NAVNET 3D need new elec. package

[Shortfin]

Is the jury out on this product

Need to upgrade a 48 Convertable with 4 year old Electronics

currrently have 2 Navnets and a touch screen I 3 plotter

owner would like to simplify this part of the vessel

any recs are appreciated , he is leaning towards Furuno ?

[LuckyLady]

Furuno is the best of the best. I would be more than happy to put a package and a quote together to upgrade. Drop me a email with your thoughts.

[Shortfin]

Thanks Mary ,I am looking for some feedback first on what people's experience have been so far , I have used the 3D unit a few times but not fluent enough to make the call

last season they were still getting the bugs out of the software and hardware

[Blinky]

Spoke with Frank from seacurity systems on Long Island.
He claims the newest software was just released and they seem to have worked out all the bugs this time. Give it a couple of months to be sure, but the system is excellent and will do everything you would expect. I am leaning toward this system as well but I'm waiting 6 months to make sure all is well.

Capt Tom
Blinky IV

[billh22]

I have a system setup and working in my office for the last few months, so here is what I know. First the good news, the display is great, fast with great resolution and waypoint are easy to manage. The learning curve is not too bad but you better have a few days to work with it before you have to rely on it. The bad new is I have spent countless hours downloading soft ware updates and I am sure there are a lot more still coming. Unless you have a dealer that will update from his hard drive you will have to down load from the web and transfer to a SD card for download to plotter.. Just one satellite 3D area is 4 to 5 hours to download. I downloaded 6 so far for the east coast (they do not come installed). Some other down loads are for vector and raster chart updates and software fix’s. By the way on the Furuno dealer site they are giving the updates for free but telling the dealers that they should charge the customer for the download.

Most of the problem will be from a self install. Configuration is difficult to say the least. The manuals (several) comprised of several hundred pages if you count Plotter, fish finder, radar, weather, etc and they are not easy to read, they also require you to download them. I had to call tech support several times. Creating a NEMA 2000 backbone is another expense and also better left to an expert. One of my biggest complaints is the startup time, up to 3 minutes depending on setup. If it accidentally got shut down while offshore it can be real tense waiting for it to boot up. It reminds me more of a networked computer then a plotter/fish finder. I for one will have a backup GPS just in case.

Forget about saving your way points from another system and downloading it to the MFD12 unless you are a wiz with excel. Furuno sent me the software but said up front “don’t ask for help your on your own”. It can be done but like I said it not easy. They are work on offering a software that is supported SOON.

Knowing what I know now I would still buy the system it is likely it going to be the go to system some day, but it's not for the technically or electronically challenged. I decided on a single MFD12 and FCV-295 to minimize the confusion. KEEP IT SIMPLE”” and good luck.

[lsider]

I like Furuno. I had the VX2 on my last boat and I now have the 3D installed in my new boat.
The UHD radar and the digital FF are tops, charting is not acceptable at this moment if your primary purpose is fishing and the mid-atlantic area is your fishing area. The raster charts are the NOAA paper charts and the vector charts are below basic. Furuno is now working the bathy charts; Ive seen a sample (Hudson canyon) of what is to come and looks ok.
As far as the software is concerned, version 1.11 worked out some of the past complaints. Version 1.12 to come will take it further.

[Banshee]

I am looking for 10" vx2 if you do some upgrading. You may want to look at the Northstar 6100. I love mines. alos if you want the weather module you can only get in it Cmap, not Navionics. Something to think about.
JW

[lsider]

I agree with what billh2 said. In addition there is a specific protocol to be followed when powering up or powering down. I initially set out on twin MFD12s, ended up with one MFD12 and one Garmin 4212 for more detail on charting. The MFD 12 is on the hub 101 ready to accept another MFD12 down the road when the NN3D charting is developed.
If I did not have to outfit a new boat most probably I would have stayed with my VX2 network for the time being. A couple of the VX2 features that have become dear to me, have not found their way into the 3D yet. Passed the suggestions to Furuno techs and they seemed to take notice; time will show.

[Shortfin]

Thanks for the Info Guy's ,I am also dissapointed with the current cartography on the furuno but remeber i have only had a few times on the unit and i do Think the Blue Chart is the most superior on the market , The Northstar would be second running navionics, going to check them out at the boat shows soon and will have to make a rec

[LuckyLady]

Thanks Mary ,I am looking for some feedback first on what people's experience have been so far , I have used the 3D unit a few times but not fluent enough to make the call

last season they were still getting the bugs out of the software and hardware

No problem I forwarded this thread to a couple of my customers that have these units installed. I can't give much user feed back on the 3D's I just havent personally got to play with them enough to comment.

I know that they had some software issues which new releases have taken care of those problems

Anything i can help with give a yell