Hello all

So Atari, space invaders I know, but chart plotter combo I am buggered. Just picked up a new toy and although it may spend most of its time on the river, don't really matter.

And now I search for advice as Google can be like a sandwich shop. Too many options!!

Not looking to spend big $$$ just looking for something to get started

appreciate any advice

cisco said..
Navionics on a smart phone or tablet.

Yep I agree best price possible, be sure the tablet or smart phone has a GPS chip.

My opinion is that Navionics on a tablet is not a good enough substitute for a real chart plotter.

Going for a cheap tablet which is non waterproof, non rugged and not mounted safely, as your only navigation device on the water is not a good idea. You didn't say which city, so I am assuming you are not navigating Yarra River :)

Additionally, you used the word "combo" which tends to mean you require echo sounder functionality as well?

I would recommend a combo unit from one of the top manufacturer (Lowrance, Garmin, etc). Screen size will be dictated by your budget, so will features. Then, for a few more dollars, get Navionics on a tablet for mucking about on dry land as well as a backup on the water.

So, what boat will this be on? What river? Any offshore? Will you be fishing? If so, how seriously?

OzzieWingnut said..
Hello all

So Atari, space invaders I know, but chart plotter combo I am buggered. Just picked up a new toy and although it may spend most of its time on the river, don't really matter.

And now I search for advice as Google can be like a sandwich shop. Too many options!!

Not looking to spend big $$$ just looking for something to get started

appreciate any advice

im with jbshack here, good waterproof combo unit from lowrance, hummingbird, raymarine, furuno or garmin are a much better bet than an ipad or phone. Skippering a 50 footer through the abrolhos during april/may this year through new and pretty treacherous waters was made much easier and safer thanks to the 2 big raymarine plotters on the flybridge. One of the boys was playing around with his ipad on the flybridge and it was nowhere near as accurate or reliable as the raymarine plotters. also kept dropping out. It would have been disastrous if we actually had to rely on it for navigation. you need to remember that the tiny internal antenna on the ipad is not suitable for marine navigation and holding a consistent signal. The antenna array on a marine chartpoltter is much more powerful and uses heaps more power to maintain a signal. Your ipad or i phone is built to use as little power as possible to conserve battery life..

What sort of boat? If it's not a trailerboat, you can download maxsea 10.1 with every chart of the entire word for free on your laptop, plug in a usb antenna for like 40 - 60 bucks and your away with an commercial plotter. Can even add a blacbox sounder for 3d mapping.

if you want a plotter for a trailerboat do you want a straight plotter or a combo plotter sounder? Screensize?
yo can get good discounts from furuno grey importing. check out gill (semperfishing) from the hull truth for good prices on furuno and garmin.
If you keep under $1k you avoid duty. Furuno very reliable. no issues importing and using.
Not much on other units. Lowrance and geofenced and no cheaper so dont import them

Navionics on a phone/ tablet ok depending on what you want to do.
Cant save or manage waypoints and routes or set courses/ navigate and steer but will let you know where you're at. chews the battery on the smartphone or tab

The newer touch units are nice to use and make things a lot easier.