Thoughts on MFDs and Radar?

[ranger58sb]

Chart plotter was old as well, basically a picture of charts ("navnet"), some of which had little detail, and the depth sounder was not working well either.

Maybe one of their NavNET 3D (NN3D) MFDs with TimeZero display? If so, would have been your choice of NOAA raster charts (pictures of paper charts), NOAA vector charts, C-Map vector charts, and Navionics vector charts up 'til I guess Garmin ended that.

-Chris

 

[Iggy]

My 2 cents. I had Garmin for years and it served me well. I bought my new boat thinking that I would ripe out the old. Than go with Furuno, my 1st choice. But the boat came with all Simrad that was 3 years old.

Simrad vs Garmin for me was easier to use. The menus and pull down are very intuitive over Garmin and I would never go back.

 

[capran]

Maybe one of their NavNET 3D (NN3D) MFDs with TimeZero display? If so, would have been your choice of NOAA raster charts (pictures of paper charts), NOAA vector charts, C-Map vector charts, and Navionics vector charts up 'til I guess Garmin ended that.

-Chris

I threw out all the navnet info so not really sure. The PO showed me his raster charts that looked interesting, but he didn't remember how to down load them and I gave up on that ideas and went with Navionics on a tablet, which I thought was pretty good for the second year. I was pretty old school. In the 80's I spent 18 moths out cruising the Bahamas with a sextant and hand held compass, and a chip log and sounding lead. In the mid 90's got a lat long magellan handheld and thought it was the cats meow. I didn't get a charting handheld until about 2010. I still carry paper charts and except for two small areas of the new garmin where the fishing bottom contours were yellowed out, was pretty pleased with it. (and glad I still had the navionics on the tablet for those two areas. (here's a pic of the yellow at Portland Island. that should be contours and soundings.

 

[SteveK]

Radar is nice to have, but I do not understand the fascination for it.
I find a chartplotter to be more useful. The difference is having detailed information where I am as opposed to where a radar target is. AP course keeping is my favorite.
Mostly I just look around at the scenery.

 

[capran]

Radar is nice to have, but I do not understand the fascination for it.
I find a chartplotter to be more useful. The difference is having detailed information where I am as opposed to where a radar target is. AP course keeping is my favorite.
Mostly I just look around at the scenery.

in "Fogust" it's pretty nice to have. I turn it on in some crossing situations. Had to alter course early this year as I watched the approach of a newer American tug that should have been the give way vessel, but I slowed and altered course, and watched from a boat length away as he crossed. (no one at the helm or in the main helm cabin.)

 

[ranger58sb]

threw out all the navnet info so not really sure. The PO showed me his raster charts that looked interesting, but he didn't remember how to down load them and I gave up on that ideas

Maybe too bad. The process was dead simple. Download. Unzip to SD. Insert card into MFD. Turn on machine. Answer Yes (agree to update). Done.

Radar is nice to have, but I do not understand the fascination for it.
I find a chartplotter to be more useful. The difference is having detailed information where I am as opposed to where a radar target is. AP course keeping is my favorite.

In case you didn't see:

What does radar do that my eyes can't?

I'm going to preface this so that you all understand my circumstances. First, cruising offshore is basically never going to happen. Second, we have no lower helm, so I'm ALWAYS at the very top of the boat driving. Third, we have no auto pilot, so I'm ALWAYS at the wheel. Fourth, I cannot foresee...

www.trawlerforum.com

Chart plotter obviously useful, but in our case, we also like to not run into stuff the RADAR sees... that aren't on the charts. Like other boats and so forth.

-Chris