Nepidae
Senior Member
I believe you will be happy with your choice of Garmin.
In '16 we had a Garmin suite installed (Chartplotter (CP), radar (RD), ais & autopilot (AP)) in preparation for the Loop. As of today, I have made upgrades to the CP (7612-8616xsv) and the AIS (600 to 800).
I agree that Garmin has an exceptional support team and like the way that if they are busy you can leave your number and they will call you back, you maintain the same position in the queue. That and the intuitive way the system works will make the transition easier.
I like the way the CP & AP work together. In the morning when we've established our destination for the day (we usually do 30-40mi/day) I go up to the bridge and lay in the course. IF the destination isn't in the database (locks and other ATONs usually aren't) I just tap the chart at the location. Utilizing G3 or Vision charts the route will be drawn on the chart. I have an opportunity to modify the route, but have found that the route is usually in the center of the channel.
I also have the AP remote so we sit on the bridge with 360 views and if we see an obstacle to avoid I can use the remote to move the boat 1 or 10 degrees either right or left to make the adjustment. When we pass that obstacle 2 touches on the AP head puts us back on course. BTW, if an immediate response is needed, I grab the wheel and make the adjustment. Shadow Drive will automatically put us back on course.
I think that Garmin is a forward-thinking company so the expenditure for their equipment will be ensured that the company will be around and making advancements in the technology of the products.
Garmin's purchase of Navionics just enforces that to me.
Any specific questions I might be able to answer, let me know.
In '16 we had a Garmin suite installed (Chartplotter (CP), radar (RD), ais & autopilot (AP)) in preparation for the Loop. As of today, I have made upgrades to the CP (7612-8616xsv) and the AIS (600 to 800).
I agree that Garmin has an exceptional support team and like the way that if they are busy you can leave your number and they will call you back, you maintain the same position in the queue. That and the intuitive way the system works will make the transition easier.
I like the way the CP & AP work together. In the morning when we've established our destination for the day (we usually do 30-40mi/day) I go up to the bridge and lay in the course. IF the destination isn't in the database (locks and other ATONs usually aren't) I just tap the chart at the location. Utilizing G3 or Vision charts the route will be drawn on the chart. I have an opportunity to modify the route, but have found that the route is usually in the center of the channel.
I also have the AP remote so we sit on the bridge with 360 views and if we see an obstacle to avoid I can use the remote to move the boat 1 or 10 degrees either right or left to make the adjustment. When we pass that obstacle 2 touches on the AP head puts us back on course. BTW, if an immediate response is needed, I grab the wheel and make the adjustment. Shadow Drive will automatically put us back on course.
I think that Garmin is a forward-thinking company so the expenditure for their equipment will be ensured that the company will be around and making advancements in the technology of the products.
Garmin's purchase of Navionics just enforces that to me.
Any specific questions I might be able to answer, let me know.