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Author Topic:   New Electronics

timsr posted 01-20-2005 06:59 PM ET (US)
Now that I've purchased my new Montauk it's time to make some electronics decisions. With so many options out there I'm looking for some advice.
I will bascially use the boat for fishing coaatal waters in Rhode Island and Massachsetts. I will also fish some inland lakes in New England.
What I'm looking for are reasonably priced Chartplotters, fishfinders and VHF for this type of use. I'm not sure if I should be looking at the combonation units that are out there or individual FF and plotters. I'm also concerned with the limited space for mounting these electronics.
Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Tim
seasicknes posted 01-20-2005 10:11 PM ET (US)
If you purchased a 17 montauk, then you can have two seperate units (gps, fishfinder) on your dash.
If you purchased a 170 montauk with the fishing package (comes with a compass) then you should get a combo unit since your console space is smaller.
Whaler installs the compass right in front of the helm. The center position is your night stick. So only leaves the right side open for electronics.
Ken
bigjohn1 posted 01-21-2005 07:40 AM ET (US)
timsr, the short answer is..you should get a combination unit for the reasons seasicknes indicated. Recommend you do a search here on the forum as the merits of various units have been discussed long and hard several times over the past few years. Its possible that some here are a bit burned out on discussing plotters/sounders. I personally have a NAVMAN 6600 on order for my 170 but that unit costs around $2K....I use my boat in VERY deep oceans here in the Marianas Islands and need the feautures this expensive unit offers. We both troll and dive around FAD buoys and drop-offs which are in several thousand feet of water.
There are several good units that are much cheaper and will do you just fine for where you boat. If you do a search and review what's been discussed to date and then come back with specific questions on models, I'll bet you'll get plenty of positive feedback to help you make a decision. On the vhf, many here own ICOM's (myself included) and love them.
Big John
handn posted 01-21-2005 10:22 AM ET (US)
My opinion is a combination unit is the only way to go. We have a Furuno Navnet 1732 C and it is a great unit but a little pricey if you don't think you need radar.
You always need radar but you don't know when.
If I had it to do over I would have purchased the monochrome Navnet and saved hundreds of $$. Same electronics but no pretty color screen with I can't see wearing my sunglasses.
Buy the best electronics you can afford, you will appreciate them every day you are on the water.
Divedog posted 01-21-2005 11:37 AM ET (US)
I purchased my 170 last year and just ordered a Garmin 178C. It's a combo chart plotter/sounder unit with a color screen. The price has come down from around $800 when it was introduced last year to about $600 through the internet. To me is was a logical choice when balancing cost vs. performance. I've had good luck with Garmin GPS products in the past. I use my boat primarily in the Puget Sound.
timsr posted 01-21-2005 12:40 PM ET (US)
Thanks Divedog. What accessories did you purchase with the 178 and did you consider the 276c? Thanks
Moe posted 01-21-2005 06:33 PM ET (US)
This is what I got from http://www.gpsdiscount.com
010-00340-03 GPSMAP 178 C Internal antenna, 50/200 kHz transom transducer $624.99
010-10276-00 AC Power/PC serial port adapter $45.00

010-10317-00 BlueChart CD Americas ver. 6.0 with 1 unlock code $109.00
010-10226-03 Blank 128MB Memory Cartridge $79.00

010-00210-00 Data Card Programmer $60.00

You can probably get by with a 32MB memory card, but I like having all the track-back capability.
The AC/serial cable lets you bring the unit in the house and play with it or transfer waypoints, etc back and forth from/to the PC. You can load BlueCharts from the PC/CD-ROM into the GPS via serial but it's pretty slow.
The data card programmer (USB) means you don't have to bring the unit in the house, just the data card to transfer stuff back and forth from/to the PC. It's also a lot faster when loading charts into the GPS.
I also got a 2nd unlock code not shown here, so I could have both Lake Erie and the Pensacola Gulf Coast BlueCharts.
I've had good service from GPSdiscount, and am pleased with the 178C.
--
Moe
Moe posted 01-21-2005 06:36 PM ET (US)
The GPS-only 276C wasn't an option for us because we don't have a separate sounder and didn't have room for one. The screen is also smaller than I like. I did talk a friend into buying one with the car kit and BlueChart and he's happy with that. But he has a large boat and a separate fishfinder.
--
Moe
fairdeal2u posted 01-22-2005 12:49 AM ET (US)
hello
I have owned whalers for over 20 years.
I would strongly recommend that you buy Furuno electronics.
Reliable, trouble free, backed by service and warranties.
If you are serious about fishing. At the latest boat show,
they were selling the 582 lcd fishfinder for only 1,000.00
Check it out. Boaters World will honor the boat show prices for your local area.
I have furuno fishfinders and gps on my montauk. All of the other brands that I tried didn't hold up. i.e. apelco, lowrance, raytheon, interphase. They couldn't take the pounding and the dampness and sun. I have only had to change the furuno when I wanted to upgrade.
lenm posted 01-22-2005 05:34 AM ET (US)
If you are interested in saving console space and bucks, take a look at the Garmin 60C handheld. You can order the bicycle mount, so that the unit can be mounted just below eye level on the grab rail over the windshield. Although the sereen is small compared to permanently-mounted units, you can easily unsnap the unit from the boat and use it in your car. Used mine successfully over the past year with no problems.
Divedog posted 01-22-2005 04:29 PM ET (US)
Handn-
I ordered mine with a dual frequency transducer. Other than that no real options. I still need to buy a bluechart chip. They run from $150-$300 depending on the size of coverage you want.
I didn't consider the 276C. I've used the black & white predecessor and found the screen to be very small. I also wanted the integrated sonar since I don't have any form of depthfinder on the boat.
I actually just picked my unit up from FedEx and started reading the installation instructions. Now for the scary part, drilling holes in a virgin hull.........
I ordered from Comp-U-Plus for $583.95 including shipping. You can locate them through Bizrate.com.

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Author	Topic: New Electronics
timsr	posted 01-20-2005 06:59 PM ET (US) Now that I've purchased my new Montauk it's time to make some electronics decisions. With so many options out there I'm looking for some advice. I will bascially use the boat for fishing coaatal waters in Rhode Island and Massachsetts. I will also fish some inland lakes in New England. What I'm looking for are reasonably priced Chartplotters, fishfinders and VHF for this type of use. I'm not sure if I should be looking at the combonation units that are out there or individual FF and plotters. I'm also concerned with the limited space for mounting these electronics. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks Tim
seasicknes	posted 01-20-2005 10:11 PM ET (US) If you purchased a 17 montauk, then you can have two seperate units (gps, fishfinder) on your dash. If you purchased a 170 montauk with the fishing package (comes with a compass) then you should get a combo unit since your console space is smaller. Whaler installs the compass right in front of the helm. The center position is your night stick. So only leaves the right side open for electronics. Ken
bigjohn1	posted 01-21-2005 07:40 AM ET (US) timsr, the short answer is..you should get a combination unit for the reasons seasicknes indicated. Recommend you do a search here on the forum as the merits of various units have been discussed long and hard several times over the past few years. Its possible that some here are a bit burned out on discussing plotters/sounders. I personally have a NAVMAN 6600 on order for my 170 but that unit costs around $2K....I use my boat in VERY deep oceans here in the Marianas Islands and need the feautures this expensive unit offers. We both troll and dive around FAD buoys and drop-offs which are in several thousand feet of water. There are several good units that are much cheaper and will do you just fine for where you boat. If you do a search and review what's been discussed to date and then come back with specific questions on models, I'll bet you'll get plenty of positive feedback to help you make a decision. On the vhf, many here own ICOM's (myself included) and love them. Big John
handn	posted 01-21-2005 10:22 AM ET (US) My opinion is a combination unit is the only way to go. We have a Furuno Navnet 1732 C and it is a great unit but a little pricey if you don't think you need radar. You always need radar but you don't know when. If I had it to do over I would have purchased the monochrome Navnet and saved hundreds of $$. Same electronics but no pretty color screen with I can't see wearing my sunglasses. Buy the best electronics you can afford, you will appreciate them every day you are on the water.
Divedog	posted 01-21-2005 11:37 AM ET (US) I purchased my 170 last year and just ordered a Garmin 178C. It's a combo chart plotter/sounder unit with a color screen. The price has come down from around $800 when it was introduced last year to about $600 through the internet. To me is was a logical choice when balancing cost vs. performance. I've had good luck with Garmin GPS products in the past. I use my boat primarily in the Puget Sound.
timsr	posted 01-21-2005 12:40 PM ET (US) Thanks Divedog. What accessories did you purchase with the 178 and did you consider the 276c? Thanks
Moe	posted 01-21-2005 06:33 PM ET (US) This is what I got from http://www.gpsdiscount.com 010-00340-03 GPSMAP 178 C Internal antenna, 50/200 kHz transom transducer $624.99 010-10276-00 AC Power/PC serial port adapter $45.00 010-10317-00 BlueChart CD Americas ver. 6.0 with 1 unlock code $109.00 010-10226-03 Blank 128MB Memory Cartridge $79.00 010-00210-00 Data Card Programmer $60.00 You can probably get by with a 32MB memory card, but I like having all the track-back capability. The AC/serial cable lets you bring the unit in the house and play with it or transfer waypoints, etc back and forth from/to the PC. You can load BlueCharts from the PC/CD-ROM into the GPS via serial but it's pretty slow. The data card programmer (USB) means you don't have to bring the unit in the house, just the data card to transfer stuff back and forth from/to the PC. It's also a lot faster when loading charts into the GPS. I also got a 2nd unlock code not shown here, so I could have both Lake Erie and the Pensacola Gulf Coast BlueCharts. I've had good service from GPSdiscount, and am pleased with the 178C. -- Moe
Moe	posted 01-21-2005 06:36 PM ET (US) The GPS-only 276C wasn't an option for us because we don't have a separate sounder and didn't have room for one. The screen is also smaller than I like. I did talk a friend into buying one with the car kit and BlueChart and he's happy with that. But he has a large boat and a separate fishfinder. -- Moe
fairdeal2u	posted 01-22-2005 12:49 AM ET (US) hello I have owned whalers for over 20 years. I would strongly recommend that you buy Furuno electronics. Reliable, trouble free, backed by service and warranties. If you are serious about fishing. At the latest boat show, they were selling the 582 lcd fishfinder for only 1,000.00 Check it out. Boaters World will honor the boat show prices for your local area. I have furuno fishfinders and gps on my montauk. All of the other brands that I tried didn't hold up. i.e. apelco, lowrance, raytheon, interphase. They couldn't take the pounding and the dampness and sun. I have only had to change the furuno when I wanted to upgrade.
lenm	posted 01-22-2005 05:34 AM ET (US) If you are interested in saving console space and bucks, take a look at the Garmin 60C handheld. You can order the bicycle mount, so that the unit can be mounted just below eye level on the grab rail over the windshield. Although the sereen is small compared to permanently-mounted units, you can easily unsnap the unit from the boat and use it in your car. Used mine successfully over the past year with no problems.
Divedog	posted 01-22-2005 04:29 PM ET (US) Handn- I ordered mine with a dual frequency transducer. Other than that no real options. I still need to buy a bluechart chip. They run from $150-$300 depending on the size of coverage you want. I didn't consider the 276C. I've used the black & white predecessor and found the screen to be very small. I also wanted the integrated sonar since I don't have any form of depthfinder on the boat. I actually just picked my unit up from FedEx and started reading the installation instructions. Now for the scary part, drilling holes in a virgin hull......... I ordered from Comp-U-Plus for $583.95 including shipping. You can locate them through Bizrate.com.