New boat, new electronics - advice?

[MI Ben]

Grew up on dad's boats, now looks like I have one of my own on its way and I'm thinking electronics. Here is what I've tentatively put my $$ down on. Keep in mind that I plan to do both bay and blue water (probably 70/30) fishing and adventuring.

Anything surprising I should know about the following list?

Ray c120
Ray 120lps (GPS)
Ray DSM 250 (sounder)
Ray e66054 (transducer, 66, transom)

Yeah beaucoup $$, but hell the boat cost more and I want her equipped right

[East Coast Trailers]

MI Ben,

I think you have a winner. I've got the same but did not have room for the C120 and had to go with the C80. I've also got the 4kw dome and the ST6001G AP. Mine has performed flawlessly. The P66 does better than I imagined. Make sure you download the C120 templates or get the dash planning kit from RM. The C120 is quite large.

[MI Ben]

I was worried about the size but the guy helping me outfit just took a look and says it will fit(boat comes with a pretty big electronics flush panel). I wonder if its going to look like a big-screen TV on the CC

Seems like most folks here are impressed with the c-series features but are nervous about new-ness. I guess I can serve as one of the many guinea pigs.

I was always on the great lakes where my dad's boat has a lowrance fish finder/GPS. I have a healthy respect for making the jump to oceanic adventuring so am taking the electronics pretty seriously.

[Auburn1]

I recently purchased a similar package; Raymarine C120, RS120 antenna, DSM250 black box, M260 ducer, and RayNav 300 GPS for redundancy and backup. Package will be installed in about 3 weeks.

Two words of early experience:
Make sure your DSM250 has version 2.24 software or else its not C-series compatible. I found the dealers don't always know this and may not know that an upgrade is required. I later found (on my own) that the box will say "C series compatible" and it will include the C-series compatible SeaTalk cable. If you get stuck with the HSB version as I did, the upgrade kit is available free and is easily installed.

The RayNav 300 is nice but, unbeknownst to the common consumer and apparently most dealers, is not flush-mountable out of the box. I had to special order the panel mount kit (4 screws and some spacers to the tune of $30) and I'm praying it will be here before its time to install.

Raymarine offers a good product but their communication with consumers, even through their website, leaves a lot to be desired.

[jtburf]

just tell the person your purchaseing them from to make sure it's been upgraded ...the DSM250 I mean

John