Looking for a GPS chartplotter for a yacht?
This page lists marine GPS chartplotters for sale that you can buy from Nautical marketplace topRik.com
Our catalog contains chartplotters from the best manufacturers in the world with screens of different sizes for luxury yachts and cruising sailboats. With this electronic navigation system, you will not get lost and will always know what is happening around your boat.
We have all the necessary models of marine GPS chartplotters to suit your needs. Do you want one with a touchscreen or do you need a stationary chartplotter? We also have portable ones with a small screen, as well as with a WiFi module.
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Don't know which chartplotter to choose? You can ask our team for help and they will answer all your questions.
Why Do You Need a Marine GPS Chartplotter
A chartplotter is a multifunctional marine display that is a navigation and charting system. It consists of a GPS receiver, a display, a computing unit with software, control keys and a storage for cartographic data.
The device displays cartographic information and is used to ensure the safety of the vessel on the water. The chartplotter is designed primarily to show the position of the vessel on a map, save the distance traveled, waypoints and areas rich in fish.
The device is convenient for operation on water bodies of any size, including rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, has many useful functions for navigation and effectively replaces paper maps.
Initially, chartplotters were used mainly by sports fishermen for quick orientation in the area and search for large fish or places of excellent catch, later the novelty aroused interest among amateur fishermen. Later, the equipment was appreciated by all researchers of the deep sea.
Chartplotters then became almost standard equipment on cruising yachts whose owners prefer safe sailing and want to be aware of the situation above and below their own ship's waterline.
Chartplotters differ in various ways:
- by the type of cartography used;
- by the size of the diagonal of the display;
- according to the method of management;
- technical performance and set of functions;
- by the type of transducer.
The set of functions that it performs also depends on the characteristics of the chartplotter, that is, its technical design. There are devices with a standard set of functions, chartplotters with a built-in echo sounder (sonar), radar chartplotters and navigation systems, consisting of a separately placed multifunctional display, processor and control unit.
A chartplotter, combined with sonar, reads depth values and displays them simultaneously with the map on the screen in graphical or digital form. Also, this type of chartplotter performs the functions of an echo sounder and its display is divided into several parts: one shows the data received from the echo sounder, the other shows a map. Such devices are convenient for use on fishing vessels, they allow you to simultaneously track the position of the vessel and receive information about depths, underwater hazards and schools of fish.
The chartplotter combined with the radar, in addition to the basic functions, performs the functions of a radar, such as tracking the coastline and tracking surface objects.
Basic Chartplotter Features
The main purpose of a chartplotter on a boat is to display navigational charts and overlay the position of the boat on the chart. In addition, the device, depending on the characteristics, performs the following functions:
- promptly displays seamless maps of the route section of interest;
- provides map scaling without image distortion;
- displays on the display information about depths and shoals, navigational hazards, names of ports, bays and islands;
- provides detailed information about ports (location and contacts of banks, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, berth names, main roads), tide information.
- records the path traveled by the vessel in the form of points, and each model has its own number of these points – it is limited, so the longer the path traveled, the greater the distance between the points;
- the distance traveled, the travel time and the date of being at each specific point are recorded;
- calculates the route from a given start point to the finish point, taking into account information about the ship and the water area;
- controls the location of the vessel relative to the XTE line;
- remembers and marks on the map the coordinates of the point of a person who has fallen overboard after pressing the MOB (Man Over Board) button;
- when you click on the Find button ship displays a section of the map with your ship at the center;
- displays warnings about the approach of a set waypoint, the approach of a navigational hazard or a shoal;
- displays the state of the underwater space below the waterline in the presence of a built-in or transom transducer.
One of the main and most important functions of the chartplotter is the use of electronic cartographic systems instead of paper maps and atlases. This greatly facilitates the work of the skipper, especially in difficult sea conditions. A detailed map of the required area quickly appears before his eyes at any moment. For this, it is enough to press 1-2 buttons or several touches on the screen, depending on the type of chartplotter control.
Modern navigation charts are produced on various types of media and can be used in many navigation devices, such as echo sounders, navigators and chartplotters.
Devices that display a map of the area in relation to the geographical position of the vessel use satellite navigation system (GPS) data and are produced by many well-known manufacturers of marine electronics. Each manufacturer strives to create both a versatile and unique product that meets the needs of a wide community of marine travelers.
ATTENTION! The quality of supported navigation charts is of utmost importance when choosing a chartplotter for sale - on their basis it is possible to judge the quality of the entire device as a whole.
C-MAP and Navionics are considered leaders in the production of electronic mapping systems. Therefore, leading manufacturers of marine equipment adapt their chartplotters and echo sounders to these types of mapping. At the same time, they also offer their own maps, such as Raymarine. Marine displays from this manufacturer, in addition to their own LightHouse maps, support C-MAP and Navionics systems.
Navionics Navigation Charts
Navionics charts are of excellent quality, impressively detailed and available in a variety of formats, working with well-known brands such as Humminbird, Lowrance and Raymarine.
Navionics nautical charts differ in coverage scale and publication format. The format assumes different levels of service and divides charts into Navionics GOLD and Navionics PLATINUM. Map coverage can cover large areas or local areas with a high degree of detail. The large cards were named XL, and the small cards SMALL. Navionics XL maps are good because for a lower price you can get a display of large areas and on one map you can go through a water route of considerable length.
C-MAP Navigation Charts
C-MAP charts are characterized by the highest quality and depth of detail, a large number of produced formats that can satisfy the most demanding navigators and experts in the field of mapping equipment. To achieve the required level of detail, the user can choose from four geographic formats such as C-MAP Local, C-Map Wide, Mega Wide, Max Lakes.
C-MAP charts are supported by various types of navigation equipment from many chartplotter manufacturers, including the most famous brands: Simrad, Furuno, Raymarine, Samyung, Standart Horizon.
Some manufacturers of navigation instruments do not allow the use of other types of mapping systems than their own. Therefore, when studying the characteristics of chartplotters for sale, you should remember about this problem.
How To Choose a Chartplotter
When choosing a chartplotter, it's important to know exactly what you're looking for in order to narrow down your search for a model that will fully meet all of your needs for navigational information, mapping management, and safety.
Support for the world's best mapping navigation systems is an important criterion when choosing a chartplotter, but not the only one.
Ease of use of information, control of the chartplotter, speed of displaying maps , image quality also depend on the size and properties of the screen, as well as on the type of control.
Models are offered with multi-touch, touch screens, keyboard and joystick.
There are models with a combined type of control – both the touch screen and the keyboard.
Screen Matrix
Screens with premium IPS technology provide wide viewing angles as well as superb clarity. Most displays feature non-IPS screens, but also high-resolution screens with excellent clarity and color reproduction.
Different screen protectors and image enhancements are available, including impact-resistant, anti-reflective coatings and HydroTough protective glass that prevents misclicks even when water or oils are on the screen. Be sure to take a look on this category if you want to have a high-quality picture.
Screen size
At the time of writing, chartplotters are available in screen sizes ranging from 5" to 19". Here, when choosing a model, you should focus on the capabilities of your boat and the area of the place to install the device.
The larger screen, of course, provides a clearer picture and makes it easier to read the accompanying directions. But when choosing, one should take into account both the parameters of the vessel and financial capabilities. The cost of a chartplotter directly depends on the size of its diagonal screen.
Full Touch or With Buttons
It all depends on your habits and preferences. For some, it is easier to use the multi-touch properties - the cursor instantly moves to the necessary icons and areas of the map.
Others prefer to program several hotkeys for common operations.
There are models where both types of control are available, which, of course, expands the possibilities of operational work with cards.
Transducer Power and Size
A transducer for a chartplotter with echo sounder is a device that combines the functions of an acoustic emitter and a reflected signal sensor. It is on this element that the detail of the image obtained by the echo sounder, the depth of signal penetration and the accuracy of measuring the distance to the detected objects depend.
The power of the emitted echo sounder signal is one of the first and most important characteristics when choosing an echo sounder. If the echo sounder is used on rivers and lakes where the depth does not exceed 50 meters, then 250W RMS or 3000W PTP will be enough for high-quality operation of the echo sounder. For the depths of the sea, much more power is already required. In the specifications, manufacturers indicate the depth of the echo sounder for operation in fresh water. It should be remembered that in sea water the signal propagates much worse. It is impossible to specify exact data, because the salinity of the water is different everywhere. Medium and high-end fish finders have a signal setting for fresh and sea water.
It should be remembered: the greater the power of the echo sounder, the better the image and detail on the screen.
Modern echo sounders use several frequencies for scanning. The main ones are 50 kHz, 83 kHz, 200 kHz, 455 kHz and 800 kHz. Each of the above frequencies is preferable under certain conditions. Low frequencies are used for deep water, high frequencies are used for shallow water. The higher the frequency of the signal, the more detail you can get on the sonar screen. In this case, the scanning depth will be relatively small. Each frequency has its own scanning angle. Modern echo sounders operate at several operating frequencies, which allows you to scan a wide range of depths with maximum efficiency. Separate echo sounders allow you to install different types of sensors, designed for a certain range of depths.
When buying a chartplotter, you need to be clear about which depths, frequencies, or scanning angles you prefer.
Also the larger the size of the transducer crystal, the more focused the beam is and the deeper it penetrates.
When analyzing chartplotter for sale be sure to pay attention to the characteristics of the processor. Just like in a computer, a faster processor provides a smoother experience. In a fishfinder/chartplotter, this means quick menus and sonar updates, as well as live chart drawing.
If you have any questions, please contact the marketplace team. All of them have practical knowledge on the subject and will help you choose a chartplotter that exactly meets your needs and boat characteristics.