BajaNomad

Anyone using the newer Furuno 1670 or 1870 units?

Hook - 3-10-2014 at 07:29 AM

It looks like Furuno has updated their older 1650/1850 series FF/chartplotter combos in the last year or so. I guess they finally realized that there are small boat users who dont need networked multi-function displays but still want a FF/chart combo.

I have been using a 1650 for over ten years without a single problem. That's a Furuno for you. But the retrace in plotter mode is very slow compared to modern units and style of charts hasnt been supported for a few years now. Around the S o C, I am cruising on land in several locations and other areas are completely void of mapping below the 4nm scale.

These newer units are still using C-map charts of a generation that I am unfamiliar with. How are they doing for accuracy around the S o C? My boat will probably never be anywhere else so that's the area I am interested in.

I have no problem combining these two functions into a single unit with the split screen capabilites of units these days. I'm actually rarely in the plotter mode anyway and I dont worry about downtime of one or the other........because it is a Furuno.

I'm also wondering if I can use my existing analog transducer with this unit. That answer I can get from Furuno, but I am wondering if anyone changed out their old 1650/1850 and continued to use the existing transducer.

Bob53 - 3-10-2014 at 05:41 PM

I've been looking at those also. I have had a F1650 in my Grady for over ten years. Great little unit and it works well interfaced with my Simrad AP11 auto pilot. I believe the Airmar P66 transducer that I have been using will work fine with the F1670.

Bob53 - 4-14-2014 at 02:23 PM

Well, I ordered one today. When I get it hooked up I'll give you a review. You can use the same transducer as the 1650F.

[Edited on 4-14-2014 by Bob53]

Hook - 4-14-2014 at 11:59 PM

Thank you for updating this post. I missed it, earlier. Just wasting time, waiting for the total lunar eclipse and I noticed the post.

That is great news on the transducer.

Looking forward to the review, Bob. Do you trailer that Grady down to BOLA?

[Edited on 4-15-2014 by Hook]

Bob53 - 4-15-2014 at 05:53 PM

I have trailered it down in the past but it's a real pain. I have a tower on the boat and it stands 14 feet tall while on the trailer. I have to tilt the top of the tower back while towing in Baja. It's awesome when it's finally in the water. 3 scoop bait tank auto pilot. I have a small aluminum boat down at my house in BOLA now so I leave the Grady at my house in the states. The new furuno is going in the aluminum boat. I have a Furuno LS4100 in it right now and I really don't like it so I'm going to swap it out on my next trip down in May.

Hook - 4-15-2014 at 09:27 PM

WOW, a 1670 in an tin boat in BOLA! I'd follow you around down there.

Did you buy the D950 chart?

Bob53 - 4-16-2014 at 04:33 PM

Yes, the D950. Can't wait to try it out.

Bob53 - 5-13-2014 at 12:05 PM

Well, I hooked up power and played around with it some in my garage. Very different format than the 1650F. It's going to take some time to get used to.

StuckSucks - 5-13-2014 at 01:54 PM

YouTube: Furuno GP1670 / GP1870 product highlight

Hook - 5-14-2014 at 05:52 AM

I saw that sales video earlier, while I was contemplating whether to buy one.

It might be valuable IF there was a split screen in the video, showing just how one gets to those displays. I think the menu sequencing is what both Bob and I are wondering about.

Still, I did see some similarities in the menu structure by looking at the operator's manual.

Sure wish there was a Worst Marine down here, where I could fiddle with it in demo mode.

Pescador - 5-14-2014 at 05:58 AM

I think Furuno makes some of the best equipment in the world, but until such time as they accept the new Navionics chips I just can not drag myself to use their chartplotter programs. They are all based on really old surveys in the Sea of Cortez and are really inadequate. I never cared much for Lowrance stuff but at least they take the charts. We put one on the big Mainship and it is very accurate from BOLA to La Paz.

Alan - 5-14-2014 at 06:24 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I think Furuno makes some of the best equipment in the world, but until such time as they accept the new Navionics chips I just can not drag myself to use their chartplotter programs. They are all based on really old surveys in the Sea of Cortez and are really inadequate. I never cared much for Lowrance stuff but at least they take the charts. We put one on the big Mainship and it is very accurate from BOLA to La Paz.
For SoC use I agree it seems the Navionics maps are pretty darn accurate. Got the coordinates for some seamounts from my friends Navionics chip and punched them into my antique Garmin 182C. The coordinates were spot-on!

I don't have any experience with Lowrance and have always depended on Furuno and Garmin. Does anyone have experience with the new HDS units and does side scan work for open water trolling?

Hook - 5-14-2014 at 06:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I think Furuno makes some of the best equipment in the world, but until such time as they accept the new Navionics chips I just can not drag myself to use their chartplotter programs. They are all based on really old surveys in the Sea of Cortez and are really inadequate. I never cared much for Lowrance stuff but at least they take the charts. We put one on the big Mainship and it is very accurate from BOLA to La Paz.


Does Navionics have an exclusive arrangement with whomever is providing them with the mapping software? Or is it their own?

Jim, do you know someone who is using a newer C-Map 4D chip in the Sea of Cortez?

Hook - 5-15-2014 at 06:31 AM

Just a bump for visibility and to point out that the new C-Map 4D cards/chips have satellite image overlay capability as an option instead of using a vector map. I dont know if these sat images are for everywhere. But that's an interesting option that I would think they would have made accurate. I dont know what level you can zoom in on these sat images, though.

Questions, questions.................

Pescador - 5-15-2014 at 07:28 AM

I did not make it up to the Fred Hall Show this year, but last year I did and spent a lot of time in the booths for Furuno, Navionics, Garmin, and Lowrance. I really liked the HDS unit with Lowrance and the fact that it would take navionics. The guys at the show were a wealth of knowledge and the factory reps were great. I was also able to take a test drive on the Lowrance boat so that I could see all of that in action. I am pretty good on the internet but was not able to come anywhere close to what I learned in a few hours with the techies and reps.

Bob53 - 5-15-2014 at 12:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Pescador
I think Furuno makes some of the best equipment in the world, but until such time as they accept the new Navionics chips I just can not drag myself to use their chartplotter programs. They are all based on really old surveys in the Sea of Cortez and are really inadequate. I never cared much for Lowrance stuff but at least they take the charts. We put one on the big Mainship and it is very accurate from BOLA to La Paz.

My 10+ year old 1650F used Navionics chips. I'm not quite sure why Furuno changed to C-Map for the 1670F. I was very happy with Navionics. It would have been nice if I could use the same chip in both units.

Hook - 5-15-2014 at 12:34 PM

Yeah, the 1650 series took one or the other, but not both. You had to choose between Navionics and C-Map. At the time, 10+ years ago, the C-Maps were superior. I side-by-sided them. The C-Map charts redrew much slower because they had more information in them and the processors in the 1650s were very slow.

I guess we'll just have to wait to see how accurate the new C-Map chips are in the SoC. Are you going down for Guillermo's tournament, Bob?

[Edited on 5-15-2014 by Hook]

Bob53 - 5-15-2014 at 04:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Yeah, the 1650 series took one or the other, but not both. You had to choose between Navionics and C-Map. At the time, 10+ years ago, the C-Maps were superior. I side-by-sided them. The C-Map charts redrew much slower because they had more information in them and the processors in the 1650s were very slow.

I guess we'll just have to wait to see how accurate the new C-Map chips are in the SoC. Are you going down for Guillermo's tournament, Bob?

[Edited on 5-15-2014 by Hook]

When is that? I am leaving on 5/28 and staying for a couple weeks.

[Edited on 5-15-2014 by Bob53]

Hook - 5-15-2014 at 05:17 PM

Well, it was usually Memorial Day, so I think you will miss it.

But I always liked the first two weeks in June at BOLA. Usually good YT fishing. I loved fishing the Bernabe area because the cruise down was so spectacular and we always finished it off with clamming in Don Juan.

There might even be some swimmable water by then.......:biggrin:

Boating up by Guadalupe was also great. But going to Los Machos was always a worry about the elefantes.

Put that dang thing through it's paces and let us know how accurate it is, with respect to the shoreline and the rocks (plenty of those around BOLA!). That's really the bottom line. Dont forget your local chip.

I can get used to any menu tree, no matter how convoluted.

[Edited on 5-16-2014 by Hook]