*THE HULL TRUTH is the world's largest FREE network for the discussion of Boating & Fishing. Whether you're researching a new boat, or are a seasoned Captain, you'll find The Hull Truth Boating & Fishing Message Forum contains a wealth of information from Boaters and Sportfishermen around the world.
Welcome to the updated THT!
If you are having trouble signing in, please email feedback@thehulltruth.com with your username and we will help you. We thank you for your patience as we help you access the new site!
Random Quote: You can sleep on your boat, but you can't fish in your living room.
Just bought a new Parker 23 SE and wanted some thoughts on electronics. Boat has a nice sized center console for mounting electronics. Will be used primarily in mid Chesapeake and mid Atlantic inshore--water depths 120' or less-- bottom fishing, chumming, some wreck fishing and diving.
Am planning on vhf as well as a single multifunction screen, 10-12", supporting fish finder, gps, and radome. May add weather receiver later. Primarily want an intuitive system, quality presentation, ability to find fish, structure, wrecks, radar primarily to get my way home at night without running over someone else or to prevent me from getting run over by a container ship in fog.
Budget is anywhere from $4-8K. Not interested in spending more than I need but not afraid to pay what I need for quality system.
With a budget like that I would go right to a Furuno Navnet vx2 with a 10 inch screen. I've tried a few lower end stuff and it fails at a rate that makes any warrantee work a none factor for practical useability. Its nice that the companies stand behind the product but the failure rate to me renders the effort useless.
Something like this for slightly less than $3400. I'm sure you can go to one of the online stores and get it for less than what this EBay retailer has them for .
Navnet Yacht Vessel Boating Marine Radar Unit FURUNO NAVNET 1824C VX2 10.4 2.2KW 24NM 18DOME
I'm sure you can add the fish finder and gps for way under your budget.
Complete Furuno NN3D 8" MFD system. You should be able to get one for around $8K if you shop. I just got a Navnet VX2 1824C/NT and the whole system cost me $5K. It is sweet but if I could have afforded the NN3D it would be on my boat NOW! Easier install, better performance/features, refresh rate will be significantly better than the VX2 which is really the only thing I am disappointed with. It is pretty pokie when navigating around the plotter. Jim McQuade from C-Map who is on here is looking into the issue and will be getting back to me as soon as he has some resolution. Seems the added data in the new C-Map cards has given the VX2 some serious flustterations............
If I were you, I'd add an autopilot and go with a Garmin system. You will still stay within your budget, it's intuitive, easy to install and you can't beat the service. The Garmin 12 inch screens are very nice, the HD radar is very good, and you can add XM weather at a later date. It also supports a black box ff, but you may want a standalone unit for that - people have complained about it's definition at the bottom.
Is it in the same league as Furuno? Maybe not, but it isn't aimed at commercial users who will be abusing it 300+ days a year.
Don't discount the AP, you will never own another boat without one once you make the leap.
__________________
Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
If your looking for a good combo unit you should take a look at the new Lowrance HDS 10. You will not find a better bottom machine unless you want to spend thousands on a commercial unit. The resolution is excellent and very user friendly. I have not yet seen the radar in action in person, but I have seen the test videos and it looks exceptional. This unit would be the BR24 (broadband radar) I have one on order and waiting for it to ship any day now. The built in charts are also great plus you have the added bonus of using navionics with this machine. It's satellite capable with the receiver so you can recieve weather plus sirius radio right on the unit.
Excellent choice for any boat in my opinion.
2 Lowrance HDS-10's going in our 32 SeaVee
__________________ Capt. Bill
Last edited by OUTBOUND44; 06-01-2009 at 11:36 AM.
nice dash! Here's a new YF 36 we just finished up for a member here - along with link guages, Vesselview and tachs/speedo, we were able to add an RD-30 for shallow water ducer, TR-1, NN3D's and his favorite northstar unit.
While your budget could cover a premium Furuno system, You could have a very satisfactory Garmin setup with all the bells and whistles and have a little gas money left. I would suggest the following:
GPSmap 5210 or 5212 chartplotter with a G2 Vision Card for the Chesapeake.
GMR-18 HD radar on a 4' extension to give you enough height to use the range of the unit.
GMD 22 depth black box and the best transducer for your boat
Garmin VHF 200 with N2K for simplest DSC capabilities, with a high antenna
GDL 30A XM receiver for weather and tunes (Yes, but its worth the price, period.)
SR 161 AIS receiver
A good stereo system with Ipod AND auxiliary input
Garmin Autopilot with fluxgate compass that's fast enough for MARPA
Here's the reasoning behind this selection:
1. Having the bulk of the equipment from a single manufacturer means one phone call to get a problem fixed, and no finger-pointing at another manufacturer's product.
2. Garmin Stuff is, at the very least, good enough. There may be better this or that from the higher priced spreads, but a dollar saved is a dollar earned, and no matter how good something is, its a total waste of money if you can't get it to work for you. For this kind of money you should expect it to be a pleasure to use, easy enough to learn to make it dance in a few weeks, rather than having to go to night school just to get to one or two things you need to see. If you are a true electronics Techie*, go Furuno. Otherwise get Garmin. ( if you are into Voodoo and oriental mysticism, go Raymarine, but if you are into self abuse, its Lowrance all the way!)
An autopilot, with fishing patterns, is a delight. Coupled to your chartplotter, it won't wander all over the Bay when you are tired. With cautious use, it will allow you to do other chores ON DECK when needed.
XM weather is a must. Your radar can see clouds 20-something miles away. XM Weather can tell you whats rolling in on you from a hundred or more miles away, pluse give you enough data to be your own on board forecaster, able to dodge those Chesapeake summer squalls with ease.
AIS is a good way to keep track of those 20 knot Car Carriers racing down the Bay from Baltimore, and to track those 70 foot afternoon Cruise Boats that speed up in limited visibility. And this unit is cheap. It will display AIS targets on your chartplotter, along with where they are going, whether they will hit you, and (only on Garmin at this moment) a very easy way to call them on VHF without having to dial in a nine digit number.
If there is some money left over, attach the Garmin Fuel Flow Sensor to your engines (or if they are Suzuki's, just plug them into your N2K network, and know at a glance how much gas you are using, how far you can go, and a lot more.
In my mind, Garmin is the way to put the most information and control in front of you, in the easiest way to learn, at the best price.
I know a VERY good Electronics Wizard/Installer in the Bay Area, who can put all this together for you, but I'm not going to put his name out here because he's too busy as it is. PM me!
You can trust me on this; after all....
__________________ If it ain't broke, I haven't played with it.
electronic recommendations for new boat 
