Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Jun 15, 5:15?am, HK wrote:
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

Test them for what? To see if they work?

Almost any brand of electronics will be very reliable. In general,
units that don't fail in the first 90-minutes or so of use after
installation can be relied upon to give so many years of service that
they will ultimately be replaced due to obsolesence rather than
finally wearing out. That's why there are so very few technicians that
actually repair electronics- the rare warranty failures are typically
resolved by swapping out an entire unit.

Beyond reliability, a lot of the issues become very, very subjective.
Boater A prefers a certain type of display, Boater B prefers another.
Unless two units are attempting to prioritize the exact same aspects
of performance and operation, doing an objective review is pretty
difficult.
It requires the reviewer to impose his or her *own* subjective values
as a standard for comparison.

For example: MagicNav Technologies new GPS/plotter might have an
particularly bright display and an interface that uses only a couple
of large buttons that need to be pressed in some complex combinations
to perform a few dozen functions. Competing ElectroScan offers a unit
with a less brilliant display, but with 17 clearly labeled (if small)
push buttons that normally offer one-touch functionality.

Which is "better"?

Is the bright display a positive or negative? Can it bee "too bright"
except during the sunniest days? Or, will two different people have
two different, subjective, and equally valid opinions about the
brightness?

Is the 2-3 button interface a blessing for it's ease of handling in
rough seas, or a serious problem because many people won't manage to
remember that in order to access the page with the tide tables the
sequence is L,L,C,L,R,C,R,C,R,L? There would be opinions on either
side of the question. Is the 17 button interface better because it's
more easily used, or worse because when the boat is bouncing around
the smaller buttons are hard to press with a high degree of accuracy?

Is one unit better for people who are boating offshore in daylight
hours only, the other a superior choice for people who boat on inland
lakes and launch before sunrise to take advantage of the early morning
bite?
Or. will there be boaters in both of those categories who might choose
either of the units for subjective reasons that are personally valid?

Which one should the reviewer "knock"? Which one *can* the reviewer
knock without imposing his or her own subjective preferences as some
sort of universal standard?

Reliability has to be removed from the equation as well as basically
untestable. Effective testing would require leaving something running
for up to several years to note when it finally failed, and to be
thorough several copies of each model would need to be operated to be
sure that an early failure or a ridiculously long service life wasn't
a one-unit anomaly.

Because the choice of boating equipment is so extremely subjective,
head-to-head comparisons are a lot less useful than descriptions of
individual products that include a hgihlight of the major features and
what the associated benfits or operating characteristics might be. It
then falls to the reader to decide whether a particular product would
be
suitable for consideration when shopping for items of that type, or
not. A product with characteristics, features, and functions that are
inconsistent with what a boater wants for his personal boating
experience is always a poor choice, no matter how well it may have
been manufactured, the corporate reputation, the length of the
warranty, or whether it impressed somebody else.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.


I see Consumer Reports only rests the car based portable navigation systems.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jun 15, 5:15?am, HK wrote:
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

Test them for what? To see if they work?

Almost any brand of electronics will be very reliable. In general,
units that don't fail in the first 90-minutes or so of use after
installation can be relied upon to give so many years of service that
they will ultimately be replaced due to obsolesence rather than
finally wearing out. That's why there are so very few technicians that
actually repair electronics- the rare warranty failures are typically
resolved by swapping out an entire unit.

Beyond reliability, a lot of the issues become very, very subjective.
Boater A prefers a certain type of display, Boater B prefers another.
Unless two units are attempting to prioritize the exact same aspects
of performance and operation, doing an objective review is pretty
difficult.
It requires the reviewer to impose his or her *own* subjective values
as a standard for comparison.

For example: MagicNav Technologies new GPS/plotter might have an
particularly bright display and an interface that uses only a couple
of large buttons that need to be pressed in some complex combinations
to perform a few dozen functions. Competing ElectroScan offers a unit
with a less brilliant display, but with 17 clearly labeled (if small)
push buttons that normally offer one-touch functionality.

Which is "better"?


That's right, Chuckster...do whatever you can to minimize the
possibilities of important objective and subjective differences in the
gear available to boaters.

There are any number of reasons why "head to head" comparisons of, say,
7" display GPS Plotters might be of interest to boaters. Or depth
finders. Or fish finders. Or radios.

It is almost impossible to check out all the possibilities in your local
West Marine or any other major marine equipment store. First, they don't
have the depth of inventory. Second, they rarely have things hooked up
so you can mess with them comfortably. Third, they never seem to have
things like manuals handy. Fourth, the sales people they employ simply
have no depth of information about much of anything.

Before I buy an appliance, I check it out in Consumers Reports. There's
no reason why the same sort of comparative info on boating gear wouldn't
be useful to boaters.

Stop pimping for the boating industry, Chuck. It doesn't serve anyone
but your masters.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Don White wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.


I see Consumer Reports only rests the car based portable navigation systems.




Believe it or not, way back when, CU used to test, compare and rate
outboard motors.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Don White wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.


I see Consumer Reports only rests the car based portable navigation
systems.


Believe it or not, way back when, CU used to test, compare and rate
outboard motors.

That would be cool. Think I'll drop them a line asking for more marine type
tests.
Since I don't buy a camera or tv every year...those bi-annual tests get
tedius.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Jun 15, 7:26?am, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
..

It is almost impossible to check out all the possibilities in your local
West Marine or any other major marine equipment store. First, they don't
have the depth of inventory. Second, they rarely have things hooked up
so you can mess with them comfortably. Third, they never seem to have
things like manuals handy. Fourth, the sales people they employ simply
have no depth of information about much of anything.



Vs. the challenges of doing a valid head to head, real world test?

You'd need to rig an individual boat with a half dozen depthsounders,
plotters, etc. How else would you be able to compare operation under
the exact same circumstances?

Disregarding your nasty personal remarks below, (surprise, surprise),
could you please explain to the group exactly why the very same
features and functions will always be important to a guy trolling for
billfish in the Atlantic and a guy with a bass boat in Minnesota?
Whose subjective priorities should prevail? The reviewer's?

To follow the Consumer Reports model you suggest, all of the tested
equipment would need to be purchased, anonymously, at a variety of
retail outlets. To purchase and rig a dozen plotters, modify and
operate a boat to do the test, etc, all of a sudden you're looking at
an article that costs $25,000 to write. If you compare the size of the
market for, (say) washing machines, vs the size of the market for
chart plotters and the circulation of Consumer Reports (likely greater
than the circulation of all boating magaznies combined) it should
become pretty obvious why its easier to justify buying 6 different
$400 washing machines to test by plugging into the wall than buying a
large number of radar plotters that cost as much to rig and test as
they do to purchase.

And finally, unless a magazine accepts *no* advertising (like Consumer
Reports) there would be no reason to accept their "objective"
comparisons as entirely unbiased. Look at Motor Trend for example;
want to be "Car of the Year"? just sign up for the appropriate
advertising package and you're in. Years ago, I heard their publisher
excuse this practice as "being in the entertainment business".

The "no advertising" model with head to head comparisons has been
tried. Powerboat Reports. It failed. That's why nobody is doing
it. :-)

Publications cross a pretty tricky line when moving from a description
of an individual product with associated features and characteristics
to any attempt to pronounce "Brand X is better than Brand Y
because...."
Who's subjective preferences should prevail? The reviewer's?



Before I buy an appliance, I check it out in Consumers Reports. There's
no reason why the same sort of comparative info on boating gear wouldn't
be useful to boaters.

Stop pimping for the boating industry, Chuck. It doesn't serve anyone
but your masters.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jun 15, 7:26?am, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
.
It is almost impossible to check out all the possibilities in your local
West Marine or any other major marine equipment store. First, they don't
have the depth of inventory. Second, they rarely have things hooked up
so you can mess with them comfortably. Third, they never seem to have
things like manuals handy. Fourth, the sales people they employ simply
have no depth of information about much of anything.



Vs. the challenges of doing a valid head to head, real world test?

You'd need to rig an individual boat with a half dozen depthsounders,
plotters, etc. How else would you be able to compare operation under
the exact same circumstances?

Disregarding your nasty personal remarks below, (surprise, surprise),
could you please explain to the group exactly why the very same
features and functions will always be important to a guy trolling for
billfish in the Atlantic and a guy with a bass boat in Minnesota?
Whose subjective priorities should prevail? The reviewer's?


Your arguments are specious. Similar products with different feature
sets are evaluated together all the time by all manner of printed and on
line "publications."

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 10:26:06 -0400, HK wrote:

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jun 15, 5:15?am, HK wrote:
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

Test them for what? To see if they work?

Almost any brand of electronics will be very reliable. In general,
units that don't fail in the first 90-minutes or so of use after
installation can be relied upon to give so many years of service that
they will ultimately be replaced due to obsolesence rather than
finally wearing out. That's why there are so very few technicians that
actually repair electronics- the rare warranty failures are typically
resolved by swapping out an entire unit.

Beyond reliability, a lot of the issues become very, very subjective.
Boater A prefers a certain type of display, Boater B prefers another.
Unless two units are attempting to prioritize the exact same aspects
of performance and operation, doing an objective review is pretty
difficult.
It requires the reviewer to impose his or her *own* subjective values
as a standard for comparison.

For example: MagicNav Technologies new GPS/plotter might have an
particularly bright display and an interface that uses only a couple
of large buttons that need to be pressed in some complex combinations
to perform a few dozen functions. Competing ElectroScan offers a unit
with a less brilliant display, but with 17 clearly labeled (if small)
push buttons that normally offer one-touch functionality.

Which is "better"?


That's right, Chuckster...do whatever you can to minimize the
possibilities of important objective and subjective differences in the
gear available to boaters.

There are any number of reasons why "head to head" comparisons of, say,
7" display GPS Plotters might be of interest to boaters. Or depth
finders. Or fish finders. Or radios.

It is almost impossible to check out all the possibilities in your local
West Marine or any other major marine equipment store. First, they don't
have the depth of inventory. Second, they rarely have things hooked up
so you can mess with them comfortably. Third, they never seem to have
things like manuals handy. Fourth, the sales people they employ simply
have no depth of information about much of anything.

Before I buy an appliance, I check it out in Consumers Reports. There's
no reason why the same sort of comparative info on boating gear wouldn't
be useful to boaters.

Stop pimping for the boating industry, Chuck. It doesn't serve anyone
but your masters.

Pure, unadulterated, jealousy-driven horse****!

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:08:07 -0400, HK wrote:



Your arguments are specious.

Which means, simply, that you can't counter them.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

Powerboat Reports. But they don't exist anymore.

I remember reading a test they did on combo units, and they seemed to like
the combination Furuno unit the most.

Personally, I prefer Furuno for bottom machines, and Garmin for
Chartplotters, but my electronics install guy who sells them all prefers
Raymarine.

My boat has a Furuno bottom machine, a Northstar chartplotter, a Simrad
radar, and a Simrad autopilot.

I'm not a big fan of the Northstar chartplotter, but it's a decent unit.
The autopilot sucks, and if I need to replace it, I'm getting a TR-1. The
linear feedback arm on the autopilot malfunctions in rough seas, and the
TR-1 doesn't use one.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:56:22 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

The "no advertising" model with head to head comparisons has been
tried. Powerboat Reports. It failed. That's why nobody is doing
it. :-)

That's not quite true. Practical Sailor is still going strong and
does a pretty decent job with most of their tests and reports. I've
avoided some expensice mistakes by listening to their advice over the
years. Unfortunately they don't cater to the fishing crowd but many
of their other tests are equally applicable to both power and sail.
It's also a good bet that if Furuno makes a chart plotter or radar
with good visibility in direct sunlight, that their fish finder will
have good visibility also. You can also glean some intersting nuggets
regarding customer service and reliability reputations.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:56:22 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

The "no advertising" model with head to head comparisons has been
tried. Powerboat Reports. It failed. That's why nobody is doing
it. :-)

That's not quite true. Practical Sailor is still going strong and
does a pretty decent job with most of their tests and reports. I've
avoided some expensice mistakes by listening to their advice over the
years. Unfortunately they don't cater to the fishing crowd but many
of their other tests are equally applicable to both power and sail.
It's also a good bet that if Furuno makes a chart plotter or radar
with good visibility in direct sunlight, that their fish finder will
have good visibility also. You can also glean some intersting nuggets
regarding customer service and reliability reputations.



It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:26:21 -0400, HK wrote:

It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.

I don't think he was objecting to the concept, just the expense and
logistical difficulty. As he correctly points out, Consumer Reports
has a much wider subscriber base to fund the testing expenses, and
they also have people on staff who resell the tested merchandise when
possible.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:04:00 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

my electronics install guy who sells them all prefers
Raymarine.

That's interesting since their quality and reliability seem to have
gone downhill in recent years. They must be spiffing the installers
in some way.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:15:48 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:04:00 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

my electronics install guy who sells them all prefers
Raymarine.

That's interesting since their quality and reliability seem to have
gone downhill in recent years. They must be spiffing the installers
in some way.

It's almost like they were back in RI.

I'm getting more and more disenchanted with Raymarine although I had
Raymarine gear on both Contenders.

I'm still looking for a small boat radar for the Ranger.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
On Jun 15, 7:26?am, HK wrote:
Chuck Gould wrote:
.
It is almost impossible to check out all the possibilities in your local
West Marine or any other major marine equipment store. First, they don't
have the depth of inventory. Second, they rarely have things hooked up
so you can mess with them comfortably. Third, they never seem to have
things like manuals handy. Fourth, the sales people they employ simply
have no depth of information about much of anything.



Vs. the challenges of doing a valid head to head, real world test?

You'd need to rig an individual boat with a half dozen depthsounders,
plotters, etc. How else would you be able to compare operation under
the exact same circumstances?

Disregarding your nasty personal remarks below, (surprise, surprise),
could you please explain to the group exactly why the very same
features and functions will always be important to a guy trolling for
billfish in the Atlantic and a guy with a bass boat in Minnesota?
Whose subjective priorities should prevail? The reviewer's?


Your arguments are specious. Similar products with different feature
sets are evaluated together all the time by all manner of printed and on
line "publications."

Harry,
I am curious, since you are online in rec.boats, 7 days a week, and are
proud of the fact that your Parker has very little hours on the engine,
why would you want an expensive chart plotter/ fishfinder?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:15:48 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:04:00 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

my electronics install guy who sells them all prefers
Raymarine.
That's interesting since their quality and reliability seem to have
gone downhill in recent years. They must be spiffing the installers
in some way.

It's almost like they were back in RI.

I'm getting more and more disenchanted with Raymarine although I had
Raymarine gear on both Contenders.

I'm still looking for a small boat radar for the Ranger.


I thought that ranger was a bay boat?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:26:21 -0400, HK wrote:

It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.

I don't think he was objecting to the concept, just the expense and
logistical difficulty. As he correctly points out, Consumer Reports
has a much wider subscriber base to fund the testing expenses, and
they also have people on staff who resell the tested merchandise when
possible.



BOATING mag does occasional multiproduct tests, too.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:12:23 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:26:21 -0400, HK wrote:

It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.

I don't think he was objecting to the concept, just the expense and
logistical difficulty. As he correctly points out, Consumer Reports
has a much wider subscriber base to fund the testing expenses, and
they also have people on staff who resell the tested merchandise when
possible.

It's interesting that Harry objects so strongly to anything Chuck posts.
Could it be a bit of jealousy there? I wonder what Harry's *real* motives
are.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:55:57 -0400, HK wrote:

I'm still looking for a small boat radar for the Ranger.


I thought that ranger was a bay boat?

Surely an old Connecticut yankee like yourself has seen Narragansett
Bay when it's foggy.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:56:22 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

The "no advertising" model with head to head comparisons has been
tried. Powerboat Reports. It failed. That's why nobody is doing
it. :-)

That's not quite true. Practical Sailor is still going strong and
does a pretty decent job with most of their tests and reports. I've
avoided some expensice mistakes by listening to their advice over the
years. Unfortunately they don't cater to the fishing crowd but many
of their other tests are equally applicable to both power and sail.
It's also a good bet that if Furuno makes a chart plotter or radar
with good visibility in direct sunlight, that their fish finder will
have good visibility also. You can also glean some intersting nuggets
regarding customer service and reliability reputations.



It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.


Hey, assuming you haven't blown this month's entire allowance the wife gives
you on those tacky pre-fab cabinets and Formica countertops, why don't you
just write the friggin' check yourself and perform the test. I'm sure the
three guys left here who still find you credible and the one other guy who
finds you interesting will hang on every word. The rest of us, not so much.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:55:57 -0400, HK wrote:

I'm still looking for a small boat radar for the Ranger.

I thought that ranger was a bay boat?

Surely an old Connecticut yankee like yourself has seen Narragansett
Bay when it's foggy.



Actually, no.

We were based on the western end of Long Island Sound when I lived in
Connecticut, boated mostly out of the Milford area, and when we sailed a
distance, went as far east as New London, not farther, and occasionally
across the Sound to various Long Island destinations.

In those days, radar was not really an option for those of us in
relatively small boats. In fact, I can't recall any private pleasure
boaters who had a radar set.

When it was too foggy to clear Milford Harbor, we didn't venture out
into the Sound. I do remember using RDF, sort of.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

RG wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:56:22 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

The "no advertising" model with head to head comparisons has been
tried. Powerboat Reports. It failed. That's why nobody is doing
it. :-)
That's not quite true. Practical Sailor is still going strong and
does a pretty decent job with most of their tests and reports. I've
avoided some expensice mistakes by listening to their advice over the
years. Unfortunately they don't cater to the fishing crowd but many
of their other tests are equally applicable to both power and sail.
It's also a good bet that if Furuno makes a chart plotter or radar
with good visibility in direct sunlight, that their fish finder will
have good visibility also. You can also glean some intersting nuggets
regarding customer service and reliability reputations.


It's interesting that chuck objects so strongly to practical, measured
evaluations of boat equipment. I wonder what is beneath the surface here.


Hey, assuming you haven't blown this month's entire allowance the wife gives
you on those tacky pre-fab cabinets and Formica countertops, why don't you
just write the friggin' check yourself and perform the test. I'm sure the
three guys left here who still find you credible and the one other guy who
finds you interesting will hang on every word. The rest of us, not so much.




It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life
policies you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life policies
you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Wayne.B wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:04:00 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:

my electronics install guy who sells them all prefers
Raymarine.

That's interesting since their quality and reliability seem to have
gone downhill in recent years. They must be spiffing the installers
in some way.



This and other "qualitative" comments from others just prove the need
for some sort of independent testing service for boat electronics. I
have a friend who is boat shopping right now, and he's faced with a
kazillion different GPS/Plotters, Fishfinders, VHF radios, et cetera. No
store handles more than a couple of brands, or at least has them on
display, and it is very difficult to decide what works best for you and
what does not. Since he is buying an open boat, I suggested he buy the
simplest stuff around, without all the bells and whistles, because it's
difficult to deal with such finite controls on a boat with "quick
action" in the waves and seaways. In fact, I suggested he go with one of
the newer Garmin plotter/fishfinders, and an inexpensive VHF with an 8'
Shakespeare antenna.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

RG wrote:

It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life policies
you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.




Sadly, you do show up on one of my news accounts, which has fewer
filters. My preferred news account has been having sporadic tech
problems at its point of origin.

So, Russ, who died and turned you into a turd?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
RG wrote:

It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life
policies you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.


Sadly, you do show up on one of my news accounts, which has fewer filters.
My preferred news account has been having sporadic tech problems at its
point of origin.

So, Russ, who died and turned you into a turd?



Maybe it's just the 'Real Russ' rearing his ugly head!

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
. ..
RG wrote:

It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life
policies you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.


Sadly, you do show up on one of my news accounts, which has fewer filters.
My preferred news account has been having sporadic tech problems at its
point of origin.


Watching you backpedal Krause is enough to make one dizzy. Don't you ever
get tired of it? I never thought I'd see the day, but you've become
irrelevant in your own sand box. God, what an insufferable bore you've
become. These days, you make Dave look interesting in general, and credible
and authoritative as it relates to boating. How is that even possible?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:38:54 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:55:57 -0400, HK wrote:

I'm still looking for a small boat radar for the Ranger.


I thought that ranger was a bay boat?

Surely an old Connecticut yankee like yourself has seen Narragansett
Bay when it's foggy.

I've been caught in it and it ain't fun.

In particular if you are somewhere between the east end of Prudence
and the Bridge.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Don White wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
RG wrote:
It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life
policies you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?
Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.

Sadly, you do show up on one of my news accounts, which has fewer filters.
My preferred news account has been having sporadic tech problems at its
point of origin.

So, Russ, who died and turned you into a turd?



Maybe it's just the 'Real Russ' rearing his ugly head!




He's just another newsgroup gnat these days. Maybe his wife left him for
a man.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"John H." wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:15:20 -0400, HK wrote:

Snipped


I have a friend who is boat shopping right now...

Harry, is Donnie buying a boat? Or are you really trying to convince
someone you've got another friend?

That was not nice.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Calif Bill wrote:
"John H." wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:15:20 -0400, HK wrote:

Snipped


I have a friend who is boat shopping right now...
Harry, is Donnie buying a boat? Or are you really trying to convince
someone you've got another friend?

That was not nice.




No one cares what Herring posts.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"HK" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
"John H." wrote in message
...
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:15:20 -0400, HK wrote:

Snipped


I have a friend who is boat shopping right now...
Harry, is Donnie buying a boat? Or are you really trying to convince
someone you've got another friend?

That was not nice.


No one cares what Herring posts.

And only Don gives credence to what you post.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:31:38 -0300, "Don White"
wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
...
RG wrote:

It's really sad to see you dissove into a newsgroup gnat sourpuss, Russ.
Did your wife leave you? Are your residuals from those whole life
policies you sold drying up? Cialyis not working for you?

Answering yet again to someone whom you've proclaimed to reside in your
killfile? Please, put me back.


Sadly, you do show up on one of my news accounts, which has fewer filters.
My preferred news account has been having sporadic tech problems at its
point of origin.

So, Russ, who died and turned you into a turd?



Maybe it's just the 'Real Russ' rearing his ugly head!


Donnie, don't you just love it when your idol is calling names? He is
*such* a neat guy! I can see why you're enthralled with him.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:15:18 -0400, HK wrote:

Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

I'm surprised I didn't comment on this. Here's my take.

1 - Anything you buy today will be automatically obselete tomorrow.

2 - Instead of comparision, figure out what features are important
then look at different units to see if any match your criteria. It's
not like there are a ton of manufacturers out there.

3 - Once you find that match, it's just a question of price.

Recently, I've been in the market for a combo unit - radar/gps, etc
and have looked at quite a few. I'm kind of constrained to units that
use the Navionics package in the CF card format - I have a lot of
money invested in Navionics Gold and Platinum CF cards and I don't
want to lose that investment.

There isn't a lot of choice.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:15:18 -0400, HK wrote:

Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

I'm surprised I didn't comment on this. Here's my take.

1 - Anything you buy today will be automatically obselete tomorrow.

2 - Instead of comparision, figure out what features are important
then look at different units to see if any match your criteria. It's
not like there are a ton of manufacturers out there.

3 - Once you find that match, it's just a question of price.

Recently, I've been in the market for a combo unit - radar/gps, etc
and have looked at quite a few. I'm kind of constrained to units that
use the Navionics package in the CF card format - I have a lot of
money invested in Navionics Gold and Platinum CF cards and I don't
want to lose that investment.

There isn't a lot of choice.





It's not easy to find stores that offer a decent selection. We have
three or four chains active in this area, plus a couple of indys.

I think I am going to recommend a lowrance GPS/Plotter and a separate
Lowrance fishfinder. I always like the ergonomics of the Lowrance stuff.
The new Lowrance stuff looks very nice to me.

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:15:20 -0400, HK wrote:

Snipped


I have a friend who is boat shopping right now...

Harry, is Donnie buying a boat? Or are you really trying to convince
someone you've got another friend?

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

"John H." wrote in message
...

Donnie, don't you just love it when your idol is calling names? He is
*such* a neat guy! I can see why you're enthralled with him.


Again Johnnie...I thought your church preached against false
idols...........
Why do you keep calling Harry an "idol".

Comparative tests of boat electronics?
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 20:46:50 -0400, HK wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:15:18 -0400, HK wrote:

Anyone publishing these?

As in, $1000 chartplotters/fishfinders, six new units tested.

That sort of stuff.

I'm surprised I didn't comment on this. Here's my take.

1 - Anything you buy today will be automatically obselete tomorrow.

2 - Instead of comparision, figure out what features are important
then look at different units to see if any match your criteria. It's
not like there are a ton of manufacturers out there.

3 - Once you find that match, it's just a question of price.

Recently, I've been in the market for a combo unit - radar/gps, etc
and have looked at quite a few. I'm kind of constrained to units that
use the Navionics package in the CF card format - I have a lot of
money invested in Navionics Gold and Platinum CF cards and I don't
want to lose that investment.

There isn't a lot of choice.

It's not easy to find stores that offer a decent selection. We have
three or four chains active in this area, plus a couple of indys.

I think I am going to recommend a lowrance GPS/Plotter and a separate
Lowrance fishfinder. I always like the ergonomics of the Lowrance stuff.
The new Lowrance stuff looks very nice to me.

Um..well, takt this for what it's worth. The recent quality of
Lowrance units leave a lot to be desired from what I've been hearing.
I talked to somebody who I trust about the small boat electronics and
from what he said, Lowrance is a hit or miss proposition - when they
work, they work, when they don't, they don't and reliability is
problematic. There isn't any happy middle ground. Iv'e also heard
their customer service has slipped in recent years and that has come
from several different sources.

Just a thought.