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Looking to install an instrument pack for next season, my current depth sounder is intermittent so it's a crap shoot come anchor time. Any suggestions on quality and make would be appreciated.
West Marine has a few choices but I'd like to do it Once.
Thx in advance
The price is right : Simrad wind, depth, speed package for $999. It's all Simnet which is NMEA-2000 compatible, so quite future proof. The depth/speed is done by the excellent Airmar DST800. Their wind instrument is pretty good, too.
If price is an object, I have installed two Clipper brand devices (Depth Sounder and Speed Log) from Nasa Marine of the UK. I bought them at Jamestown Distributors (also available on eBay) for way less than Raymarine and the like. It has only been one season, but they work just fine wiuth big bold displays and all the features I want.
Garmin has similar bundles. I paid $900 for wind, speed, depth and temp with A GMI 10 MFI in 2012. You can display all the data on one screen. I opted to buy a second GMI 10. Total was about $1,200. Now that the GMI 20s are out the 10 may drop more in price.
I have Simrad, very solid, a great product line. Although I think Garmin is the up and comer in the industry. I really like their product line. IMHO I think they are the most innovative marine electronics company in the industry. Take a close look at them.
Simrad is established with quality products, not cheap though. Their Gofree wifi solution that integrates IOS and Andriod devices into their simnet network is very interesting. I have not taken the plunge on that yet but will soon.
It's interesting how different folks have different experiences.
I had a new Simrad wind instrument fitted in my boat before leaving California for New Zealand.
It was not working when it got to New Zealand three months later. Granted, we dipped the end of the mast in the sea on the way home but I believe that a marine instrument should be up to that.
The local Simrad agent disagreed and rejected a warranty claim on the instrument, referred me back to the selling dealer in San Diego. Yes, I said, of course I'll fly back to San Diego and present them with the failed instrument there.
In the bin it went, replaced by Raymarine, never to touch anything from Simrad again.
If forced to pick today, I'd go Navico (Simrad or B&G ... same company, share technology). Versus other vendors, I give them big innovation points for what they've done with GoFree. I appreciate that they know how to design a removable wind sensor, and their WiFi adapter runs on 12v.
I have ongoing trouble with a GMI 10 correctly receiving and displaying NMEA2K and NMEA 0183 simultaneously.
Thank you all for your input ..it seems there are many choices. It'll give me something to do over the long cold winter!! I love e homework :0
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