Chartplotters
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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JD
Chartplotters
I'm in the market for a chartplotter this spring and have pretty much decided on the Standard Horizon as giving the most value for the money. At the Boston boat show this week, I found that the CP170C color model was just reduced in price from $1500 to $999. This is NOT a sale price or boat show price but the new retail list price. (The boat show price at one dealer was $870!) I'm now wondering why the company would reduce their price by one-third. Is there something wrong with this unit? Do any of you folks have any experience with the Standard Horizon line of chartplotters?
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Ed Haley
Re: Chartplotters
It seems that the prices are coming down across the board in other manufacturers. Garmin, for instance, has reduced prices of their models by 25 to 50%. I'm just guessing but as the newer models come out (and they seem to do that every 9 months) the older models get reduced to clear the shelves. There usually is a compelling reason to purchase the latest models. They are twice as helpful for less cost than the previous model. It's a very competitive market. That means the previous models (read older technology) lose their appeal and hence their price.
I would become familiar with what is available on the market and then decide exactly what you want in a product. As I've hinted, there is a plethora of hardware and software out there.
One of my priorities is to be able to upgrade with the least amount of difficulty and price. I purchased a late model used IBM laptop from a friend and installed an electronic chart software package with upgradeable vector charts. There are also photo charts, tide and current tables plotted on the charts, port facilities data, and route planning in the software. I made a platform to attach to the helm guard and will use the system to navigate (protected from the weather). I can then remove the platform and bring it below to keep a log, listen to music and watch an occasional DVD when the conditions permit.
All of this information is needed at one time or another. And as the newer technology provides better software, it is a cinch to upgrade. I no longer have a piece of hardware to relegate to the hinter regions of my basement.
Sorry I rambled a bit but I've been there and done that too many times. Purchase hardware only to see a better model come out a short time later. IMHO, upgradeability is important.
Ed Haley
Captain S/V Mokita
CD330 #1
eghaley@twcny.rr.com
I would become familiar with what is available on the market and then decide exactly what you want in a product. As I've hinted, there is a plethora of hardware and software out there.
One of my priorities is to be able to upgrade with the least amount of difficulty and price. I purchased a late model used IBM laptop from a friend and installed an electronic chart software package with upgradeable vector charts. There are also photo charts, tide and current tables plotted on the charts, port facilities data, and route planning in the software. I made a platform to attach to the helm guard and will use the system to navigate (protected from the weather). I can then remove the platform and bring it below to keep a log, listen to music and watch an occasional DVD when the conditions permit.
All of this information is needed at one time or another. And as the newer technology provides better software, it is a cinch to upgrade. I no longer have a piece of hardware to relegate to the hinter regions of my basement.
Sorry I rambled a bit but I've been there and done that too many times. Purchase hardware only to see a better model come out a short time later. IMHO, upgradeability is important.
Ed Haley
Captain S/V Mokita
CD330 #1
eghaley@twcny.rr.com
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Ken Coit
Re: Chartplotters
I think Ray Marine gets good marks from Practical Sailor. I am surrounded by older computers which still work. I don't think any but the last two would run the software versions very well, so you need to be careful what computer you buy if you go that route.
Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC
PPPparfait@nc.rr.com
Ken
CD/36 Parfait
Raleigh, NC
JD wrote: I'm in the market for a chartplotter this spring and have pretty much decided on the Standard Horizon as giving the most value for the money. At the Boston boat show this week, I found that the CP170C color model was just reduced in price from $1500 to $999. This is NOT a sale price or boat show price but the new retail list price. (The boat show price at one dealer was $870!) I'm now wondering why the company would reduce their price by one-third. Is there something wrong with this unit? Do any of you folks have any experience with the Standard Horizon line of chartplotters?
PPPparfait@nc.rr.com
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John R.
Re: Chartplotters
Ed chose the right way to go in my opinion, his priorities are the same as mine, upgradability and future costs.
I too purchased an IBM laptop rather than a chartplotter. I chose the IBM label because of their reputation for durability (#1 reason) and because of it's dimensions, weight, screen size, configurability and hot swap bay. I am not an advocate of taking any laptop into the cockpit, period. A water resistant PPC (Pocket PC)is a different matter. Maptec has developed a new chartplotting software for PPC's. There is also a PPC that will physically join together with a GPS module for a total PPC/GPS package that will fit in your pocket. I think it was made by Compaq but I'm not sure about that.
The advantage of a PC is it's adaptability to changes in technology and it's compatibility in general. Probably the most important reason for making the case for a PC is NMEA 2000 which is an ethernet interface rather then the limited serial interface of 0183 which will be less supported by manufacturers as time goes on. NMEA 2000 (T-base-10 ethernet - as far as I know at this point) is the future and is available on two Garmin models and a new Furuno system and probably many others as well. To the best of my knowledge only Maptec has stated they will be offering an upgrade to current owners of Maptec software to a newer version that will support NMEA 2000. They told me that would appear sometime this winter.
I wouldn't purchase any chartplotter that doesn't have NMEA 2000 capability and I wouldn't purchase any plotter that uses proprietary charts like Garmins "Blue Charts". Raytheon products could be problematic also because of their commitment to Seatalk; hard to say for certain, perhaps they will make changes to adapt to NMEA 2000 ethernet interface but if they do that would probably render all their gear already out there incompatible unless they can engineer in some magical cross talking capability so NMEA 2000 can work with 0183. I doubt that very much. Same goes for any other manufacturer that has proprietary interfacing.
You should do a hell of a lot of homework to satisfy yourself you are making the right decision for your current needs and your needs into the future. Any decent charting electronics purchase is going to represent a pretty good expense for most people so you really need to be careful before you commit and buy.
I too purchased an IBM laptop rather than a chartplotter. I chose the IBM label because of their reputation for durability (#1 reason) and because of it's dimensions, weight, screen size, configurability and hot swap bay. I am not an advocate of taking any laptop into the cockpit, period. A water resistant PPC (Pocket PC)is a different matter. Maptec has developed a new chartplotting software for PPC's. There is also a PPC that will physically join together with a GPS module for a total PPC/GPS package that will fit in your pocket. I think it was made by Compaq but I'm not sure about that.
The advantage of a PC is it's adaptability to changes in technology and it's compatibility in general. Probably the most important reason for making the case for a PC is NMEA 2000 which is an ethernet interface rather then the limited serial interface of 0183 which will be less supported by manufacturers as time goes on. NMEA 2000 (T-base-10 ethernet - as far as I know at this point) is the future and is available on two Garmin models and a new Furuno system and probably many others as well. To the best of my knowledge only Maptec has stated they will be offering an upgrade to current owners of Maptec software to a newer version that will support NMEA 2000. They told me that would appear sometime this winter.
I wouldn't purchase any chartplotter that doesn't have NMEA 2000 capability and I wouldn't purchase any plotter that uses proprietary charts like Garmins "Blue Charts". Raytheon products could be problematic also because of their commitment to Seatalk; hard to say for certain, perhaps they will make changes to adapt to NMEA 2000 ethernet interface but if they do that would probably render all their gear already out there incompatible unless they can engineer in some magical cross talking capability so NMEA 2000 can work with 0183. I doubt that very much. Same goes for any other manufacturer that has proprietary interfacing.
You should do a hell of a lot of homework to satisfy yourself you are making the right decision for your current needs and your needs into the future. Any decent charting electronics purchase is going to represent a pretty good expense for most people so you really need to be careful before you commit and buy.
Ed Haley wrote: It seems that the prices are coming down across the board in other manufacturers. Garmin, for instance, has reduced prices of their models by 25 to 50%. I'm just guessing but as the newer models come out (and they seem to do that every 9 months) the older models get reduced to clear the shelves. There usually is a compelling reason to purchase the latest models. They are twice as helpful for less cost than the previous model. It's a very competitive market. That means the previous models (read older technology) lose their appeal and hence their price.
I would become familiar with what is available on the market and then decide exactly what you want in a product. As I've hinted, there is a plethora of hardware and software out there.
One of my priorities is to be able to upgrade with the least amount of difficulty and price. I purchased a late model used IBM laptop from a friend and installed an electronic chart software package with upgradeable vector charts. There are also photo charts, tide and current tables plotted on the charts, port facilities data, and route planning in the software. I made a platform to attach to the helm guard and will use the system to navigate (protected from the weather). I can then remove the platform and bring it below to keep a log, listen to music and watch an occasional DVD when the conditions permit.
All of this information is needed at one time or another. And as the newer technology provides better software, it is a cinch to upgrade. I no longer have a piece of hardware to relegate to the hinter regions of my basement.
Sorry I rambled a bit but I've been there and done that too many times. Purchase hardware only to see a better model come out a short time later. IMHO, upgradeability is important.
Ed Haley
Captain S/V Mokita
CD330 #1
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Richard Hill
Re: Chartplotters
I have the Horizon CP150 Black and White display model on my boat and I'm very happy with it. C-Map NT is a good technology and they have recently reduced their prices on the map chips. I didn't have room to set up a laptop and all that, so I went this way. I mounted the unit on a swing bracket so that it is just inside the companionway and swings out into your line of sight at the side of the companionway when underway. A buddy of mine used a similar system when we brought his boat back from Mexico. I liked it so well I adopted the idea on my boat.
captrahill@comcast.net
captrahill@comcast.net