Best multifunction System?

[Ram]

I’m planning a refit at the end of the year and my current electronics are Ray Marine e-120 I bought the same time I bought the boat. Now that’s 15 years ago what I’m looking for as what is the best all-around system I can buy that’s intuitive , and state of the art ., multifunction systum, chart, plotter sonar
, radar, ais Transceiver, vhf, I’m also considering A thermal camera for the mast head, for sailing at night, and hopefully seeing objects in the water … I had a subscription to practical sailor but it’s been a decade since they’ve done a review on some of this.. does anyone know where I can get unbiased reviews?

[aqfishing]

Love my Raymarine Axiom. Also you are familiar with how Raymarine operates.

I would look at Furuno if I was changing everything.

[ranger58sb]

We have a Furuno MFD with fishfinder and AIS, which we like/prefer. We also have a Garmin MFD with DST and radar, workable. We have a separate Raymarine AP, leftover from original installation; works fine, haven't networked it yet.

I find the Furuno more intuitive than the Garmin... but then I've had Furuno for going on 15 years so already used to their paradigm... and I'm also a manual reader.

Can't say there's really a "best" out there. You might benefit by visiting a multi-brand retailer and playing with their display units...

-Chris

[pjShap]

I have Garmin electronics but would NOT buy from them again. 3-4 years after purchase the MFD at the helm is "out of support" and does not receive software updates. That means it cannot use the latest charts, because they require newer software. The user interface is now different from my newer Garmin MFD, which does receive software updates.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by pjShap

3-4 years after purchase the MFD at the helm is "out of support" and does not receive software updates. That means it cannot use the latest charts, because they require newer software.

Oh, yeah, that too. Our Garmin system was apparently installed circa 2016 or so. It's been superseded at least TWICE since then.

We can still get Garmin chart updates for it, at $100/year each. (Not their latest and greatest Navionics charts, though.) Annual NOAA chart updates for our Furuno system are free.

-Chris

[smac999]

Originally Posted by pjShap

I have Garmin electronics but would NOT buy from them again. 3-4 years after purchase the MFD at the helm is "out of support" and does not receive software updates. That means it cannot use the latest charts, because they require newer software. The user interface is now different from my newer Garmin MFD, which does receive software updates.

what model garmin do you have? the 8600 came out in 2016 and is still their current model for sale that has not been replaced yet, so it definatly still gets updates.

you probably bought a discontinued model on sale that had already been out a bunch of years.

[Ram]

Thanks guys good advice
Now I have another question
It seems like periodically these devices go out of date and then they change them completely where they can't be updated easily this happened to me when I bought the raymarine e120 15 years ago only a few years later I wasn't able to update the charts..
So I'm leaning to the raymarine but it looks like their top of the line stuff has been out for many years I wonder how I can find out if they're going to be changing the whole system again soon.. I'd hate to spend 15 or 20,000 bucks on a system and then it go obsolete in 3- 5 years..

[pjShap]

Originally Posted by smac999

what model garmin do you have? the 8600 came out in 2016 and is still their current model for sale that has not been replaced yet, so it definatly still gets updates.

you probably bought a discontinued model on sale that had already been out a bunch of years.

No, I did not buy a discontinued model on sale. I bought the 942 when it was the newest model in that line/size. A year or two later they released a 942+. and then a 943. I can only hope that Garmin is more reasonable with the more expensive models, but I personally would not buy from them again.