Raymarine-vs-Garmin-vs-Lowrance

[Adeline]

Adeline is getting all new electronics and I've narrowed it down to 4 finalists. I'm currently running a 19 year-old Lowrance X-50 fishfinder/sonar and a 12 year old Lowrance Global Map 1000 Chartplotter w/C-map CF 85 cartridges covering Newport to Desolation Sound. These units have worked flawlessly but now I want a single large color display offering sonar/fishfinder, gps, and a radar option. My preferred choice is the Raymarine C-120. Because of its size, this one could only be hung from the electronics shelf. This is the way my units are currently installed. The sonar is centered and hung from a Johnny Ray swivel mount. I especially like this set-up because I have it facing the helm while underway yet I can rotate it instantly to face aft and view the display from the cockpit while fishing. I'd hang the C-120 the same way. The downside of this is that forward visibility would be obscured from the cockpit. However, this huge display is THE best for viewing a from the deck. Next up are the 10.4s. Garmin and Lowrance offer similar capabilities. Both are NMEA 2000. The Garmin 3210 radar has a nice, narrow horizontal bandwidth but a larger(28"-vs 18" max) radome. The Lowrance LCX-110C offers some nice peripherals such as fuel-flow that can be displayed analog or digital, large or small, anywhere on the screen. Garmin has a nicer interface(more buttons -vs- submenus). Lowrance has a more detailed display(800x600-vs-640x480). Aside from Navionics Platinum, Blue chart is the best cartography. Navionics Gold+ is close though. Finally, there are numerous postings at other web-sites such as "The Hull Truth" where Garmin screen issues come up. Fogging and pealing off of the anti-glare coating. Garmin has been good about support but it IS a concern. Lowrance quality control has been reported as uneven, as has their support. Mostly radars frying their gps receivers and some tranducer trouble. Either of these could be hung from the shelf from a Johnny Ray or mounted in front of the helm. Lastly is the Raymarine C-80. The smallest @ 8.4" it offers all the features of the C-120 in a smaller package. Nmea 2000. Great radar. Navionics Gold +. New digital sonar(DSM 300) that seems to be the new standard. As to prices with gps ,sonar , and transducer , I can do a complete Lowrance LCX-110C and Nauticpath chip for $2150 from Rodgers in Portland. $100 more gets me Navionics Gold +. Garmin 3210 about $2900 online. Ray C-120 Remanufactured about $2900 online. Ray C-80 about $2800 online. Now that you know what I know, which way woulld YOU go?

[tpbrady]

I have a Lowrance LCX-20C which has the NMEA 2000 interface but is not listed as compatible with the new Lowrance radar. I don't think the user interface to the Lowrance is that good and the GPS module hates my Furuno 1623 radar. Even though it's on a 24 inch mast above the radome, it still periodically decides to go bye bye with the radar on. The only way to recover it is by unplugging the power. Just turning it off doesn't work.

My major complaint is the format Lowrance uses for importing and exporting data. For some strange (or nefarious) reason, Lowrance outputs waypoints/routes using NMEA words but juxtaposes the sentence structure such that you can't import it to any other device unless you launder it. Their normal NMEA output to other devices follows convention but their saved waypoint route data is basically scrambled. You won't be able to import it to your handheld Garmin or Magellan unless you reformat it.

I don't know if I am looking at it incorrectly, but Lowrance is now off my list of things to buy.

[starcrafttom]

If you search you will find a lot on this site about all of these system. But here’s what I think.

I have the c-80 system and it works great. I like having the whole system designed to work together and with my autopilot. I really love my autopilot and use it more them I thought I would. In fact unless I am in close quarters and maneuvering around other boats or slips, I use the autopilot all the time. The autopilot is also the greatest thing made for fishing. See a bait ball just mark it with a way point, go past it turn the boat and hit "go to" and the boat goes right back to the bait ball. Mark a under water shelf with 8 way points and the boat will go from one to another even correcting for current.

One of the magazines just did a three way side by side of the three systems you mentioned and the raymarine was their favorite. They also compared the different cards. navionics platinum and gold scored higher then the blue chips ( which I have only seen on show models) c-cards can in last.

navionics is also releasing a updated gold card with better soundings and port information so if you buy do get the new card. Also sometime in the near future they will release the navplanner soft ware so you can plug your card in to your computer and plan trips just like you were at your c-80 unit only with more functions and a keyboard. No more transferring files from spreadsheets to blank cards to your unit. Just set the waypoints and routes like you would on the unit, them reinstall your card and your done. All in all I think that raymarine and navionics is working towards a plug and play intergraded system that will be a marriage of pc type programs and dedicated screen systems. Just what I have been asking for the last ten years.

[Adeline]

Thanks guys. I hadn't thought about an autopilot. One more complication. As to the gps going bye-bye, you might check with Lowrance. I thought they were exchanging un-shielded receivers. My research continues...

[gljjr]

After having been on boats with Garmin finders and Tom's with the C80 and using Lowrance and Humminbird finders for years. Raymarine is BY FAR the best finder on the market that I have used. Since my main use is for fishing that means that I will be getting the DSM300 and whatever screen I can afford from there. I'm actually trying to find out more about the new Raytech 6.0 that is supposed to hit the market after the Miami show. This would allow me to network in a laptops/computer with a monitor for the back and then maybe a E80 and second monitor up front all running on the same system.

If I were you I would take the X50 and install it in back for use while fishing.

[Adeline]

It's too bad Ray doesn't make a 10.4 incher. If I'm not comfortable shoehorning a C-120 then it's a contest between the smaller Ray and the larger displays of Lowrance and Garmin and to me, screen size is a major factor. My aging eyes just love that HUGE screen. Maybe a 12 inch display is too much of a good thing.

[flagold]

Better looking maps: Garmin
Better looking screen: Garmin

Best radar: Ray
Best radar integration (Marpa/overlays/color): Ray

Best base map (the one always loaded): Lowrance

Best sounder: Ray (Lowrance is mighty close)

Most unit for the buck: Lowrance

Most useful overall: Ray

That's the way it stacks up to me.

[Adeline]

Well, it's been 7 weeks since the last reply to the query "Raymarine-vs-Garmin-vs-Lowrance" . And the answer is...none of the above. I ended up buying a unit I was only vaguely aware of. I realize that inquiring minds want to know so I don't want to keep you all hanging. http://www.c-brats.com/albums/Adeline/CP1000ren.sized.jpg

[gljjr]

Pete,

Nice unit. Did you also get a black box for the sounder?

[Adeline]

Hi Gary, Yep I got the FF520 Black Box Sonar and the DST 521(Airmar P58) transducer. For years my default choice was Lowrance since I'd had such great service from their stuff. As I researched all the prospective units I measured them against the only benchmark I knew, Lowrance. Sadly, every brand was the absolute worst or absolute best depending on the last thread I saw. I read your thoughts on Raymarine and appreciate your input. I'd say that Raymarine, Garmin, and Furuno folks are the most loyal to their brands. But each also had their detractors. I went to the Seattle boat show last year(2005) planning on purchasing the LCX104C for the best price I found. While attending the Salmon University Workshop I learned of the new 111 and that it would be available by March(2005). NMEA 2000, radar, fuel flow and more had me sold. Well, they never appeared so I kept researching. I was still researching when I stumbled onto the Standard Horizon CP1000C. It had alot going for it including 10.4" screen, C-Max Cartography, alphanumeric keypad, and a three year warranty. Also, there was a window where refurbished units were available for a steal. $990.00 display head and gps receiver. I was able to add the black box and transducer and still be into it for 1/2 the cost of the Refurb C-120 package, new C-80 package, or Garmin 3210 + GSD 22 package. About 2/3 the Lowrance 111 cost. In the end it was the totality of all factors that compelled me to jump. Only time will tell if I blew it or not. I promise that I'll report my findings honestly. I simply will not live with crappy electronics. If I decide that I made a mistake I'll start the search over and sell my stuff on Ebay.

[Luna C]

No radar?

[Adeline]

Sadly no, I was(and am ) unsure whether I'll ever be willing to splurge for it. In the 16 + years I've had Adeline I've actually NEEDED radar only 3 times. I've carefully read Dusty's comments on radar and while it's a desirable option I'm unsure if I'd ever actually be able to justify it.

[Tony]

Pete
That thing looks great. I replaced my radio with a standard horizon and I love it! Let us know how you like it. Are you mounting the old depth finder out back?
Tony

[gljjr]

Thanks for the Info Pete! Standard has been building electronics for years. I'm sure the unit you got will do everything you need it to. I'm looking forward to your review.

Since my first post above I've about given up on getting a Ray system. They are just too expensive. So I'm back to Lowrance. And now that they use the NMEA bus for networking it should be much less expensive to go with them. I just wish they had a way to put the Sonar on the NMEA bus. But that is something I can live with I guess.

[Byrdman]

So Pete.... Tell us....how did the standard horizon perform on the water?? Do tell.

Byrdman... pondering the replacement of 1984 vintage equipment on C-Byrd... Hummingbird 383C anyone for $400??