 Small, good all in one DF,FF Chartplotter...advice?
I have 7" Raymarine FF, LCD GPS/Plotter and Radar units. I went with two separate units initially because there was no networkable FF available. I found the 7" screens hard to see in split screen mode (i.e., chart and radar on one screen) because of the small picture, and added a second display. The FF and one radar/plotter display is flushmounted in a piece of King Starboard fit flush over the helm electronics box. (I don't know if it would fit in the Islander box.) The other plotter/radar display is in a Navpod mounted in the area right next to the helm box. I also mounted an ST60 Multidata repeater in front of the Navpod in a King Starboard box that I made because I found bearing and range info difficult to see in the small pop-up window on the 7" display. Finally, I got B/W units, but if I had to do it agan I would get color.
You could start with a Plotter/FF unit from Raymarine, or beter yet a unit that was a Plotter/Radar enabled with the new black box fishfinder. This will let you do two things. One, add a second display if you find the split screen difficult to see, and two, add a radome at a later date to give you radar. Once you have radar you won't know how you lived without it.
The nice feature of networkable units, whether from Raymarine or somebode else, is that you can start with a single display and add as budget allows and as you run the boat and find like dislikes. Adding a new display involves connecting a power cable and two plug in cables for data and the picture. Just be sure to plan for future installations to make them as easy as possible. I.E., mount the single unit to one side of the electronics box leaving room for a future unit #2.
You've got a great family and fishing boat there. Enjoy. | 
