2008 34PC: New Electronics?


F

Foggy

New member
So now that I have completed 10 seasons with my 2008 34 pc with hardtop, I’m thinking that it’s time for an electronics overhaul. I purchased my boat from Formula with Raymarine (built around an E120 Chartplotter). I have had my issues with Raymarine (like the Mexican DSM which has been replaced but still is very finicky and the clunky software that I need to us to transfer routes from my personal computer tonth chartplotter).

So the big question is Raymarine v Garmin? The internet seems to generally favor Garmin. I am looking for a new chartplotter, radar, AIS transceiver, and small supplemental instrument panel. No auto pilot. Are there any other brands that I should consider?

Please let me know what you think.
 
I just did my 08 34PC. Went with Simrad all around. Everything is integrated into my 2 (one 12 and one 7 inch) displays. Very happy with it.
 
I have the Raymarine setup, not happy with the performance or Raymarine support. My radar would intermittently not connect, this required a software update, twice, which should have been under Raymarine warranty, but low and behold, they don't cover software updates, or return emails. Long story short go with Garmin, had it on my other boat, never an issue.
 
I have late-2016 vintage Raymarine GPS as well as VesselView 702 (which is actually a modified Simrad NSS evo2 for Mercruiser, but it has full GPS functionality). My boat came this way from the factory.

My preference is to use the Raymarine for navigation. The display is crisper and the presentation of data is just more in tune with what I want to know when navigating. I also feel like the Raymarine is more easily customized in terms of which data you want displayed where. There's a lot of flexibility; this may or may not be a good thing depending on your level of confidence with tweaking computer settings. (I probably took two hours one day this summer (and a few cocktails) to really customize my display (Raymarine eS98) and backup the profile. It was an enjoyable experience for me, but I get some people just want to plug in and go.)

There are some fun "gee whiz" features on the Simrad, like their own app store where you can download different apps directly to the device, but at the end of the day, I gravitate to the Raymarine.

I don't have much experience with Garmin, although I do hear very positive reviews of them.

Boat show season is about to start; it seems almost all of the manufacturers offer some nice rebates, especially if you end up purchasing multiple components. It's also a great opportunity to "play" with the screens and see which interface you prefer.
 
When I upgraded mine MFD last year I compared them all and decided to go with Simrad. I think the user interface of the Garmin was the best but I really wanted the manual controls in addition to the touchscreen. While at speed, IMO it's much easier to turn a knob or push a button than trying to accomplish the same task through touchscreen only. After one season I'm really happy with my choice.
 
afratki said:
When I upgraded mine MFD last year I compared them all and decided to go with Simrad. I think the user interface of the Garmin was the best but I really wanted the manual controls in addition to the touchscreen. While at speed, IMO it's much easier to turn a knob or push a button than trying to accomplish the same task through touchscreen only. After one season I'm really happy with my choice.
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I second the opinion of having a display with *both* touchscreen and a manual control.

Touchscreen is nice when at the dock, but in some waves while moving, it can be a real pain.
 
What stinks about all of this is you CANT just upgrade the display....

If you have Radar, Sonar, etc...all those components seem to need upgraded, which makes it a crazy big number. I wish I could just buy a sexier plotter, yet still use my "old school" non HD Radar, but it appears you cant. Don't mean to get off track, but just remember the upgrade is all or none (I THINK)
 
Yes you are correct. I did "all" and am very happy with it. Even got the interface boxes that hook into the mercruiser bus so everything is on my simrads.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Try an I Pad with Navionics app or Garmin app and use your old school radar, I do and it works fine, as long as your I Pad has cellular service that you don’t need but that version comes with the GPS antennae.
 
Toofast
I just replaced my missing plotter which was stolen last winter withGarmin 7612. I still use my 12 year old Furuno radar which works just fine. I also keep on board an old IPad with garmin and navionics apps for back up.
 
gwazoo27 said:
Toofast
I just replaced my missing plotter which was stolen last winter withGarmin 7612. I still use my 12 year old Furuno radar which works just fine. I also keep on board an old IPad with garmin and navionics apps for back up.
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Dang...I wonder if Furuno is different than Raymarine....when I called them to upgrade my E120, they claimed I have to replace everything. Or perhaps I did not dig around enough.

Thanks for the tidbit, now I need to get busy on research.
 
toofast said:
Dang...I wonder if Furuno is different than Raymarine....when I called them to upgrade my E120, they claimed I have to replace everything. Or perhaps I did not dig around enough.

Thanks for the tidbit, now I need to get busy on research.
Click to expand...

Please let us know what you find out with your research. I also have raymarine that I would like to upgrade.
 
When Speaking with Local Authorized Volvo Dealer he recommends Raymarine and Simrad and stay away from Garmin, yet on personal note Garmin seems most user friendly. Also the local guy likes the Northstar 958 that I have and feels it has a great chart plotter and as long as it works, why replace it, is his suggestion. WOW a dealer that does not want to sell you something. I need to replace my trim data gauge because my LCD are blending and impossible to see at night and he recommends the I-50 which is a direct replacement without changing transducer.
 
I am by no means an electronics expert but Garmin is one of those companies you wish everyone duplicated.
Toll free number 12 hours a day service, never ask for a credit card, gives free advice on anything they make, don't care if its in or out of warranty, and really cares about customer service.
It just doesn't get better than that. This is what I look for in a company.
 
jlanka said:
Yes you are correct. I did "all" and am very happy with it. Even got the interface boxes that hook into the mercruiser bus so everything is on my simrads.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You run everything through your Simrad Suite? Did you install an NMEA backbone?
 
Botjem said:
When Speaking with Local Authorized Volvo Dealer he recommends Raymarine and Simrad and stay away from Garmin, yet on personal note Garmin seems most user friendly. Also the local guy likes the Northstar 958 that I have and feels it has a great chart plotter and as long as it works, why replace it, is his suggestion. WOW a dealer that does not want to sell you something. I need to replace my trim data gauge because my LCD are blending and impossible to see at night and he recommends the I-50 which is a direct replacement without changing transducer.
Click to expand...

I've been told same things....
 
Davey Jones said:
You run everything through your Simrad Suite? Did you install an NMEA backbone?
Click to expand...

I'm not speaking for jlanka - but I did a very similar set up.

NSS7 EVO3, NSS12EVO 3, and vessel view link. I run everything through the displays, but still kept the analog gauges since they were already there and nothing else would fit in that panel. The gauges are controlled by a specific vessel view link harness from mercruiser.

Once a simrad unit recognizes the vessel view link, it can display all the vesselview information just as if it was a vesselview unit. I can see all sets of info on both screens, it's very handy.
 
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