Need Opinions

N

Nunya

New member
After much soul searching and internet searching, I've decided to break down and install a radar unit. I've been caught in the soup a handful of times and would feel better knowing where everyone else is. I don't leave the harbor if I don't have decent visibility, but there are times when it rolls in while out fishing.
Anyway I currently have a Garmin 4208 chartplotter which I could add a Garmin HD radar very simply, plug and play. But I was looking at a Furuno 1715 and am trying to decide which would be a better setup. Most articles favor the Furuno.
What are you guys opinions???
 
I have an older model CRT Furuno (love that Co.) and while it works fine, I have been dreaming of the day I can change out for a new HD unit. So, from all the research that I have been doing (and especially if I already had a Garmin network head unit) I would have no problem at all going for the Garmin HD dome.

From what I've seen, I think you could recover 80 cents on the dollar even if you absolutely hated it, though I don't think you would.

Whatever you decide, please let us know the outcome.

Chris
 
I have not run a boat with Garmin's new HD radar. I can say that their second generation radar was very poor in performance, had bad definition, and was not user tunable. It was the worst radar I had ever run. I have heard the HD is much improved.

My experience with Furuno has always been good, and their radar is the industry standard. At this point Furuno is the only pleasuere boat electronics manufacturer with a commercial boat line up. That big boat technology works it way down to the pleasure boat product.

Furuno also offers much better support for their products. 20 and 30 year old Furuno radards still have parts availability. Garmin doesn't support product more than a year or two after they discontinue it. WIth their recent product changes, it means a 5 year old Garmin probably has limited support at this point.

The advantage for Garmin is that you already have the display, and adding just the radar is pretty easy.

Ultimately, it's almost a coin toss as to which way to go.
 
My personal preference would be the 1715 Furuno. Read what Ben Ellison says about the various radars. Start here:
http://www.panbo.com/archives/2008/06/g ... oblem.html

Then jump to :
http://www.panbo.com/archives/2009/09/1 ... ition.html

One of the lessons here is to learn to manually tune the radar. Also to get the most out of the overlay, you need at the least a fluxgate compass--very best is a rate gyro compass.

Originally I was going to experiment with the new broad band radar. But reports have been so dissapointing and disjointed, and I have postponed that expensive decision...(I need a new boat for all of that!--everything I have works very well!).
 
Hi,

I am really pleased with the resolution on my Garmin HD Radar. I previously had a Raymarine radar (2001) that was not nearly as discriminating.

You have to experiment with your controls to get the best resolution possible in varying conditions regardless of the brand you buy.

Good luck in your decision!

Kent
MARCIA JANE
 
Matt Gurnsey":1sx3aeoo said:
Garmin doesn't support product more than a year or two after they discontinue it.
Click to expand...

Garmin introduces new products quite often. Can you say "planned obsolescence"? To me that takes them completely out of the running.

Warren
 
Apropos of the topic, I would "echo" what Matt and Bob have said. If the price isn't too steep, get the Furuno. Their products (and not just their radars) are solid and dependable, and their customer support is beyond good. They may not always be first with the latest "model year" cosmetic bells and whistles, but as noted their pleasure boat products are the offspring of serious commercial applications. They appear to start with the assumption that the buyer will be relying on their equipment for years.
 
In looking at the Furuno Navnet Radar/chartplotters I notice they are available with the Navionics Gold vs. C-MAP NT Max charts.

Differences, likes, dislikes between the two from those that use them/know them? Appears the Navionics Gold is more of a traditional look like the charts I am used to adn the NT Max looks more modern and "hi-techy".
 
localboy":2c76xdxu said:
In looking at the Furuno Navnet Radar/chartplotters I notice they are available with the Navionics Gold vs. C-MAP NT Max charts.

Differences, likes, dislikes between the two from those that use them/know them? Appears the Navionics Gold is more of a traditional look like the charts I am used to adn the NT Max looks more modern and "hi-techy".
Click to expand...

The NN3D comes preloaded with raster charts for all of the US (inc. Alaska and Hawaii).

In NNVX2 you can choose between Navionics or C-Map. I use the C-Map NT MAX in my Furuno system. I have been very happy with the chart detail and aerial pictures thus far (aerial pictures of major harbors, etc.). I don't have first hand experience with the Navionics charts.
 
With NAVnet VX2 we have been going mainly C-Map, because of the bounderies of the maps and having to buy fewer (and now only one) chart cards.

We have not done a NAVnet 3D set up yet. I like a lot of the features, but have a hard time justifying the extra cost for my uses.
 
I have both a Navionics and a C map chart plotter in the Tom Cat (and Garmin)--and do comparisons. Both are good. I would look at the cartography for your area and then decide. The C map Max I have covers all of the inalnd waters to the great Lakes from the Gulf coast--and as noted that is a huge area. The "Hot maps" and some of the lake maps are better in the Navionics charts.
 
I use the older C-Map NT+, because that's what the JRC radar used. Haven't been disappointed. In the last 5 years C-Map has gone from the NT+ to MAX and now MAX Pro, but I assume the basic charting is the same. I'm often amazed as to how accurate the chart/WAAS GPS position is. They still sell NT+ chips, by the way

You can also get/buy a chip reader for a PC, which lets you do various looks at home. I can plan a route with the C-Map PC tool and with a little massaging upload the route to the radar. I guess I mean chartplotter.

The Furuno radars used to use a different shape for the C-Map chip. Be sure you get the right chip if you select C-Map.

Boris
 
I think Boris makes a good point. When I got my Furuno GPS/chartplotter I had to decide which map version I was going to use before I ordered the chartplotter. You can't shove a C-Map chart into a Furuno configured for Navionics, or vice-versa. I have the Navionics and am very happy with it. A little pricey for the chips (took two to cover Olympia to Juneau).
 
I think I may have been looking at the 3D version vs the NT Max when I posted they appeared more hi-tech. :roll: :oops:

From looking at the Jeppesen marine website The C-Map chart covers western N. America, all of Alaska, all the way out to Hawai'i and the French Frigate Shoals down to Mexico, so it would suit our long term needs perfectly.
 
More power is good...or, should I say great when it is time for radar.

My TC had very nice for it's day electronics with the Raymarine C70 with 2KW radar.

Few years later when building out ALOYSIUS, new displays, I liked the faster clearer E-80 and the 4KW. Not much money difference, and, could have actually came down in price.

My point, it the second system, same company, different power and display... were much different particuarly when opperating is HARD DOWNPOURING RAIN... which we get here. Ask Les just after truck in front of him changed ends and he was then looking at head lights rather than tail lights. I was in a different vehicle, and, knowing how hard the rain was about to get...had pulled over for a nice coffee.

So...the 2KW and 4KW today are not that different in price...when you look at the total cost of a rig....but, the way they work is much different. I liked the 2kw fine for those clear nights on the river... picking out buoys, but, in daylight with mother nature pouring on your head like water out of a boot... that power makes a difference....in the 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 mile range.... which, in the bad stuff and slow speeds by being 100% electronics and zero out the windshield.... is the operation range..unless of course you have made it back to the marina...and you are on the 1/8 mile....
 
For whatever its worth we use the following and have been mostly happy

Standard Horizon CPV 350 - integrates VHF and chart plotter in one unit, its tidy and works well with the space available at the helm. They are advertised in the mid $700 dollar range these days. Uses CMAP NT MAX

Si-Tex mds 9 radome 4 kw, 24 inch dome - displays single page or side by side with charts on the CPV 350, possible to set up overlay but we haven't made that work yet. We bought the radome and junction box for just over $1300. Install is simple, took me a few hours one afternoon.

Back up the CPV 350 with a laptop running Tiki Gold with navionics charts on its own Holux gps.

Back that up with paper charts.

If you don't need the VHF Standard Horizon has a nice line of chartplotters with radar capability available as well.



Eric
 
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