| There are many Chartplotters with GPS capability | | | | manufacturers have been competing in this area ever |
| today. We can even get them in our cars and on | | | | since the introduction of the color screen on |
| some new phones, (but that's the subject for another | | | | chartplotters and I don't believe there are any real |
| article to come). Garmin, Raymarine, Furuno, Simrad, | | | | clear cut winners in this department. |
| Sitex, Hummingbird...the list goes on and on. Which | | | | Garmin just introduced the touch screen and I'm sure |
| chartplotter is the best buy for the buck? Not as easy | | | | that others will follow with hopefully better versions. I |
| an answer as you would think. As you may already | | | | purchased a Raymarine C70 Chartplotter a few years |
| know, I am a seasoned sailor and I live aboard my | | | | ago; because I thought it was the best product for the |
| boat. I have been sailing for quite a while and have | | | | dollar at the time. I had to have the screen replaced |
| used several different chartplotters. Each of my boats | | | | within 1 year. Salt water and fingerprints ruined the |
| either came with a chartplotter or I added one. | | | | screen. I understand that they have improved that |
| When I bareboat chartered in the Caribbean, each | | | | today. What about chart readability and accuracy? |
| vessel that I bare boated had different systems. I have | | | | These are important factors as well. I used a Simrad |
| used quite a number of products. I just wanted to | | | | on a bareboat charter. Changing chips and clarity were |
| qualify that at the outset of this article. So, Captain | | | | good and easy. Raymarine and Furuno both use |
| Steve, which one was the best? As I said, not such an | | | | Navionics charts or CMap NT or Gold or something |
| easy answer. Each Chartplotter that I have used, | | | | else. Easy to use, for the most part, but inconvenient if |
| purchased or rented had different qualities that I liked | | | | you are traveling and cross a dead zone on the chart |
| and many of them had issues that I didn't like. Certainly, | | | | and have to quickly change charts---assuming you |
| each boat manufacturer has preferences. Hunter | | | | have the next chip available to change immediately. |
| Marine and several other boat manufacturers use | | | | Garmin has the charts built in on a lot of their |
| Raymarine products. Yet other manufacturers use | | | | chartplotters today. They have preloaded "World Map". |
| other products. Does this mean that the manufacturers | | | | Nice, since you don't have to change the chip. |
| that use Raymarine know something that I don't? I | | | | However, if you want full capability of their new 4200 |
| often wondered about that. As the owner of a marine | | | | and 520 0 series, you will be using a Vision card with a |
| electronics store, the one thing that I absolutely do | | | | specific area. However, to me, the single most |
| know is that "volume = dollars saved". | | | | important factor in my purchase of a Color |
| When a manufacturer, like Hunter Marine, purchases | | | | Chartplotter, is re-write speed. When I change from |
| 1000 Raymarine E-80 Chartplotters PLUS the rest of | | | | one screen to another, does it take 5 minutes for the |
| the Raymarine Network accessories, like Depth, Wind, | | | | chart to fully reappear? I had, as I mentioned in my last |
| Autopilot and any related item, they save lots of what | | | | article, a Garmin 162 chartplotter on my current boat |
| you and I would like to save-MONEY. Raymarine | | | | the day that I purchased it. It was an extremely |
| seems to be the best when it comes to volume | | | | accurate grayscale chartplotter with built-in charts. The |
| buying. But volume buying is not the only factor in | | | | big problem for me was...it took forever to rewrite the |
| determining "which one is best". If that were the case, | | | | chart when I used the Zoom function. I could have |
| everybody would be using exclusively Raymarine | | | | gotten lost by the time the chart re-wrote itself. |
| products. What other factors are determining factors | | | | So, after my research was done, I purchased a new |
| in determining the best chartplotter? Let's discuss them | | | | Garmin 4208 Color Chartplotter. Does it meet the |
| here because they are really the meat of what makes | | | | criteria set above? It does for me and that is what is |
| a chartplotter 'our favorite'. First let's talk about screen | | | | most important, after all. ME! Do I like it? If I do, then it's |
| clarity and daylight readability. The major | | | | the best there is. |