Garmin or Raymarine? What do you like?-gctid351400

[Guest]

I am starting to research electronics for the 2850 FB and am stuck between Garmin and Raymarine. I currently have a GPSMAP 541 chartplotter/fishfinder unit. It does good job, but I want to build a network between topside and cabin that will have radar in a year or 2 once I find a tower and can afford it.

What do you guys suggest?

Thanks

[Guest]

You'll likely get a wide range of opinions on this one. I can only address Garmin, as I have used them for years in both boats and airplanes and ATV's. For your size boat, the two to consider would be the 740s or the 4208. The 740s is the one with the sounder built in. It uses NMEA 2000 for networking. I am not sure whether Garmin's radars will tie into this unit. Others may be able to elaborate. The 4208 (4008 for inland waters) would need a separate sounder unit. The advantage is it has the Garmin network, which I know allows their radar, sounder & other units to all tie together. It also has the NMEA 2000 network, which is used for the GPS antenna as well as XM weather if you want.

I currently have two 4210's networked with the HD18 radar and XM weather and the GSD 22 sounder. I did all the installation myself. They are also networked to my AIS VHF receiver so that I get AIS information overlaid on the charts. I am not a fan of touch screens on boats, but if this is your cup of tea they are available as well. I have had no problems with my set-up since installation last year.

[Guest]

I have a 740S along with the Garmin radar which does indeed plug right into the 740. I had a 540 previously and liked it but felt the screen was a bit small for the salt water cruising we were doing. The 740S was a good upgrade when we got our larger boat a couple of years ago. Garmin has regular updates and has actually added a feature or two since I bought mine so I am very pleased with the support for the product. With GPS it seems new models come around every year but Garmin's marine products seem fairly stable.

The only thing I would say is that if you have the dash space for a larger screen go for it. The 740 is a good size but you can never have enough screen real estate in my opinion. There are some other limitations with the 740, mostly a lack of support for the Garmin Marine Network, but since you can plug the radar directly into the unit this wasn't a big deal, IMHO. You also have NMEA networking and you can attach other devices. For instance I have my Std Horizon AIS/VHF radio connected via NMEA and I get AIS info from the big boys (and big toys..LOL) that have AIS transmitters and display this on the 740.

The S version does come with a Sounder and all you need is the right transducer and you've got sonar. That has been very useful for me having to come up the river to get out to the salt. There is a channel but you don't want to wander too far off the centerline or you can have problems especialy at low tides.

Garmin also has a nice PC software package that allows you to grab the maps off the 740 and use them on your home computer to create routes which can then be loaded onto the 740 via SD memory card. It's called Home Port and cost $29 or something like that. It's very easy to use and a heck of a lot easier to enter routes than doing it on the device.

[Nikko]

ya know - funny thing - I've been doing similar research, and while I'm sure they're built in different factories to completely different specs, the little Garmin GPS in my car is an absolute piece of crap. It freezes, it doesn't display the map, it loses the Bluetooth connection to the phone.... so I call tech support, and they're polite - but tell me known issues - "wait for a firmware update". So I do, it comes, I update - and nothing changes. It's still a piece of crap.

Like I said - probably not a fair comparison - but I see the Garmin name in front of me every single day in the car - and the thought of having to rely on it for boating - well, it's just not sitting as well as it used to.

My $0.02....

[2850Bounty]

I went with RayMarine, formerly Raytheon, for both GPS and FF/DS. I'm sure that either is a good product. I think that we'll pay a bit more for Raymarine.

A bit of history from a quick search:

Garmin company was founded, Lenexa, Kansas in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao (hence the name GarMin). Garmin developed consumer aviation and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System. Its subsidiary Garmin International, Inc. serves as headquarters for the Garmin Limited companies and is located in Olathe, Kansas in the United States.

Raytheon Company, now RayMarine, was founded in Cambridge, Mass., in 1922. Two former college roommates, Laurence K. Marshall and Vannevar Bush, formed the company with Charles G. Smith, a young scientist who had developed the prototype for a home refrigerator that used artificial coolants.

By the end of 1926 the company became a major contributor to the fast-growing radio tube market.

Both Garmin and RayMarine offer many products in Marine Navigation equipment.

FWIW since you have a SDN F/B boat:

When I bought my equipment, I purchased second station mounting kits for both GPS and FF/DS.

I made my power and data cable home runs to the cabin.

I mounted the second station kits at the F/B and routed the second station power and data cables from the same home run location in the cabin.

When on the F/B (which is more often than in the cabin) the data cables are joined together in the cabin, making them "live" at the F/B.

Both helm stations have permanently installed power cables coming from the same dedicated power source.

I chose the cabin for the home runs due to this location being out of the weather. I suppose it could be done the other way.

I have the Standard Horizon VHF in the cabin w/ the Ram Mic at the F/B. The Ram Mic offers function of the main radio and w/ intercom ability.

If purchasing two separate VHF, GPS and/or FF/DS units is a cost issue for you, this solves that.

Switching from cabin to F/B, or visa-versa, is not a big deal to me.

.

[SomeSailor]

I've had great luck with Garmin gear. You get a lot for the money and I've never had any technical difficulty. There's a big difference in the price of Raymarine and Garmin and for the money, I believe the Garmin line is a better value.

[tonyiiiafl]

I have had both. Graphics a bit better on the Garmin, but RayMarine outshines the Garmin is ease of use. I have RayMarine A 60 as a redundant unit and the 14" multi display for the radar, FF/GPS. I would not switch back to Garmin.

[Guest]

Nikko wrote:
ya know - funny thing - I've been doing similar research, and while I'm sure they're built in different factories to completely different specs, the little Garmin GPS in my car is an absolute piece of crap. It freezes, it doesn't display the map, it loses the Bluetooth connection to the phone.... so I call tech support, and they're polite - but tell me known issues - "wait for a firmware update". So I do, it comes, I update - and nothing changes. It's still a piece of crap.

Like I said - probably not a fair comparison - but I see the Garmin name in front of me every single day in the car - and the thought of having to rely on it for boating - well, it's just not sitting as well as it used to.

My $0.02....

Sorry to hear you're having problems. I had a Garmin in my car (until it was stolen) and it worked flawlessly. I've had Garmin on my last 2 boats with no issues either. I don't think a single incident is indicative of the overall product quality.

The good news is that there are many good choices for Marine navigation, Garmin is just one of them, IMHO.

[Guest]

I have a Garmin GPS paired with a Raymarine C-80. Both very stable pieces of equipment.

[Nikko]

cowboyshootist wrote:
The good news is that there are many good choices for Marine navigation, Garmin is just one of them, IMHO.

Agreed - bought the Standard Horizon CPF300i today (with the chip and chart package) - got it bundled with a RAM3 mike for the VHF and got a smokin' deal at the boat show from Roton Industries. Never dealt with them before - but certainly will again. Very nice and easy folks to deal with...

Now to find a day to mount it

[RGrew176]

On my 3055 I had both. I had a Garmin GPSMAP235 GPS and a Raytheon SL-70 radar system. Both worked very well and both were easy to use. My thoughts only, the Garmin was more user friendly. Fact, each of my boats that I installed GPS's on I used Garmin.

I, based on my experiences I would recommend either. I have no experiences with Garmin radar so I cannot comment.

Good luck with your decision. Lots of great advice here.

[SomeSailor]

I have the Garmin 24HD and 4212 display. It's an amazing combo. The resolution on the radar is awesome.

[Guest]

I was at West Marine yesterday getting some paint for the bilge and they had the new Raymarine e7 unit there. I played with it a bit along with the Garmin 740s. I like the idea of the e7 being networkable more so then the 740s and its about the same $..... The research and boat refit continue......

[2850Bounty]

Blueox, did the second station mounting kits and cables make sense to you for the F/B scenario?

Just curisous.

.

[Guest]

Garmin connectors are HUGE - 3/4" hole thru your hull for a 1/8" or so transducer cable. I am going to install mine soon and I will be cutting and splicing the cable.