Hi, Patrick. I’ll admit my bias up front; I design and install marine electrical and electronics systems, and have been a Raymarine-certified installer.
Okay, that’s out of the way. Raymarine in the past did have a bit of an issue with network versions; but now that they’ve settled on SeaTalkNG for most medium-speed data (SeaTalkNG is basically an NMEA2000 network with one additional wire to support the older SeaTalk1 data), that’s not much of an issue any more. I’ve sold a bunch of i70 systems in the last year or two, including several to people on this list. Ask them what they think of the i70. The feedback I’ve received so far is universally positive. The i70 will repeat/display just about any NMEA2000 data available on the network. That data can come from “dumb” analog transducers by running them through an inexpensive ITC-5 instrument converter. Often the old speed/depth transducers you currently have in your boat can work this way; and even wind, if you have an older Raymarine wind transducer. You can also go the route of “smart” transducers; the DST800 depth/speed/temp triducer works great this way, and only requires one hole for the transducer. Currently, Raymarine wind transducers do require a converter like the ITC-5 to be used on a SeaTalkNG/NMEA2000 network. You could go with another manufacturer’s “smart” wind transducer, but then you lose the ability to calibrate the transducer. I’m surprised at the answers you got from Ray’s tech support people; they’re usually much better than that. B&G makes nice stuff; but you’re probably going to pay a bit more, as the distribution network for sales of B&G is much smaller than other manufacturers; and that also makes it harder to get support. B&G is part of Simrad, and tends to gear their equipment towards the racing market (where they can command a premium price). You could spend less and get Simrad, with many of the same features. Or go with Raymarine. I can source Raymarine, Furuno, Simrad and other gear for people on the C&C list at dealer prices; let me know off-list if you’d like to talk further about this. — Fred Fred Street -- Minneapolis S/V Oceanis (1979 C&C Landfall 38) -- Bayfield, WI > On May 29, 2015, at 10:56 AM, Patrick Davin via CnC-List > <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > This thread is a couple months old, but I'm looking into new instruments now > too. Mainly a new speed display + transducer. Eventually adding a wind > instrument and maybe replacing the depth (old but still working). > > Anyone have experience with B&G? I was considering a Raymarine i70 but now am > looking at the B&G Triton T41. For my needs I prefer one multi-function > screen that can connect to speed, depth and wind. > > I'm leaning away from Raymarine now because their incompatible network > versions and mismash of products seems terribly confusing. I called Raymarine > tech support yesterday and even the support guy had his facts all wrong. He > told me an i70 is a repeater only, and requires separate i50 display > instruments for each sensor you want to network in. But based on other people > I talked to and info on the web, it looks like that is incorrect and an i70 > could be networked directly with a modern digital transducer (what Raymarine > calls "smart transducers"). He also told me a triducer is a bundled package > of two separate thruhulls. > > So, B&G yay or nay? > > -Patrick > C&C 38 LF "Violet Hour" > Seattle, WA
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