Bertram33 User Forum

Getting ready to purchase a multifunction display for GPS, fishfinder,chart plotter, radar...I see that there is so many out there now. anyone have a preference?? Furnuno,Garmin,Raytheon,Northstar?? Thanks Bill

I like Furuno. I've got both a Navner 2 and a Navnet 3. My radar is on the navnet 2 along with my GPS, FF. On my Navnet 3 is my weather and GPS. I'm going to add a FF to my NN3 this spring. My auto pilot is a Furuno too. A lot of guys like the Garmin. Buzz

I have a Raymarine C120 and C70 (both are what they now call their Classic series). Radar, chartplotter, and weather are hooked up to the C120 and chartplotter and FF are on the C70. While the screens/pictures are fine, I find the machines themselves to be less than user friendly. I definitely would not go Raymarine if I was starting from scratch.

We use a Garmin 4212 on all our TowBOAT US boats. It will do everything for you optional radar, chart plotter, sonar, autopilot , Fuel burn sensors, engine room gauges, and video cameras. If you buy the blue chart it give you a photograph of harbor entrances both horizontally and from a birdseye view and a fisheye view on the bottom that you are traveling on. Much more user friendly than Raymarine and we have tried both.

I like the Garmin.

FURUNO!!!!!!!!!!

Hey why not get both!!! [IMG]http://i1017.photobucket.com/albums/af2 ... aII022.jpg[/IMG]

I have a Garmin 4212 and don't like it. I'm on my second one under warranty and they will replace it again this winter. I am thinking of selling it and getting a Furuno. One of the problems I have with the Garmin is that I have a really hard time reading the names on the screen, the letters are black with white outlines and the screen moves around often enough that just about the time I realize what the name is, it moves. Now I do use reading glasses to read usually but, isn't that why it has a 12" screen? Plus after looking at the horizon for hours, then looking at something relatively close, you need clear legible letters or it looks blurry. Not sure if the Furuno is any better but I am sure going to look at that aspect of it.

I'll buy your used one Don

Don, I will keep that in mind. Doug is also interested I think. My plan is to send it in to Garmin, they will replace it with a refurbished unit and if the stars align with a Furuno setup I will post it here or sell it on Ebay. At that point it should have a new warranty to go with it.

From the info I have gotten over the past few years here in the NC/SC region is Garmin for chartplotters, Furuno for fishfinders/depthsounders, and Raymarine for radars. Northstar has always been considered too expensive, and all the others (Humminbird, etc) are not considered by the serious boaters around here. I have a Furuno fishfinder with both water temp and through the water speed indications as standard. I have a Garmin chartplotter and love it.. has all the US plus Alaska and Hawaii charts already installed, very user friendly. I will add a Garmin radar only because I want to do split screen or overlays on my charts. I personally don't favor multifunction units, because if you lose the unit you lose everything, but on the other hand several single function units need a lot of valuable console real estate.

thanks for the replies!! Would I be better off going with a stand along fishfinder like a furuno?? if so which one...cause I had a 1850 that went out on me and I have a Garmin GPS and a furuno radar so all I need is a top notch fishfinder...which one?? thanks

Furuno for Radar and FF. Garmin for Plotters