New electronics

[Boatsb]

For a clean sheet install, I would want to make sure that the radar could calculate and display a Closest Point of Approach and Time. Perhaps all of the units discussed offer that now. I have only experienced that safety feature on a furuno navnet setup that was 10 years old. Priceless on crossings. I don't have any intel on the new garmin AP, but the Robertson product with a hydraulic ram is pretty bulletproof. A friend has 100,000 (saling) miles in the ocean on one, and will never own another AP brand. It connects to nothing, just the way he likes it. But he does have a remote.

Perhaps this is extreme overkill for your mission. I personally would not buy raymarine over garmin. Garmin does continue to innovate and take market share in the aviation market, and that engineering should help the marine products. An AIS receiver would be an inexpensive add on, instead of the transponder. By having the full AIS capability, friends and family can follow from home, which is very cool.

Have you seen or used the new raymarine evolution?

 

[carolinacoast]

I have no experience as a professional marine electronics expert or with any new Raymarine products. My own experience around many boats for a long time has lead me to my opinion that Raymarine's older products tend to be less robust than furuno, but that is perhaps not a fair comparison. Raymarine is not nearly as expensive as Furuno. Neither were very user friendly. Furuno radar has only failed for me, when a radar mast was lost in a cold front. Raymarine products have been cool when I bought them, but have always had to get something repaired during my ownership. Garmins for me have operated longer without failures. This could just have been my luck, and is certainly not valid data other than as my own experience.

My comments regarding Garmin are related to the aviation market in certified and non certified aircraft. Raymarine and Furuno do not compete in that space, and the OS or operating logic of the Garmin aviation devices seem very similar to the marine units. The aviation nav units 430/530 were the industry standard (until garmin introduced its replacement -GTN750 touchscreen) and seem to very rarely fail. It would seem that any company that can succeed in that market, could offer a robust unit in the marine market. The OP mentioned a familiarity with avionics, and most pilots would likely find it a lot easier to manage the same system logic. Garmin is the only provider in both markets to my knowledge.

I have no financial interest in any of this. Hopefully this clarifies my opinion more clearly.

 

[Paul Gwiz]

I went Garmin because I'm not a big fan of super TECHEY stuff , THe Garmin offers the most user friendly stuff on the market.
I went Garmin all the way . Just an FYI the garmin will freeze up when the track Log is full.

My Garmin Froze up just as I was coming into Hells Gate in New York. Glad I had my regular charts on the launch pad.
THe unit froze solid , the only way I got it back up was to unpower the unit, I have the 7212 W 18hd radar , for the most part it is user friendly
Good luck

 

[Bob Bradley]

I haven't seen Simrad mentioned here yet. I did a full Simrad installation over the past 2 years (2 12" displays, Open Array, A/P, Sirius Wx, fishfinder, chartplotter). While I love the system overall, I am disappointed with the radar resolution. It is not easy to read. I still have my old Raymarine RL80 system with its own open array. I can use both simultaneously - they do not interfere with each other, and I much prefer the Ray radar to the Simrad. As far as the rest of the system, it is hands down the Simrad. I love everything about it except the radar.

 

[Boatsb]

I just finished installing a 2 screen ssimrad system with radar, ais, sat weather and radio and interfacing it to the autopilot.

Its not a garmin.

 

[drburke]

Bob and Scott: What models of Simrad radars were disappointing?

DAN

 

[Bob Bradley]

I have the Simrad TS06 4' open array antenna coupled to the NSE12 display. My main complaint is the size of the blips on the display. They show up very small and are red against a black background. My old Ray (which I'm not too happy with for other reasons) is much easier to read, with black blips against a yellow background. It's also quite clear what is clutter and what are valid returns on the Ray. I have to study the Simrad much more closely to use it.

 

[Boatsb]

Bob and Scott: What models of Simrad radars were disappointing?

DAN

The broadband radar is ok but not a match for a real open array . The screen is ok too but like I said its not a garmin. I think the garmin is a better built, better functioning system. The simrad is cheaper though.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Interesting that you don't like the Simrad... I think they bought NorthStar so they could get some of the proprietary stuff NorthStar had invented. Maybe they should have continued the brand...


I don't have radar. From all I've heard, Furunos work the best and last the longest, but are expensive. Maybe over the long haul they are cheaper.

 

[saltshaker]

Interesting that you don't like the Simrad... I think they bought NorthStar so they could get some of the proprietary stuff NorthStar had invented. Maybe they should have continued the brand...


I don't have radar. From all I've heard, Furunos work the best and last the longest, but are expensive. Maybe over the long haul they are cheaper.

I've owned Furuno, Raytheon, Raymarine and Sitex radars. The Furuno units were by far the best.a cheap Furuno will usually outperform a higher powered unit of the other brands. I have a Furuno 25KW 6ft open array radar on a Navnet black box system. Unit is 9 years old and works flawlessly. I'm looking to upgrade the system but having a hard time replacing a radar that works so well. I want a Furuno TZ system and my radar won't work with it. I think the radar only will be around 6K not including a display. Good stuff cost but if it last and is reliable it's worth the extra initial cost.

 

[Boatsb]

Interesting that you don't like the Simrad... I think they bought NorthStar so they could get some of the proprietary stuff NorthStar had invented. Maybe they should have continued the brand...


I don't have radar. From all I've heard, Furunos work the best and last the longest, but are expensive. Maybe over the long haul they are cheaper.

Simrad NSS is nice stuff but not the same as the Garmin 8000 series.

My point is they are not as well made or supported software wise. They are also a LOT less than the garmin 8000 series so its not a fair comparison.