I've got a new boat due in shortly and
I have been really hung up on the reputation and apparent quality
differences of the Furuno. But, I've got a dealer/installer claiming
the Raymarine is everybit as good and what really matters is the
quality of the installation and of course, his choice of installers is
him.

Go with Furuno. A lot of people complain about Raymarine product failing and
their customer service.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
Trains are a winter sport

BTW, why not install the stuff yourself? When there's a problem you'll know
something about the system.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
Trains are a winter sport

I have a Raytheon package on my 36. Chart plotter/Radar, ST 60
Tridata(depth, speed and temp). Autopilot is a 6000 series with no problems
at all since 2 years.
Raytheon has a 2 year warranty (some only have 1) and I got great customer
service from an authorized dealer after my speed indicator failed. No fuss,
one signature and the stuff got fixed.
Raytheon is now Raymarine and they are a separate company no, more flexible
and great quality.

Just my 2 Cents here.

Wolf
"Tom Young" wrote in message
m...
Anyone have a definite thought on the differences between a Raymarine
package and a Furuno package. I've got a new boat due in shortly and
I have been really hung up on the reputation and apparent quality
differences of the Furuno. But, I've got a dealer/installer claiming
the Raymarine is everybit as good and what really matters is the
quality of the installation and of course, his choice of installers is
him. I'm going for a radar/plotter/depthsounder/ autopilot with a
couple of repeaters involved. (36' boat-upper and lower stations.)

Anyone had a situation where they ordered the stuff from someone like
"Marine Electronics" or some other big discounter and had a FREELANCER
install all the stuff on your boat. What do the Mfg's do about
warranty when a "non-Authorized" dealer/installer was used. Isn't
most of this stuff "Plug and Play"?

Thanks for any help you can give....I'm sorta bewildered at the
moment.

"Tom Young" wrote in message
m...
Anyone have a definite thought on the differences between a Raymarine
package and a Furuno package. I've got a new boat due in shortly and
I have been really hung up on the reputation and apparent quality
differences of the Furuno. But, I've got a dealer/installer claiming
the Raymarine is everybit as good and what really matters is the
quality of the installation and of course, his choice of installers is
him. I'm going for a radar/plotter/depthsounder/ autopilot with a
couple of repeaters involved. (36' boat-upper and lower stations.)

I've installed all my Raytheon gear myself with no problems. When I needed
to isolate a problem with my open array the techs walked me though the
diagnosis procedure and identified the part with me. I was very pleased
with their tech support.

jps

Play with both user interfaces and, perhaps, Simrad, as well -- there
are real differences in the way they do things, not right or wrong,
just different. Then let your spouse or significant other do the
same. Pick the one you like best.

I dismiss most of the "this one is better quality" as the same as "my
Ford is better than your Chevy". There are subtle differences, but
they average out.

We picked Furuno for Fintry after looking hard at all three, but the
autopilot will be Comnav. These may not be good choices for you.
Aside from the fact that you may like another user interface better,
Fintry is a little bigger, a little heavier, and a lot more steel than
your boat.

The installation has to be competent, but it's not brain surgery.
Protected cable runs, away from potential interference. Beefy power
supply wires, appropriately fused or circuit breakered. Solid mounts
that can be easily removed for connection and maintenance. Good
soldering, where required.

The installation manuals for both Raymarine and Furuno are on line, so
you could read them and decide for yourself whether you're up to it.

If you have an installer do the work, make sure you see (eyeball, not
photos)other installations he or she has done, and talk to owners.
There's a lot of bad work out there....


Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com

(Tom Young) wrote in message om...
Anyone have a definite thought on the differences between a Raymarine
package and a Furuno package. I've got a new boat due in shortly and
I have been really hung up on the reputation and apparent quality
differences of the Furuno. But, I've got a dealer/installer claiming
the Raymarine is everybit as good and what really matters is the
quality of the installation and of course, his choice of installers is
him. I'm going for a radar/plotter/depthsounder/ autopilot with a
couple of repeaters involved. (36' boat-upper and lower stations.)

Anyone had a situation where they ordered the stuff from someone like
"Marine Electronics" or some other big discounter and had a FREELANCER
install all the stuff on your boat. What do the Mfg's do about
warranty when a "non-Authorized" dealer/installer was used. Isn't
most of this stuff "Plug and Play"?

Thanks for any help you can give....I'm sorta bewildered at the
moment.

Also make sure they are COMPATIBLE. Sailnet sold my captain a B&G
H1000 Pilot, which uses Fastnet data and an NMEA 0183 interface box
because the installed B&G Wind, Speed and Depth instruments are the
older B&G "Network" instruments, a whole different data port system
that outputs NMEA, not Fastnet.

After getting the boxes all installed, we were short some Fastnet
cables so called B&G (Brookes & Gatehouse) to order them. While the
conversation got around to our extensive installation, the B&G guy
told us the H1000 would never read the Wind, Speed or Depth data from
the NMEA adapter. It was looking at the Fastnet port for that
proprietary information........totally useless.

We're now swapping the H1000 for a Network Pilot computer with B&G to
go with our Network instruments so it will all work together. Further
investigation DID show Network will listen to our NMEA multiplexer
output for GPS information it needs to steer the boat.

ALL of them are guilty of trying to ISOLATE the customer so he must
buy all THEIR damned proprietary, incompatible equipment at
exhorbitant prices.....instead of using the STANDARDs......

The Garmin 185 will not get waypoint data from the computer or even
the company's own Yeoman because it ONLY gets waypoint data from its
PROPRIETARY GRMN protocol data..............

The Raymarine SL70CRC Plus radar wants to talk SeaTalk and only talks
NMEA 0183 grudgingly............

The B&G Network wants to talk Network...same idea.

They'll all keep playing this game as long as boaters keep BUYING IT.



On 4 Sep 2003 09:47:21 -0700, (Jim Woodward)
wrote:

Play with both user interfaces and, perhaps, Simrad, as well -- there
are real differences in the way they do things, not right or wrong,
just different. Then let your spouse or significant other do the
same. Pick the one you like best.

I dismiss most of the "this one is better quality" as the same as "my
Ford is better than your Chevy". There are subtle differences, but
they average out.

We picked Furuno for Fintry after looking hard at all three, but the
autopilot will be Comnav. These may not be good choices for you.
Aside from the fact that you may like another user interface better,
Fintry is a little bigger, a little heavier, and a lot more steel than
your boat.

The installation has to be competent, but it's not brain surgery.
Protected cable runs, away from potential interference. Beefy power
supply wires, appropriately fused or circuit breakered. Solid mounts
that can be easily removed for connection and maintenance. Good
soldering, where required.

The installation manuals for both Raymarine and Furuno are on line, so
you could read them and decide for yourself whether you're up to it.

If you have an installer do the work, make sure you see (eyeball, not
photos)other installations he or she has done, and talk to owners.
There's a lot of bad work out there....


Jim Woodward
www.mvfintry.com

(Tom Young) wrote in message om...
Anyone have a definite thought on the differences between a Raymarine
package and a Furuno package. I've got a new boat due in shortly and
I have been really hung up on the reputation and apparent quality
differences of the Furuno. But, I've got a dealer/installer claiming
the Raymarine is everybit as good and what really matters is the
quality of the installation and of course, his choice of installers is
him. I'm going for a radar/plotter/depthsounder/ autopilot with a
couple of repeaters involved. (36' boat-upper and lower stations.)

Anyone had a situation where they ordered the stuff from someone like
"Marine Electronics" or some other big discounter and had a FREELANCER
install all the stuff on your boat. What do the Mfg's do about
warranty when a "non-Authorized" dealer/installer was used. Isn't
most of this stuff "Plug and Play"?

Thanks for any help you can give....I'm sorta bewildered at the
moment.

Larry

Extremely intelligent life must exist in the universe.
You can tell because they never tried to contact us.

"...A lot of people complain about Raymarine product failing and
their customer service...."

I want to offer a different opinion. I have had three contacts with
Raymarine customer service and each one was more than satisfactory. They
answered the phone promptly, were patient in listening and explanations,
helpful, friendly and, most important, took care of the problem. The product
itself, though now obsolete, has held up well for a decade. I would get
their stuff again with full confidence!

Joel Albert
Potomac, MD
))

I have a Raymarine package on my express cruiser from the factory. No
issues, no failures, no problems. Other than every unit having a
different way of setting the backlight level (#@#$##$#%%^^^@&^) I think
the controls and menus are pretty straightforward.

Raymarine also seems to have a broader range of instruments, so it is
easier to outfit your boat with stuff that should all take together.

That said, I will never forget walking into a Raytheon facility in Texas
where the "motivational" banners hanging from the ceiling were "Make
your numbers." No emphasis on the customer. No emphasis on the
employees. It was all about making money. Now you should recognize that
my opinion is that if you care for your customer and care for your
employees, the financial returns will follow. That is not the Raytheon
way, and I presume not the Raymarine way.

I'm going to buying a new boat in the next year, and I'll probably
commission with Raymarine instruments, but it will definately make my
stomach hurt.

dave