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replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
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replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
currently have two mfd 12" screens in place.. i love the radar, love the fishfinder.. the charts are what we know.. but i like the functionality and am comfortable with maneuvering around the mfd menus.
it was torture waiting as long as i had to for these 2 screens last season.. the initial release date being april, in reality turned into late july/early august.. no need to go over that again.
according to furuno's july 2008 q&a about charts, they say that they will provide regular updates to vector & raster charts at no cost to customers; but they do not suggest a timeline for this. they also plan to offer Navionics-based charts for sale for US areas in the first half of 2009. the debut will be at the Miami Boat show in 2009. "this introduction timeline is subject to change."
i really don't want to have to go another season with these charts. after what furuno did last season, i don't have the confidence in them that they will release these charts on time and won't believe it until i see it.
i was thinking of replacing one of the nn3d mfd's with a northstar 6100i. the plus side is good charts/gps cartography. i could also hook the smartcraft verados and display information on this screen. the down side is i can't overlay furuno radar onto the charts and i can't go back and forth between screens.
any thoughts? anyone have an insight into furuno and their plans with the charts.
i guess one way to go is see what furuno does at the miami show. i'm not going to fall for the "oh we're going to release the charts in march... no, now april.. no, now may" lines again..
RE: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
I am in the same situation as you are and thinking along the same lines. I do not want to give up my Furuno HD radar and some of the nice features of the NN3D system. Plus, at some point the NN3D system should be a totally awesome unit , including the charts, or Furuno will scrap it and start all over from scratch. If Furuno continues on with the Mapsea charts, how long will it take before we have something useful for fishermen??
I am also looking into adding another dedicated chart plotter next to my Furuno NN3D system . Just read where Raymarine is coming out with new chart plotter/ff units that include Navionics charts. With the Mapsea charts running $500 per area, for a few $$ more I can have another chart plotter that includes the Navionics charts, plus the added safety with redundant systems. The reason I am thinking RM is my autopilot is a RM. I have not be able to figure out how to hook my RM AP to my NN3D. Another reason for a backup CP.
Guess like you, I will wait to hear the reports on the charts Furuno releases in the near future. As my fishing start time nears, I may be slapping in another brands cp to fish next year. And I thought I was done chart plotter shopping for a long time.
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
I can't speak for the Furuno end of it but I just replaced my Northstar 6000i with a 6100i (only because it broke down right in the middle of canyon tuna season) and frankly other than a few tricks (such as xm siri weather compatible) it isn'tt much better than the 6000i (in fact it is slower updating). What might make sense for you is to see if you can find a refurbished 6000i (I actually am selling my refurbished unit but its a 10 inch screen) and could have the excellent navionics charts (my Furuno cartography sucks frankly) without spending a ton of $$ in the even that furuno gets their act together . I love my Northstar for the charts, plus I like the idea of having redundency. Even if I were to get the NavNet 3d on my next boat I will no doubt have a Northstar or something compatible for the redundency... It is critical because its always right in the middle of the season when these things break and you have to send them out - otherwise you are tied up to the dock!
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
well, i e-mailed Furuno a few weeks ago and gave them the link to this thread.. i haven't heard back, yet. usually they are pretty good.
i was at the boat show today.
the Navionics rep. says that they are "working" with Furuno ( to help them improve their charts), but they are not actually making charts for Furuno.
one of the electronics installers who talked to the Furuno rep. ( who i just missed, and he was lucky Furuno did not have a booth there otherwise i would have attacked them) and he [the electronics installer] seemed to think that there were no charts coming out any time soon. they are also going to address other issues before any bathymetric charts are release...
hmmm...that Northstar is looking better..
some of you above suggested a more optimistic picture?
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
Can someone get a straight answer out of Furuno?
I am about to equip new boat with 2x12 inch screens, AP, radar, radios, the full nine yards. I am blown away that we can't get some clarity here considering the depth of complaint and concern we have had over their charts. Totally want Furuno FF and Radar, also want integrated package from manufacturer. Most electronics reps seem to be promoting the Garmin stuff pretty hard. It does not seem to me to be an elegant solution to be sticking my squid covered, or eel slimed fingers all over my screens.
Can someone from Furuno please lay down the 'hull' TRUTH and tell us when we can have reliable info on the upgrade to their Charts so I don't go for the Garmin package, or the combination of Furuno and Northstar gear. Convince me to pony up the $ for the total Furuno package. I'll be at the Boston show to make my purchase and I will need to have clarity then. Will Furuno have a rep at Boston and does anyone know who it is and what their number/email is so I can set up some time with them?
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
I don't know anything about Furuno service, but I did e-mail Northstar right before Christmas asking for help with a problem I am having with one of their fish finders and haven't heard from them yet.
If a Northstar person weighs in here, I'd like some help.
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
Quote:
michaellmarcus - 2/6/2009 4:50 PMCan someone get a straight answer out of Furuno?I am about to equip new boat with 2x12 inch screens, AP, radar, radios, the full nine yards. I am blown away that we can't get some clarity here considering the depth of complaint and concern we have had over their charts. Totally want Furuno FF and Radar, also want integrated package from manufacturer. Most electronics reps seem to be promoting the Garmin stuff pretty hard. It does not seem to me to be an elegant solution to be sticking my squid covered, or eel slimed fingers all over my screens.Can someone from Furuno please lay down the 'hull' TRUTH and tell us when we can have reliable info on the upgrade to their Charts so I don't go for the Garmin package, or the combination of Furuno and Northstar gear. Convince me to pony up the $ for the total Furuno package. I'll be at the Boston show to make my purchase and I will need to have clarity then. Will Furuno have a rep at Boston and does anyone know who it is and what their number/email is so I can set up some time with them?
The raster charts for the Cape and Islands and offshore waters are just fine as I can say from personal experience since that is my home and I have two NN3D displays. The complaints are loudest for those who use the Bahamas and other non-US coastal or who have a thing about vector charts. The charts are very easily upgraded so I would not give up the much better radar and sounder of the NaveNet 3D because of what you read here -- go look at them and see how you feel before you go with the Garmin units and their less capable radar and sounder. Furuno is working diligently on the vector charts in any case and I was told by a rep that the New Egland version would be available by late spring.
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
well, i wouldn't say VX3 is a mess. it's biggest weakness is just the charts. everthing else is strong & solid. 3D in my opinion is not a "must have", but a nice feature; you do get more information to fit on the screen at once and this is helpful for navigating dense areas.
interesting..i went back today and was walking through the vendor section. one of the electronics installers had the NN3D screen up on display.. and one unit had bathymetric charts and the other unit had hi-res satellite photos on it. i was like "wow!". the saleperson was working on a customer (heheh, who was putting together a NN3D package) -- i kinda butted in and said "are those new bathymetric charts & hi-res sat photos!!!?"
he didn't seem to know much... his response was "i'm not sure, the Furuno rep. came by here popped in a [SD] card and loaded something into the unit".
i went back to my trusty installer who was at another booth and he still said he hadn't heard anything about new charts.
i read what glen e said above. i will have to hunt that furuno rep down and ask him point blank what's up with the charts. but.. if what was up on display today (the bathymetric/hi res sat photos) were just demo screens, that would be pretty sad and just downright misleading of furuno to do that.
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
I did not read it totally, but a Furuno dealer tech bulletin just came across the wire as I was leaving work today. It was a big splash for upgraded NN3D charts - I believe for fla/bahamas...check their website maybe?
Re: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
Quote:
dmeswi - 2/6/2009 5:08 PM
I don't know anything about Furuno service, but I did e-mail Northstar right before Christmas asking for help with a problem I am having with one of their fish finders and haven't heard from them yet.
If a Northstar person weighs in here, I'd like some help.
Dennis
Northstar is very good too deal with but you have to call there tech support. Furuno on the other hand is ussually easier to deal with online.
RE: replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts?
Furuno removed the 906p charts (Bahamas & SE US) from their internet FTP site last week. They were there first thing in the morning and then disappeared before noon. I'm hoping that's because there are going to be new charts released shortly.
I'll be at the Miami Boat Show first thing Thursday Morning and will go to the Furuno booth. If new charts aren't coming shortly, they they will get an earful from me.
The free charts of the SE US are really bad. So are the SE US charts in the current 906p chartpak. I haven't seen any other chart plotter from any manufacturer that has charts that are any way near this bad.
I'm currently also considering to replace all my Navnet 3D equipment with something else, possibly Raymarine. My main cruising area at present is the Bahamas, and they simply do not have any usable charts. I was promised better charts for a long time now, and a few days ago, a new update came out, and it was just as bad as all the charts before. I posted an example here:
Quite frankly, I'm feeling tricked by Furuno. They had this big show at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in 2007, that convinced me to invest in Furuno. It took another six months until it was finally released, and now, 1.5 years later, it is still not usable for navigation, due to the lack of charts. I wish they could simply give their customers a choice to use Navionics charts directly.
replace furuno nn3d w/ northstar 6100i or wait for better charts? 
Furuno did not have a booth there otherwise i would have attacked them) and he [the electronics installer] seemed to think that there were no charts coming out any time soon. they are also going to address other issues before any bathymetric charts are release...
