Raymarine A50 feedback...please

[Crunchy]

Well its time to ditch the Navman (Loooong story but really looking forward to either smashing it with a sledge hammer, running over it with the 4by or just hurfing it against a brick wall)...

I'm looking for feedback on the A50...
In particular ability to view in direct sunlight?
Track performance (For drift fishing)?
Overall performance?
Built in map any good?
Managing waypoints on PC - does it come with software?

Also considering the garmin 551 or similar if anyone wishes to comment but tending towards to A50 at this stage.

(Have searched and read past posts, looking for some additional user feedback)

Thanks
Crunchy

[PADDLES]

i've just bought an A50 crunchy but haven't put it in the boat yet. whitworths have them for a smidgin under $1200 at the moment with a free raymarine handheld vhf. go down there and ask them to show you one running out in the carpark, it should be pretty easy to hook one up to a battery. i was looking at the garmin as well but they mangaed to convince me that the raymarine was a better unit.

[ozscott]

The older Garmin - the 178C for example that I have is vastly easier to use and better spec'd than the Raymarine...however the new Garmin has lost the plot (no pun intended) and the Raymarine is probably easier to use...having said that I have used the A50 a few times now and it is hard to use and the menu system doesnt turn me on, but hey, if you are buying new you have to compare it to the other new gear on the market. They are pretty good value at the moment - I would never have considered one when they were 400 odd dearer.

Cheers

[Crunchy]

Funny you should say that Paddles, I was just about to skive off work and head down there now...will bite the bullet and get the this unit I think....afterall a sextant would be an improvement on the last unit!

[Crunchy]

...having said that I have used the A50 a few times now and it is hard to use and the menu system doesnt turn me on...

Cheers

Thanks Oz...will check out the menu to make sure I'm OK with it first....

[ozscott]

Sorry mate - correct that I was using the A60/65 (mate's with the larger screen, but the menu system should be identical).

Cheers

PS. Perhaps I was being a bit harsh on it because the 178C is really such an easy and intuitive unit...just get W'Worths or similar to turn it on and let you have a play for half an hour...big purchase so dont let them hurry you

[PADDLES]

thanx too for the info scotty, i've never owned a plotter (only ever used a handheld gps72) before so it'll all be new to me anyway.

[Crunchy]

Went down and had a play, agree that its a fairly difficult machine to drive but obviously a pretty capable machine. (Built in maps are quite good) Spending some decent time with the unit would help learning to navigate around the menu....was all set to make the purchase until I asked about the software to manage waypoints etc on the PC.....nothing comes with the unit. Raymarine say use Navplanner....OK thats about $290; plus since neither Navplanner or the A50 come with a card there's another $290-$490 depending on whether you gold or platinum (Not sure if you can use generic or blank CF cards with navplanner making this cheaper, as the notes say "use with your chart cards"). So to enable managing waypoints on the PC using the A50 is going to cost another $560 on top of the purchase price....unless someone else has got through this and I missed something?

The Garmin comes with basic (But perfectly usable) software or only costs $40 aftermarket.

thanks
Crunchy

[PADDLES]

hey crunchy, have a bit more of a chat to people in yachting circles, there's a lot of pirated navigation software out there apparently, don't make a yachtie choose between paying for software and paying for a beer, he'll choose the beer every time.

[oldboot]

I'm at the same point.

I was looking at one of the eagle units at $799 from bias..... but you have to cough for the navonics........the raymarine only comes with silver ( from memory)

but the eagle has the same problem.....cough up for the software.

I had a look at the garmin 620....at $1149......its crossover unit that will go in the car too.

Therer is supplied "satalite mapping".....but mud island looks like 4 ovelapping squares.

so you have to buy mapping too... but east coast fron tas to cape york costs $229

trip an waypoint manager costs $36.95

and mapsource city navigator costs $179

it has a battery and will run hand held.... has an internal areial....and I think it will run an external areial in cradle.

it is touch scree and does not look too bad at all.
.

cheers