Chartplotter with gauges and future expansion for a lake boat?

[Blorton]

I’ve got an 18’ bowrider with stern drive on Lake Hartwell. It’s got a basic depthfinder now and I’m looking for more capabilities. Fishing will come later but I am mainly interested in good autorouting and charts. I also want to have the engine meters, fuel flow, etc. to better watch for issues.

I am thinking around a 9” screen makes the most sense for the room at this helm.

Fwiw, I have been using the navionics app on an iphone as a stand-in, and it often errors out on routes saying “too many points”. So I want to make sure whatever I get can support all the waypoints this lake can present.

I was thinking something like the Simrad nsx. Or maybe a Garmin 94sv?

I’d really appreciate any pointers and thoughts. I tried to look at the display units at the local West Marine, but their display was a wreck.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Garmin is fine. Simrad is fine. Both are real chart plotters. however if you want to use as a display vs the gauges you have, you will need to have a NMEA2k compliant motor, or a stand-alone gateway. since we know nothing of your boats motor other than its an I/O in a 18 ft boat. we cant help there unless there is more information.

I added the fuel sensor to my boat to monitor fuel flow rate and where I can calculate range, however to be honest, I just watch the gauges. in order of importance depth, water pressure, temperature, RPM. I cant run flat-out as the wife doesnt like speed that much and with an 80 gallon tank, I just follow the rule of 1/3's

 

[Blorton]

Thanks, Scott. The boat has a carbed motor so I’m gonna say not likely to have that interface. (fwiw, 03 Bayliner 185 with Mercruiser 4.3 that apparently dates from 98 according to the serial number)

 

[Scott Danforth]

Thanks, Scott. The boat has a carbed motor so I’m gonna say not likely to have that interface. (fwiw, 03 Bayliner 185 with Mercruiser 4.3 that apparently dates from 98 according to the serial number)

correct. unless you have a need to invest in a complete engine gateway and a second set of sensors. I would skip moving the engine related stuff to the screen.

the most important gauge you can get is raw water pressure. https://ww2.iboats.com/Boat-Water-Pressure-Gauges/dm/view_id.248016

a full 2 minutes before your temperature gauge or alarm will sound, the water pressure gauge will go to 0

that is a Pitot tube gauge and there is no good electronic version. so you cant move that to NMEA2k anyway.

 

[Blorton]

Wow. That’s brilliant! Thank you.

 

[dingbat]

Simrad doesn't offer "auto-routing".

I’ve got an 18’ bowrider with stern drive on Lake Hartwell. It’s got a basic depthfinder now and I’m looking for more capabilities. Fishing will come later but I am mainly interested in good autorouting and charts. I also want to have the engine meters, fuel flow, etc. to better watch for issues.

I am thinking around a 9” screen makes the most sense for the room at this helm.

Keep in mind, displays are measured diagonally. A 9" Display is in reality 7.7" x 4.5". Running split screen (sonar and chart) gives you two cell phones screens (3.8" x 4.5") side by side. Add in gauges and you'll need a magnifying glass to monitor any of the activities.

I run two, networked 9"display at the helm. One dedicated to sonar and the other for chartplotting, then run a full compliment of analog gauges for fuel, volts, water pressure, etc. Eliminates the need to flip back and forth between screens to monitor critical engine functions.

The fuel flow function, (GPH/GPNM), if installed, can be configured to be displayed in the corners of the primary sonar/navigation screen for quick and easy monitoring.

Fwiw, I have been using the navionics app on an iphone as a stand-in, and it often errors out on routes saying “too many points”. So I want to make sure whatever I get can support all the waypoints this lake can present.

Garmin support 5,000 way points

I was thinking something like the Simrad nsx. Or maybe a Garmin 94sv?

I'm a Garmin guy. I run a (94SV CHRIP and 942SX) but know a number of die-hard Lowarnce guys that jumped ship and went to Simrad.

I’d really appreciate any pointers and thoughts. I tried to look at the display units at the local West Marine, but their display was a wreck.

The biggest difference between the two units are the maps supplied with the base configuration.
Garmin tends to include full featured mapping in the base units (Blue Charts...) where others require the purchase of additional mapping products for the same enhanced maps and feature.

Oh, BTW......watch the nomenclature......94 SV = coastal maps, 93SV = Lake Maps