Raymarine rl70 and upgrade

[ieyp35d]

Need some advise:

I just bought a 1994 Sea Ray sundancer 330 with a Raymarine rl70 unit. I use to have a garmin on my prior boat which gave a great more detail. I'm assuming it is the three year old card, nevertheless, assuming that the Cmap-nt+ card replacement card may cost me $189, I was playing with the idea of replacing the unit.

1) The raymarine radome - if I replace my unit, am I restricted to getting another raymarine? Could Garmin or Northstar, or something else be used compatible with the input from the raydome? Or is this like trying to use Mac Hardware with a PC - all proprietary?

2) Without breaking the bank (say $1000), any suggestions regarding a replacement unit? Again, if keeping the raydome is a possibility, I would like to do so.

Thanks for all your help!-Jordan

 

[ylwjacket]

With that radar, about all you can upgrade to is a color version of what you have. I had a rl80crc on my last boat, and detail and function were fine.

You can post a question on Raymarine's support website to verify compatibility of your dome with newer products.

 

[Asureyez]

Upgrade

Hi JordBarnet:

I had a RL70 Monochrome in my 460 w/open array when I bought it. I really wanted to go to color. Browsing on eBay one night I found a factory reconditioned, full warrantee color RL80 CRC head for $800 bucks. I got it and it was a near drop in replacement. The retaining cams on the back were a little different, but no biggie.

No additional cables were required.

The RL80 is great, it has crisp definition and is plenty bright even in day light. The chart lit uses C-Map NT+ chips. These can also be purchased used on eBay for typically 60-80 bucks. If you join C-Map's user group ($79 bucks a year) they will upgrade one chip a year included in that fee. I have five chips, two of which have been replaced by incorporation into larger area chips that they just throw in the deal.

So you'd be able to keep your chart chips, upgrade them for a nominal cost and move up to a one gen back color unit and save about three K. Jeppson has just bought C-Map but users have been assured that the new owners will continue to support these chips for some time, So, at this writing I'm comforted to think I do not own an "orphan."

I find the RL80 is plenty good enough to get you form here to there and I wouldn't move up another unit until it dies or chart data is no longer available.

Which for Raytheon/Raymarine is not to far in the future.