Catalina 350 International Association

Heading to the Annapolis boat show this weekend and I am looking at options for a complete electronics upgrade next spring. We are planning a six month Bahamas sail in the fall of 2016 and I figure spring haul out is the best time to replace the original 13 year old electronics on hull #59.
n the various forums it seems the best option if you are "starting fresh" is to stick with a single manufacture. Checking prices; Raymarine, B&G and Garmin all run about the same total cost for the equipment.

Current electronic issues with our 13 year old technology:
I have some confidence in the wind-bird however it reads too low in low winds - probably sticking.
The flux-gate compass will sometimes "jump" 60 - 120 or 180 degrees off the actual heading. Killing power to the autopilot and then restarting fixes the problem.
The SL70 chart plotter works - the small screen, the old technology and the cost of paying for new charts is hard to accept. (Using the Bad Elf GPS with an iPad and downloading free NOAA charts gives us a back up chart plotter.)

Any suggestions or insights on who I should lean towards?

I had a Garmin plotter on my Morgan 384 and now have Raymarine on my Catalina 350. Some functions that took two clicks on Garmin take three or four clicks on Raymarine but I am also comparing technology between products manufactured 10 years apart. To me the biggest issue is accountability if there is a problem not clearly chart or plotter related. With Garmin you have one point of contact and their customer service is the best of any product I have used. With Raymarine I experienced finger pointing between Raymarine and Navionics over an issue. Neither wanted to dig into the issue. Just passed the buck. I eventually solved the issue with help from a friend. If possible run any brand you are considering through its paces. How fast does screen update when you zoom. How easy is it to find the closest tide or current station. Imagine some situations where you need access to info fast to save you from some nav disaster and see how fast you get to the screen you need. Raymarine plotter interface with speed, wind, depth and autopilot seems understandable for someone with above average system integration and you must follow the rules exactly. I don't have experience with Garmin system integration. Have fun at the show.
Rick

I completed an upgrade to my electronics package this spring. I changed out by Raymarine C80 for a new E125; upgraded the autopilot to a new evolution autopilot and upgraded the radar to a new hd color radar system. My wind, depth and speed instruments were left as is except that I changed the wind transducer at the head of the mast in order to fix inconsistent readings. The upgrade was great and I could not be happier. The E125 is terrific and all functions can be controlled at the display. Let me know if you want some additional details.

Legal Tender III
#300

I replaced all of my original electronics in 2013 with Garmin. 18" HD Radar, 7212 Multifunction display, Autopilot, etc... etc...

Installation is critical and should be completed by a Garmin certified installer to maintain warranties. I originally contracted my boat yard to do the install and it was a bit of a disaster. After getting a Garmin installer to complete the work everything went much better.

I am completely happy with the Garmin equipment, it is very user friendly has been working great since the install. Look up Brian Rock at the GPS Store booth and tell him I sent you. He will either give you a great deal, or charge you double depending on his memory.

When you upgraded your electronics did you have to replace the Raymarine linear drive unit connected to the rudder post? I'm switching over to B&G and it looks like I may be able to keep the original Raymarine Type 1 drive unit and have it wired to the new autopilot controller.

I know I'll have to replace the Raymarine ST5000 controller, compass, control head, etc. But puling the Raymarine drive unit off and then installing a B&G linear drive is another $2k plus install. There is the benefit of having a "new" linear drive and knowing the parts are not worn or getting old but keeping the Raymarine linear drive unit installed in not only cheaper but I know it's aligned, working, etc.

Thoughts?

In 2011, I found the charts on my Garmin 4208 closely matched the Explorer charts. I have been told that Garmin no longer includes charts for the Bahamas with purchase of a chart plotter. I suggest that whatever you do, compare your electronic charts with Explorer Charts before setting off on your cruise.