Which color Chart Plotter?

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From: C-LionRay (Original Message) Sent: 2/27/2003 9:26 AM
For the money the Garmin 176C looks really good but I have read reports that the screen is difficult to read in direct sunlight.
The Lowrance 16Xci has been offered for a great price on sale but I have heard that the refresh rate is really slow.
What do you all have and how do you like it? I'm still trying to get set up and don't really like the bread crumb trail system I have right now.
I just bought a Force 10 heater and a Scotty Electric down rigger and lots of other stuff with trim tabs on the near horizon so I can't go overboard on the chart plotter.
Let's hear some reviews.
Thanks in advance for sharing with the group

From: LesLampman Sent: 2/28/2003 7:12 AM

Hi Ray,

I think the answer somewhat depends on how you use your boat and ho much you use the chartplotter. For us it is “the” instrument we use most (excepting the radar in fog and the fish finder when actually fishing) and it’s of great importance to us to be able to see it clearly and use it easily; others may rank pros and cons differently.

I like the Garmin 176C but there is *<span style='font-weight:bold'>no comparison* between the screens on, say, the 182C and the 176C. In comparison the 176C looks very dim and washed out. This isn’t a slam on Garmin; the 176C is a portable unit (operates on AA batteries) and they had to go easy on the screen brightness to keep from eating the batteries at an alarming rate. Personally, I’d only use the 176C if it was really all I could handle financially or if I had a need to use it in other applications. When you’re in a stressful situation and trying to understand where you are or what you’re looking for a larger screen is many times friendlier.

The Lowrance LCX-16CI isn’t really the same beast as the 176C since the heart of the unit is a powerful sonar with added chartplotting/GPS functionality. For comparison you would need to look at the 188C or even more appropriately the 2006C with the GSD-20 sounder. The Lowrance LCX-16CI has been discontinued which is probably why there are some “good deals” out there.

If you’re looking at just a chartplotter/GPS unit (no sounder) it’s really hard to beat the Garmin 182C at the moment; it’s a lot of machine for the money. The step up to the 2006C gets you a slightly larger screen (oriented horizontally rather than vertically), higher resolution and more colors. How important this is to you you’d have to determine with some ‘hands-on’ messing about at the store. Either unit can have the GSD-20 sounder added so my initial decision would probably come down to size and money (probably mostly money <span style='font-family:Wingdings;color:navy'>J). There are other nice units out there and the closest to the 182C seems to be the Lowrance 5000C. The approach to cartography is different with Lowrance and some folks seem to prefer the MapCreate system that Lowrance uses.

The decision that has to be made in the beginning is what units or combinations of units you want to end up with. Nowadays it’s possible to go from one display unit with all functions (radar, chartplotter, sounder, GPS) to one dedicated display for each function; or just about any combination in between. The most common choices right now seem to be for chartplotter/GPS/sounder unit with a stand-alone radar, or if you have a sounder you like then the most common addition is the chartplotter/GPS (like the Garmin 182C). If you have a sounder you like but no radar then an excellent choice is the Furuno 1722C NavNet radar/chartplotter combination. Once you make your “combination” decision things start to get easier.

Les

From: Fun Patrol Sent: 2/28/2003 9:17 AM
Mr Fisherman:

I agree with Les. I tested a 176C and sent it back. You will be unhappy with the 176, you will love the 182C. The difference...you can SEE it. I loved mine right off the bat, adequate size, fast redraw, good brightness and contrast.

They seem to be holding the price at about a grand. I use rationalization to compensate for the rising balance on the credit card. Just imagine you were prudent and invested in the "market". In just a couple of years you would only have about 25% of what you started with. With the plotter, you will have two years of fun and and safety and still have the plotter. This is really a major addition to your safety. The instant position in relation to other charted objects is such an advance, I hate to think back to the days of copying down coordinates and plotting them on my paper chart. Of couse this needed to be done the fastest when you were very close to charted objects...just the time you don't need to stop looking out the window!!!

You can get them with an internal or external antenna. I like the external, but the internal will work on most C-Dorys, as long as you don't have a bunch of metalic stuff on the housetop. I used the existing Garmin external on Fun Patrol. The 182C has the same connector as some earlier Garmins.

I also use mine in the motorhome, although this falls in the "toy" catagory there. Nothing like the needed safety in the boat.

Good luck, Roy

From: Redƒox Sent: 3/4/2003 11:58 PM
Ray I use the 176 C.

I can say this for it.... it is one tough little dude! I wanted a portable color plotter not just for the boat, but for snowmachine use and also for highway travel. It has traveled all over the continent with me both inside and out and has never failed. Also I liked the idea of leaving the boat and exploring ashore, so I pretty much need a portable. Those reports are right though- about the screen being on the dim side. (BUT IT AIN'T THAT BAD) I am used to portables and don't really like a bright contrasty screen in the night, either on the boat or anything else. It talks to the Furuno quit well also, if your planning on that kinda thing.

Greg

From: C-LionRay Sent: 3/5/2003 2:20 AM
Thanks guys, Decisions decisions.... I'd like a better fish finder too....
If only I had Tyboo's money

From: Sawdust Sent: 3/5/2003 2:37 PM
Me too, Ray --

If I had Tyboo Mike's money I'd just pick up the moorage tab and let super catguy off the hook!

Dusty



From: Mike Sent: 3/5/2003 5:14 PM
If I had my money, I would have a chartplotter on board for this weekend. As it is, I will have the little handheld sitting up there, still waiting for Kay to give me some of my money.

I plan to do some deliberate comparing and make a decision this weekend. I'll let you know.