Standard Horizon CPF 300i

T

Tortuga

New member
Ok, I'm about to pull the trigger (or at least the buy button) on a chartplotter -- and I've worked my up from a 4" to a 5", and now I'm somehow thinking of the SH CPF 300i, which is a 7", with the capability to accept the Sitex radome down the road when the cruising kitty is replenished.

The Garmins I've been looking at (increasingly the 540s) seem like great units, but the cost is 1/2 of the cost of the larger 300i, and can't accept radar. So, it may be more cost-effective in the long run to go with the 300i.

Any of you using the 300i, or any of the Standard Horizon chartplotters? If so, what is your impression, observation, recommendation? With the C-Map it's still gonna come in just under $1000 -- so if there are other recommendations out there I'm all ears.

It was a lot easier when all we had was a protractor and RDF...

Matt
 
I have been using the 7" screen Standard Horizon plotters for about 6 years and have been very satisified with them. (I sold the first unit with a boat, and purchased a second one for the Tom Cat.). It is not quite as easy to operate as the Garmin, and does not have the advantage of all of the coastal or inland waterway charts. But with two chips, I have most of the Gulf coast and the inland waters from Mobile to the Great Lakes, in C maps. I do like C map cartography. I feel that S H compares favorably with the Carmin, Lowrance and Furuno units which I also own.
 
I don't want to lead you to more anguish. I know Standard is a great company with great service. But I might take a look at the new Garmin 740 touchscreens. I've heard great things about it. I think it's 7". It comes loaded with coastal maps, retails for 1499. Adding color 4Kw HD radar later is as simple as adding an inexpensive plug in dome. If you get the 740s it has a 1KW FF built in ($1699). Full NMEA 2000 compat + 2nmea ports, xm/ weather compat.

At least worth a look if you haven't. New technology, just started shipping.
 
Hi Matt,

I've been using a 10" SH plotter/sounder since '06.
Sonar_Image.jpg

A 10" is almost TOO big, but, I can read it from the cockpit which comes in handy.

From_the_Cockpit.jpg

I can't advise you about the Garmin -vs- the SH. My knowledge is not current.

I CAN attest to SH customer service, responsiveness, and 3 year warranty.

Whenever I've called for support I've gotten an English speaking tech eager to help me. Never a wait!

I took the liberty of searching "The Hull Truth" for you.

You'll see that when folks post their questions or complaints someone from SH invariably responds. Usually their vice-president.
 
Matt we use a SH CPV 350 chartplotter on Chack Chack. I like the C-Map charts, the display is resonable, and we have the fishfinder and a Si-Tex MDS 9 radome. My only complaint is I can't get the radar overlay to work but otherwise has been a great unit.

We also run a laptop with Tiki navionics or Tiki pro which runs noaa charts, and have paper charts as well.

Eric
 
helm":2npcoxyd said:
Matt we use a SH CPV 350 chartplotter on Chack Chack. I like the C-Map charts, the display is resonable, and we have the fishfinder and a Si-Tex MDS 9 radome. My only complaint is I can't get the radar overlay to work but otherwise has been a great unit.

We also run a laptop with Tiki navionics or Tiki pro which runs noaa charts, and have paper charts as well.

Eric
Click to expand...

Hi Eric,
Do you have a fluxgate compass installed? The overlay only works on those units if you have a fluxgate compass input via a NMEA 0381 port.

--Matt
 
Hi Matt, yes we have a KVH Azimuth 1000 compass, have tried two different multiplexers and lots of time with Scot Iverson at SH. I think the radar overlay on the CPV 350 is theoretical. The CP 300i has four nmea inputs and shouldn't be a problem for the radar overlay.

Eric
 
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