$5,000 to spend on NAV system?
- Thread starter Restitution
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timjet
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- Joined
- Apr 9, 2009
- Messages
- 1,920
I just ordered a Raymarine E 90W touch screen from Raymarine for $1100. It was a close out from Raymarine as they no longer make this model. It is being replaced by their E95. The difference between the 90 and 95 is the 95 has WiFi, Bluetooth, and a software program called lighthouse that allows the user some customization of the display. I didn't think the $1500 more for the latest and greatest was worth it.
WiFi seems to be the up and coming thing as Garmin will soon have it and Simrad already has it too. This features allows you to create a network between the plotter (MFD) and another WiFi enabled device like a cell phone or tablet thus allowing you to control many functions of the MFD from the tablet or cellphone. For those with a dual helm boat this could be a nice feature, however I don't think this feature alone is worth the steep price. Current WiFi enabled devices do not allow you to connect to the internet with the exception of one model from Standard Horizon.
I also picked up a Raymarine 18" HD radar for $1400 from the Defender folks at the show. They were giving some great deals for boat show visitors.
I really liked Simrad's touchscreen models because they seem to have the best customizable software. Defender was giving a great deal on a Simrad 8" touchscreen with their 3G radar for about $2850. However Simrad's units only have 1 NMEA 0183 input/output which would require me to replace my depth gauge and buy a heading sensor and multiplexer to get DSC/AIS. And even then I would have to modify the radar mount to accept the Simrad 3G. The Raymarine radar will fit the existing bolt pattern on my radar mount since my current radar is from Raytheon.
For you folks that can wait a couple of years I think big changes are coming to the industry in the form of internet connectivity. Like TV, the marine electronics industry is slow incorporating this. Soon you will be able to display notice to mariner features, gas prices, current wrecks, anchorage comments and stuff I can't even imagine. This will turn the MFD from a navigation device to an information device.
WiFi seems to be the up and coming thing as Garmin will soon have it and Simrad already has it too. This features allows you to create a network between the plotter (MFD) and another WiFi enabled device like a cell phone or tablet thus allowing you to control many functions of the MFD from the tablet or cellphone. For those with a dual helm boat this could be a nice feature, however I don't think this feature alone is worth the steep price. Current WiFi enabled devices do not allow you to connect to the internet with the exception of one model from Standard Horizon.
I also picked up a Raymarine 18" HD radar for $1400 from the Defender folks at the show. They were giving some great deals for boat show visitors.
I really liked Simrad's touchscreen models because they seem to have the best customizable software. Defender was giving a great deal on a Simrad 8" touchscreen with their 3G radar for about $2850. However Simrad's units only have 1 NMEA 0183 input/output which would require me to replace my depth gauge and buy a heading sensor and multiplexer to get DSC/AIS. And even then I would have to modify the radar mount to accept the Simrad 3G. The Raymarine radar will fit the existing bolt pattern on my radar mount since my current radar is from Raytheon.
For you folks that can wait a couple of years I think big changes are coming to the industry in the form of internet connectivity. Like TV, the marine electronics industry is slow incorporating this. Soon you will be able to display notice to mariner features, gas prices, current wrecks, anchorage comments and stuff I can't even imagine. This will turn the MFD from a navigation device to an information device.
healhustler
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2009
- Messages
- 5,198
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Bucky
- Vessel Make
- Krogen Manatee 36 North Sea
Tim: Congrats on that decision, ....I was really tempted to do this myself. My Admiral convinced me to go for our "primary" suite instead of the planned "back-up" suite now. After learning from several vendors and even speculation from some Garmin people that the 5200 series is probably going to stop production in the next year, our hope was that if they do the same kind of close-out sale on the 5200's, we'd probably go for one of those as our back-up instead of the planned 740S. Who know what's going to take hold next. I just hope that these plotters don't become defunct in two years, and that the plug-and-play features allow us to stay current for a while.
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