recommendations for a 12" plotter

Miller · 22 June 2013, 16:12

Any good recommendations for a plotter to replace my navman?

The service centre are pushing me towards a lowrance or a simrad.

Are the garmins any good?

Any good deals going as well I can look at?

Thanks

Brian · 23 June 2013, 08:51

Simrad?

willk · 23 June 2013, 11:26

Miller, the service centre are pushing you towards Lowrance & Simrad because all three are owned by Navico. Nothing wrong with either, Lowrance are cheaper but fairly much identical to Simrad. Garmin are fine.

My pick would be either Lowrance or Garmin. If it was JUST a plotter I wanted, I'd probably go Garmin. Do you actually want a plotter with a 12" screen, or one that fills a 12" hole in the console?

Be aware that many of the Lowrance units ship with no cartography, whereas many of the Garmins do.

Mollers · 23 June 2013, 11:35

Willk, i think that you are the RN go to leccy boff.

Which is good, 'coz you don't know jack sh*t about boats, outboards or strimmers!

Nos4r2 · 23 June 2013, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Lowrance are cheaper but fairly much identical to Simrad.

So close that the Lowrance and Simrad Structurescan modules share a manual.

willk · 23 June 2013, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Willk, i think that you are the RN go to leccy boff.

Which is good, 'coz you don't know jack sh*t about boats, outboards or strimmers!

You're just sore 'cos Osprey don't make a Plotter. Of course if they did, even I know it would be the best

BTW, that strimmer gets weekly duty for six months of the year, rolled out of the shop back in 2000 and hasn't been back since. I only bought it 'cos it/I was cheap, so luck appears to count for something too

Mollers · 23 June 2013, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

You're just sore 'cos Osprey don't make a Plotter. Of course if they did, even I know it would be the best

That's rich coming from the guy in the RB underwear.

Osprey hulls are proper and great for winding up RC owners.

willk · 23 June 2013, 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

That's rich coming from the guy in the RB underwear.

Like a stick of seaside rock, if you snapped me in the middle it would say REDBAY all the way through.

So I don't need to flash my pants at every passerby

Chris Caton · 23 June 2013, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Miller, the service centre are pushing you towards Lowrance & Simrad because all three are owned by Navico. Nothing wrong with either, Lowrance are cheaper but fairly much identical to Simrad. Garmin are fine.

My pick would be either Lowrance or Garmin. If it was JUST a plotter I wanted, I'd probably go Garmin. Do you actually want a plotter with a 12" screen, or one that fills a 12" hole in the console?

Be aware that many of the Lowrance units ship with no cartography, whereas many of the Garmins do.

I like the Garmin stuff coz the menu is simple, n I neeeeeeed simple, when you press menu you get menu for the page you are on, some plotters go back to the main menu, which is a pain when you is bobbing about on the wetstuff

we went for the 4008 as it was as big as we could fit, the through hull depth sounder (mounts inside hulle, you don't need to drill through hull

) is a great bit of kit too, but it does add a large bit to the bill

don't know much about other makes, but guess they have all moved on a bit in recent years, I would deffo want to have a play with one in the shop before splashing the cash, see which you like, which menu's make sense etc, and which will fit in the space you have, they all seem to measure in the own way!!

Nos4r2 · 23 June 2013, 12:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Caton

they all seem to measure in the own way!!

That's very true-if there's an online template available, use it before buying as you may find the fixing holes go into space even if the manufacturer says it's a direct replacement. Been there done that

Chris Caton · 23 June 2013, 13:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

That's very true-if there's an online template available, use it before buying as you may find the fixing holes go into space even if the manufacturer says it's a direct replacement. Been there done that

yes, forgot about the online template, we were very lucky with ours as we managed to fiddle it to get all four fixings into solid console, after moving the ignition switch / kill switch plate to the other side of the steering wheel

I've attached a couple of pics of mods to the console over the years, was a touch nervous cutting out for the chartplotter and vhf

Portnahaven · 23 June 2013, 16:27

I like the Garmin as well. Very simple, easy to use menu on Sonar/Radar/Nav.
Had a 12" Simrad for 9 years on previous boat and it was excellent. Best sonar of all. The menu was not as easy as Garmin, required a lot more button pushing - but then that was 11 year older technology. Latest Simrads look to be very very good.

Miller · 24 June 2013, 18:40

Well, I'm tempted by the garmin 6012...any good?

Anyone know who does good deals on garmin? I can't find many dealers. Cactus navigation have been the best price so far

Chris Caton · 24 June 2013, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miller

Well, I'm tempted by the garmin 6012...any good?

Anyone know who does good deals on garmin? I can't find many dealers. Cactus navigation have been the best price so far

looks a good price

martini · 24 June 2013, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miller

Well, I'm tempted by the garmin 6012...any good?

Anyone know who does good deals on garmin? I can't find many dealers. Cactus navigation have been the best price so far

Cactus, MES ltd, or Redcar electronics are usually the top three for garmin.

I wouldn't buy a 6012, nothing wrong with it but its all about the touch screens now, get a 7012, I picked one up a few months ago for £2k, probably less now.

In the last few years I've had a 4010, 6010, 5012 and 7012, touchscreen on the rib for a few years now, when I bought the hard boat it had a 6010 which drove me insane so it had to come out hence the 7012

gotchiguy · 24 June 2013, 21:04

7012 really is excellent and the price is falling rapidly thanks to the new 8000 units. Garmin Homeport software makes it so easy to make routes and waypoints at home then transfer it over. Shame with the Opti it is so expensive to get an NMEA2K gateway, but on ours it calculates fuel for the trip etc.

Cheapness wise, the old style widescreen Raymarine units are available at a very good price.

Miller · 24 June 2013, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Cactus, MES ltd, or Redcar electronics are usually the top three for garmin.

I wouldn't buy a 6012, nothing wrong with it but its all about the touch screens now, get a 7012, I picked one up a few months ago for £2k, probably less now.

In the last few years I've had a 4010, 6010, 5012 and 7012, touchscreen on the rib for a few years now, when I bought the hard boat it had a 6010 which drove me insane so it had to come out hence the 7012

Where was that from? Ive just googled the 7012 and cant find one anywhere

willk · 24 June 2013, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miller

Where was that from? Ive just googled the 7012 and cant find one anywhere

Marine Electronic Service Ltd - Garmin GPSMAP 5012 12.1" Touch Screen Multi Display

gotchiguy · 24 June 2013, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Marine Electronic Service Ltd - Garmin GPSMAP 5012 12.1" Touch Screen Multi Display

Chartplotters: GARMIN MAP 7012 MULTI FUNCTION DISPLAY (010-00749-00)

Erin · 24 June 2013, 22:21

Another vote for the Garmin 5000 and 7000 series. Have the 5008 on the rib and the 7012 on the big boat. The 7012 is meant to have a faster processor but TBH I'm not sure I can tell much difference. Once you get the hang of their 'home' screen they are simple to operate. The Simrad NSE and Furuno TZ are meant to be excellent, but I'm not convinced they have such good customer support as Garmin and fewer matching accessories.