T&T: GPS/Chartplotter recommendation needed

[C. Marin Faure]

 >I HATE those darn C-maps... not enough details.

We looked at all the other charting systems before we decided to  
stick with C-Map on our new Furuno, and we felt that the C-Map vector  
charts were FAR superior to all the others.  This is for the PNW; I  
can't speak for other areas.  The charts on our Furuno NavNet have  
all the lighted navaids illuminated or blinking in the patterns and  
colors the actual navaids show, it shows tidal current strengths and  
direction for the current (clock) time, and we don't find the "put  
the cursor on the navaid to get the info" time consuming or awkward  
at all.  In fact we much prefer this to having all the navaid data on  
the chart all the time--- much less cluttered.  Not that these  
features are not available on other systems, but in ten years of  
using C-Map we've never found any inaccuracy.  As to the reliability  
of Furuno and C-Map, we've never had a hang up, freeze, hiccup, or  
any other kind of malfunction.  Furuno's factory service center is in  
the PNW and while we haven't had to use them (yet) everyone I know  
who has has gotten excellent response and turnaround times.  I tend  
to view Garmin as a "pro-sumer" brand, and while I'm sure their  
equipment is relatively reliable--- we have Garmin GPS units in our  
vehicles and have not experienced any serious problems to date--- I  
would not choose them for an installation I really had to rely on.   
I've flown aircraft with Garmin GPS equipment, and while it was  
certainly user-friendly the reliability and accuracy we experienced  
left a lot to be desired.


____________________
C. Marin Faure
GB36-403 "La Perouse"
Bellingham, Washington