Which Chart Card for Furuno Navnet?

yhc · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 15

Good morning.

The boat I recently purchased came w/ Furuno Navnet system (2003). I am looking for a chart plotter card for it and am doing a research on the topic. Obviously Furuno has their chart cards but I also see that Navionics and C-Map would be good candidates as long as they are compatible with Navnet.

Which chart card would you recommend and why? I am in Alaska.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Regards,

yhc

journey on · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:29 pm Post subject:

Ok, I'll give my $0.02 worth. I believe Navnet is just Furuno's name for their databus connection, and has nothing to do with the cartographic display. For that display they use a separate card: Navionics or C-Map, you pick one of the two; apparently they're not compatible. If you have an existing display, it's one or the other, not both. Each chart chip display has a different Furuno P/N.

So do you mean that you're looking for a display unit thats compatible with the Furuno Navnet? Or do you have an existing display?

Journey On's JRC radar uses C-Map, and I'm very happy with it, gives tides, etc, etc and takes the guesswork out of navigation. Must be sinful cause it's fun. There have been C-Brat discussions of Navionics chips, and people seem quite happy with them. If you do have a choice, see what is best for your area: Alaska.

Either way Furuno is a good unit.

The Southern Boris

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:03 am Post subject:

The current Furuno Navnet units can be configured for either Navionics or C map--but with a 2003 unit you will most likely not be able to use the latest creations by C map (C map Max Pro) or Navionics Platinum. I personally don't see a great advantage of these for our kind of boating (more POI, some aerial views etc.

Both Naviionics and C map are good chart chips. It depends on where you are in Alaska as to which will be best. Also you need to acertain what chips the chart plotter is currently set up for. Navionics Gold XL3 covers most of Central S. Alaska. (It is possiable that your plotter may require the Silver or classic and not take the Gold).
http://www.navionics.com/Charts2.asp?ContinentID=5&RegionID=23&ChartSizeID=6&Classic=0&Gold=1&Platinum=0
C map NT+ 7 covers Central S Gulf of Alaska and NT+ 6 covers Dixon Entrance to Icy Bay. NT+ 5 Summer Strait to Banks Island BC.
http://chartcatalogue.c-map.no/quickref_plusmax.asp?quickrefID=WCA

Older Furuno chart plotters are a bit slower on redraw and may not take the larger super wide chips (which are the better buy). But Furuno grear is top notch.

yhc · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 15

Thank you for the replies, Boris and Bob.

I did not realize the Furuno unit takes one or the other until I talked with the local Furuno dealer yesterday. Wink

From Furuno website, I had an impression that I can choose either chip/card for the Navnet unit that's coming with the boat.

It's good to know that I can't go wrong with either Navionics or C Map chip whichever the chart plotter is configured to.

Again thank you for your replies and I wish you all a blessed Easter.

Regards,

yhc

thataway · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject:

As I understand it, the Furuno unit comes from the factory configured for either C map or Navionics--it can be reconfigured for the other--but not for both. The newest units DO take the C map Max latest charts, but do NOT take the platinum Navionics--just the gold, silver or classic. Yours will most likely take the smaller NT C maps or the Silver or Classic Navionics.