Chartplotter

[sailorguy_md]

I recently installed a below decks Raymarine pilot in my Ericson 38. Now of course I want to utilize its capabilities, etc, so want a chartplotter. I don''t need one capable of radar or depth sounding or anything like that, but want it to be able to integrate with the pilot, and be movable from the nav station to the companionway, since I have a bracket there that takes the radar already (its a Furuno CRT model...)so that it can be viewed from the helm. I''ve used a Garmin 12XL GPS for the past 6 years and am looking to upgrade. What''s the current thinking? Thanks.

[RichardElliott]

In spite of my sourness over Simrad customer service on my autopilot, I have been very satisfied with their chartplotter.

[jkumin]

Assume you mean a below deck autopilot when you say "pilot", and when you say integrate with a chartplotter that would be to input courses on the chartplotter that the autopilot could follow. We have had good results from a Raymarine 6001 autopilot integrated into a system that includes a Raymarine chartplotter. It is possible to build up systems with mixes of components from different brands but that is usually reserved for techies. I''d speculate you aren''t one or you wouldn''t have made this initial post. Assuming you stick with Raymarine you need a chartplotter that can send and receive data over their hsb2 bus system. Suggest you spend some time on their website: http://www.raymarine.com/raymarine/ The Raymarine chartplotters need the 120 GPS sensor to provide GPS data. Once you get the hsb2 network, radar can be added as an overlay on the chartplotter.

We have a chartplotter at the helm and it''s very nice. We''ve cruised on a boat with a swing out display at the companionway. You have go next to it to read anything so it''s not as handy. We often don''t turn it on when sailing but when coming into port at night or in fog it is nice having the chartplotter / radar at the helm.

[skaufman]

My new Beneteau was ship with a T6001 auto pilot and a Raymarine 530 color chart plotter and GPS antenna. Obviously this chart plotter and antenna will work with your auto pilot. I''m going to use a different chart plotter and would sell the never used still in the box 530 and the GpS antenna. I don''t know what they cost but I''m sure my price would be less than retail. If you are interested contact me directly.

By the way I agree with the last post about not putting the chart plotter in the companion way. Once you have it you will use it much more than you think and will want it at the helm. Putting it anywhere else will make it much less efficient and useable.

[skaufman]

Sailor_guy
tTo follow up on my last post, I don''t know if this message board give email address so if you want to email me use skaufman@rankauf.com