Older Raymarine system -stay or go?

[Dark Horse]

My 2001 Carver 350 Mariner ca.e with the Raymarine setup - LS70, auto pilot, depth, radar.
The LS70 is toast.
The boat also came with a new Sinrad NSS12 but no radar dome for it.
Is it worth it to fix the older Raymarine system?
Or just go with the Simrad and forget about radar.
I do most of my boating within a near radius of the shore and dont really venture too far out into the gulf.
I hate to get rid of the radar but it sure seems like a much older system.
I may just sell the dome and keep the rest in the dash for looks for now.

[Marcq]

In your case I say it's a go, and I'm doing the same, I'm using a tablet, there are so many apps you can get, could actually use my iphone for what I do

Marc..

[ColRon]

Correct me if I wrong but isn't that part of the pathfinder series? You may be able to integrate your older Raymarine hardware (depth finder, autopilot, etc) via NEMA 0183 to your Simrad. That wouldn't work for the radar though however. A new simrad 4g broadband radar unit is between $2K and $3K. If you still have the Raymarine radar unit, You could also replace the L70 and update it with a Raymarine E series Classic MFD. They don't make those new anymore, but you should be able to find it on E-bay.

[dskasner]

I'd like to chime in here. If your boat is at the point where your electronics are outdated, I.E. closer in age to what the wright brothers used in technology to successfully become the first man powered flight winners then keep the units running. As far as upgrading, repairing or retrofitting new components to older units. Well, I guess that would be like putting a new engine in the Fred Flinstone Mobile. Can you, Yes. Should you NO. Why not. "Look at all the money I could save by keeping the older stuff running". Just throw new parts at it. If you look at it from the money standpoint, buying parts on ebay weather new or used keeps your electronics performing just like the Flinstone Mobile. New units take advantage of modern upgrades in technology, power consumption and presentation. There just is no comparison. Staying with the money saving thought it ends up not being cost effective to keep older electronics running because you have to use today money rather than yesterdays. The price of new is less and the quality is better. Hard to argue the last point. When I purchased my 2001 Carver 506 it came with the original electronic package. LCD screens were sunburned most did not function very well. For 15K, I was able to purchase all new, with 4G color radar, 3D transducer, New VHF, and Autopilot. I did the install myself so there was a saving of I'm guessing around 10K for the installation. But still, a technician install of equipment at around 25K total, is still a good bargain for the hugh level of safety your bringing to the boating experience. Here's the before and after pics