Raymarine-vs-Garmin-vs-Lowrance

A

Adeline

New member
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.
Electronics.sized.jpg
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
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...
 
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. :)
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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??
 
Pat,

I have a Humminbird Legend 2000 Deep on my sled. It is a decent finder. And I really like having knobs instead of buttons! I don't think you can go wrong with a Humminbird. They make nice units. My biggest concern would be the maps.

For a bit more you might look into the Lowrance 334/7/9. These are nice little units that can use either Lowrances NauticPath charts or Navionics charts. You might even be able to find a used 332 on EBay for about what you would pay for a new Humminbird :)

Pete, how about some new pics and a report? I would love to hear how you like the new unit!
 
I chose the C-80 after checking out what was available. I like the size since it allowed me to mount it directly on top of the dash in front of the helm. I can easily see over it, and it's close enough to access the buttons and options without leaving the seat. The smaller size mounted closer is more than equivalent to the larger size farther away.

A larger display would not work there, and moving it up and hanging it from the overhead blocks access to the hatch and visibility as well.

Very functional. A pleasure to use.
 
Since Gary and Byrdman asked I'll offer my first impressions of the new plotter. Please remember that my thoughts are relative to the only plotter and sounder I have experience with. 1st, it's big and colorful. Here is a view from the cockpit http://www.c-brats.com/albums/album137/ ... .sized.jpg . The detail seems great as seen in this screen-shot of my downrigger ball in search of Kokes on Merwin Lake Washington http://www.c-brats.com/albums/album137/ ... .sized.jpg The transducer(SH DST 521(Airmar P58)) has performed flawlessly at all speeds. The GPS Antenna is so sensitive it even picks up 3d WAAS signals inside my outbuilding where Adeline resides. The screen changes are lightning fast. AND, contrary to my Lowrance GPS, there is none of the musical interference that forced me to up-squelch my vhf. In fact, there is no noise from the sonar either. None at all! However, since I promised to be completely honest, I want to share my dislikes. I've always depended on my shallow alarm with the Lowrance. It has alerted me to trouble many times. Here is where the SH falls short. The plotter has various alarms and the sounder has various alarms. In stock trim none are loud enough to hear over the motor and the volume is not adjustable. I installed a Radio-Shack Piezo Buzzer Alarm to the black-box sonar accessory wire bundle and it is plenty loud. But it only serves the sounder. All the wonderful alarms on the plotter/highway page are inaudible. While I can silence the sounder alarm from the plotter/highway page I must move to the sounder page and then to alarms to reselect a new shallow setting. This requires considerable button pushing and distraction time. I suppose this is the price one pays for an all-in-one unit. The plotter/CMAX has a really cool feature called an "anti-grounding alarm". When activated it projects a 30 degree cone ahead of the vessel for a user determined range. When any of a number of hazzards appear in this cone the alarm sounds to alert the skipper to the danger. Sadly, the volume is so pathetic that it can't be heard. To be fair, all alarms also appear visually on screen(alarm windows) but I'm used to audible alarms with adjustable volume levels. A second issue I have is that there are data windows that are present at the top of the sounder page that cannot be disabled. They can be customized but not eliminated. To me they waste valuable vertical pixels. When I'm trolling I generally don't care what my course is, or dst, or ttg, or whatever. I told SH how I feel about this. Hopefully it will be addressed in a future firmware upgrade. Finally my last complaint. When navigating a route any plotter will "auto-sequence" ahead when you arrive at a waypoint. With my Lowrance I could set an arrival radius that would trigger this transition. However, the SH is not adjustable and the manual doesn't tell me what it is. For example, if the arrival zone has a .2 sm radius and I only come to within .21sm, I'll continue to navigate to a waypoint that I've already passed and is disappearing behind me. To be fair again, I didn't have a problem in my limited experience so far but I need to contact SH to find out how big the arrival-zone circle is. In sum, I'm very impressed with the quality and detail of the new plotter/sonar/transducer. I think it was the correct choice for me. It is a quantum leap from my older(and endearing) Lowrance units. I hope I haven't belabored what I see as shortcomings but I want to be completely honest with you all. I have no stock in SH(Yaesu). BTW, the Standard Horizon, Interphase, and Si-Tex units(at least the 10.4"ers) are all made in Italy my C-MAP. The features offered vary slightly among them.
 
Hey guys I was looking for some Troubleshooting Tips for the CP1000C and stumbled upon this forum. If it's worth anything I'll give you guys my 2 cents worth. First of all I live in Miami, FL and and own a 29 Seaswirl Stripper (similar to a Wellcraft). I have used the SH CP1000C for about 3 years now and we love it! Mind this is the first CP we have ever owned. Especially now with the new updated MAX firmware, SH has done a really good job with the CP, so for those of you who still haven't done so upgrade to the new version, it is worth it. But like all electronics they sometimes have their hiccups. This is our second CP, SH had to replace the first one because after beign sent THREE times to SH for repairs for getting stuck they finally gave us a new one. Yesterday we brought our boat back from the Florida Keys using a handheld b/w that we keep on board, just in case. We get an AQUIRING message when the CP turns on but no information from the SAT's. The good thing is that SH has a three year warranty, so hopefully they will cover this. I will keep you guys updated on the situation.
 
Back
Top