrance and it now has the highspeed NMEA connectionas and supports radar. You can now have the chartplotter, full dual frequency fish finder and radar in the one unit. http://www.lowrance.com/en/Products/Mar ... s/LCX-27C/

Here is mine in my boat, it is a Eagle SeaChamp 2000C DF.


http://home.comcast.net/~duane.dunn/ModsCockpit.htm

[2BonC]

This is my Lowrance combined plotter and fishfinder. It came with an internal GPS-antenna, sensor for depth and a paddle for speed against water.



I used it sailing through the hundreds of Dalmatien/Croatian islands. I felt that the diplay was big enough and brilliant even in the sun.
I liked very much the flexibility to adapt the display to certain necessities.

off the records: at this place a special thanks from me to Frank C, You see, I finaly made it !!!

ModsNote by FC:
Yes, I clearly SEE that you're now posting images~! One more caution, though, for all MacMembers. Having once loaded your Photobucket album, you'll want to leave those pictures unchanged. If you remove them, or simply switch them to a different album, you'll break the image links you have previously posted. Example here.

P.S. you can always go back and EDIT your previous posts, so you could now correct those original image links.

[2BonC]

Sorry Frank, meanwhile I have noticed it myself however the sample pics have been deleted . I promise, I will never do it again .

Rainer