What model Chartplotter do you have and with what cartography? How far can you zoom in with your charplotter? 1/4 mile? 1/8 mile ? .018 mile? More Zoom?

Do you like the accuracy of ROCKS on your plotter?

Thanks... John

been useing the boat

John, I bought the Raymarine raychart 425 (B&W) last season. I didn't see the need for the extra $$ for color. This unit was under 500 with all the features of the big boys and a 6" screen, but it is smaller body for space challenged craft.
As for zoom, each chip has areas where the scale is different, like in some harbors the zoom is greater and has more detail than open ocean. At max zoom in an area where the chip has the smallest scale, I can zoom down and practically fill the screen with a rockpile that is maybe 10-20 feet across. I love this unit although I have nothing to compare it to. my buddy liked it so much he got the same one this season.
If you have specific questions, let me know and I'll try to answer......

V.

i had a 210 on the Parker, and switched up to the 2006 mono. Fast redraws, great zoom, and the Blue Chart cartography is super!:p

Oh yea it uses Navionics..



www.navionics.com (http://www.navionics.com)

I have the Lowrance 4000M for under $700 you get a big screen, software & hardwarer for custom mapping and back-up of your saved info -

Exclusive MapCreate™ Custom mapping software1 on CDs covering the continental U.S. and Hawaii (see Mapping Features segment)

One rewritable 16MB Multi-Media Card (MMC) memory card

MMC/SD memory card reader for PC with USB connector (parallel port connector optional)

Display:
Large 7" diagonal (17.8 cm), 480x350 pixel high-definition monochrome transflective LCD display - 168,000 total pixel resolution - for incredible picture detail and readability even in direct sunlight

16-level gray scale

Multiple full-screen and split-screen navigation charts and data display combinations

Innovative Memory Card Versatility:
Waterproof drawer below the screen accepts up to two compact, rewritable Multi-Media Cards (MMC) or Secure Digital (SD) memory cards2 that allow you to:

Record your GPS trip details - waypoints/events markers/trails/routes - for viewing on the unit, or loading to PC for archiving with MMC/SD card reader

Load custom electronic charts on MMC or SD cards for navigational display (see Mapping Features segment)

Mapping Features:
GlobalMap® 4000m features the all-new, built-in Lowrance background map with enhanced detail to include over 60,000 critical nav aids and 10,000 wrecks and obstructions in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters. Also includes new land-based detail such as metro areas, select major streets/highways and interstate exit services for the continental U.S. and Hawaii

Included MapCreate™ CD software1 lets you create unlimited, custom, detailed maps on MMC or SD memory cards for navigational display, and features unique, searchable database3 of over 700,000 Points-of-Interest to easily find/identify marinas, restaurants, airports, emergency services, and more.

GPS+WAAS Features:
12-parallel channel GPS reception with fast satellite lock-ons, precise tracking, and position updates every second.

Automatic WAAS reception for enhanced position accuracy to 3 m (under 10 ft) at select locations.

High-speed screen updates.

Mega-memory saves up to 1,000 waypoints, 1,000 event markers, and 100 routes (up to 100 waypoints per route)

10 savable plot trails with up to 10,000 points per trail

42 graphic icons to mark your favorite spots

37 map ranges - from .05 to 4,000 miles - with easy zoom-in/out control

Selective on/off GPS alarms: Off Course, Arrival, and Anchor

DGPS compatible; interfaces NMEA 0183

Comfort Features:
Internal back-up memory keeps stored settings and GPS data safe and accessible for years

Man Overboard feature precisely marks MOB location with special icon, and displays return distance, bearing, track, speed, and estimated time enroute

External speaker output for remote monitoring of GPS alarms

High-impact cover protects screen and keypad when not in use

Completely sealed and waterproof, even for use in harsh saltwater environments

Full one-year warranty

Dimensions:
Display - Diagonal: 7.0"/7.8 cm
Case (with Bracket) – Height: 7.3"/18.5 cm Width: 9.6"/24.4 cm Depth: 3.7"/9.4 cm

Cheap! Garmin 162 with BlueChart software, it's very accurate...with great mapping detail. My next boat will have the Garmin 182C unit.

Problem is that in many areas the Lowrance can't zoom past 1/4 mile. The Garmin had some good chart areas and others I didn't like and the screen & resolution were relatively small. The current Furunos are not priced great with the better units - yeh - I want it all on a PC but that's WAY TOO MUCH MONEY now...

It is a pain choosing gps and FF's....I spend A LOT of time this winter and spring looking into these units and I am still scratching my head....

I also have the Raymarine 425 uses Navionics XL charts. !/8 mile almost seems to zoomed. I usually keep on 2 mi. I'm still kind of confused with the unit (it's new) it doesn't seem to hard to run.If you are interested in this unit I found Boatersworld to have the best price.

I was on a boat yesterday with a garmin 182c. It was easy to use and the color display was very nice. The only thing I didn't like was the way the screen continues to change/correct itself to keep the heading relative to the boats position.

John,
I'm still getting used to it, but my Garmon 2010C zooms in to about 400 yards. I've been using it navigating the channel out of the Pt Judith salt pond and it really incredible. As far as "rocks" goes, it looks just like it doesn on the paper charts.

I recently purchased the Raymaine L1260DRC chart plotter and high def FF ("the black box"). http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/ProductDetail.asp?site=1&section=2&page=528&product_id=1243
It uses C-MAP charts. I like the charts alot and is one of the primary reasons I considered this machine. They are updated every six months. IMO they are very nice. You can even subscribe and for a small fee get your chip updated up to 2X per year if you want. (They claim them make 800-1200 mods to the charts per year) After speaking to several people in the e-chart business, from what I understand (I don't know this for a fact), but Garmin bought a Russian company to do their charts. Their latest charts are based on data that is over 4 years old in some case much more. More then one person told me this. Generally that should not matter since the bottom does not change much but in some locations it might. Also there are a number of minor changes year to year on buoys ect.

The unit I have has a 10.4" screen and I can zoom to 1/64 of a mile which is plenty IMO. It has a very nice expandablity feature and I cant wait to get another screen to have separate depth and chart/radar and FF on their respective screens. I am just getting use to it and there are a few quirks that I have to find work arounds to.
For example, the desktop software from CMAP works great...and I have entered over 300 fishing coords from LI to NH. and I can save the to the cmap card "user card" but the unit does not rec the format...It says I can do this in the manual but need to debug the problem...this is upsetting. Also, Raychart has its own desktop software called Raytech and it is way more then I need...(actually it address the on-board and at home laptop issue and making your laptop another monitor capabile of displaying anything...it costs about 400 and I may end up getting it in the end. For now I have the cheaper CMAP software and a CMAP USB drive so you can take your CMAP chip and load it on your desktop...this works nicely and which allow nice plotting of routes, waypoints, ect and managing them and the user cards.

Mine is the HSB2 unit and is pricey but they make a SL (stand alone) model (whick looks and acts the same) with out the networking that is more reasonable in price. I like the ergonomics of the machine and the depthfinder is the best I have ever seen on any pleasure boat . I have seen some 19" monitors on commerical rigs that are unreal but for pleasure and light duty commerial this is really nice.

Right now I think the best deal in a big stand alone CP out there is the Standard marine 10.5" (landscape mode). It is big and clear and is *only* 1999 in the stores (a couple hundred cheaper online) . It uses CMAP but IMO is more cumbersome to use. The menus and sub menus are a little awkward, but the sceen is very nice.

What I ened up doing was first to decide what chart system I wanted then look at devices that used them (not visa versa). Most of the units out there are good and have the basic features ...If fact my handheld does almost everything my big machine can do and in one case (having to do with mag headings) it can do more then the big unit. The Raymarine would "like" a electronic compass in the loop. The Navionics (gold) seems nice too but I only looked at it on one machine.

As far as "rock accuracy" I have not really tested that just yet. It seems pretty accurate when I passed thru a very narrow inlet it has me positioned in the right spot in the inlet...within a few feet anyway. But I have not gotten down to indiv rocks just yet. Most of the echarts are based on the latest uscg paper charts so I don't think there will be any big differences. I plan to head to the Cuttyhunk area soon and will work Robinsons hole which should be a good test for rocks...if I don't come back you can assume it ain't too good. :D

Anyway, good luck on your decesion.

I have a related question, since I have a new Eagle Seacharter 320DF. Can anyone advise how much improved the Map Create version 6 software is over the version 1.3.0 I already own for my Lowrance Global Map 100? Also can I purchase just the MMC card and anything needed to use my existing software, so I can write the maps I want to the card or unit?

Hey John, A friend at work has a Standard Horizon 150 , C-Map charts, he loves it $399 + CHART. Plus Standard has the best warranty at 3 yrs.

Originally posted by fishsmith
I was on a boat yesterday with a garmin 182c. It was easy to use and the color display was very nice. The only thing I didn't like was the way the screen continues to change/correct itself to keep the heading relative to the boats position.

With that unit I belive there's an option to change from "Course Up" to "North Up" .

Thanks moon, I'll check that next time I head out.

Personally, I still like taking a position and plotting it on a chart. Just feels good to know that when the power goes out you still know where you are.

I Have a simple hand held garmin unit it marks my spots , save's my positions. I have the up to date chart book it's good enough for me now,my new ff has what I need
maybe if i'm a good boy santa will bring me a nice chart plotter
Matt's been hammering me to get one ( kid's gotto love 'em):cool:

Well John
With price you get accruacy now the RayMarine is by far the best out there it itangrades easily with navionics soft ware from your laptop and makes the mappping\GPS easier. AS to your question about the rockaccuacy it all depends on what satillite graphic data software you have the pictures and radar they take from the satelites at low tide and how much the software costs we'll depend on the accuracy of the unit. The good thing about the ray marine is that it is a good platform software and makes memory expsansion easy. There is a company in wareham called I think navonics but I know they make the plotting software for the navy and coastgaurd using airforce gps thermal, radar, and image satalites that if you get the service it updates monthly so you can transfer it to your memory card. ALso the pixle zoom speed is very fast and makes for an excelent unit. But make sure your fuses are in order because when it boots up and trys to put a fix on that satalite it draws alot of amps but thier working on that.
If YOU REALLY WANT A GOOD UNIT get the radar/map unit it intgrades between satalite and radar making it very accurate it's worth the price. Any other quetions feel free to ask.
Pete