Sean

I'm curious to see if anyone is using this system exclusively on their performance boat?

I like lots of gauges as much as the next guy, but am considering replacing all of them with SmartCraft...it would give me room on my dash for a GPS...

pics would be nice too...please post if you are using the SmartCraft stuff.

salesmanship

Look Ma, no gauges....Well Almost.
Smartcraft 5000 Race edition interfaced to Twin GPS units.

Von Bongo

I had a demonstration of it in a fountian 42 PR and it is pretty trick, however the regular gauges are easier to tell if something is out of whack at a glance. I think it is a very nice suplement but I would still want the basic engine gauges like what you are seeing in the above pics.

salesmanship

I have a full gauge display on the screens of the gps's. Looks just like the analog. You can toggle between the two screens for nav, gauges, video, etc. If using just the smartcraft display I would still keep the full gauge set up.

TSPM

At bare minimum keep a monster tach and gps speedo for each motor. They are much easier to read at speed. The Smartcraft system works well and be programmed to slide show display in any order you choose with adjustable delay for each screen if you want a longer view time for a particular function. You can also bundle 1 to 4 separate screens into one as well.

Sean

Terry, how does that unit look in the sunlight? Is it easy to read?

I'd like to go without gauges completely...even fuel...do they hande the fuel level also?

Trout...thanx for the pix...kinda gives me an idea of how it looks...

jrz

What is the number of the smaller square smartcraft gauge?

salesmanship

Sunlight is no problem. So far the only Smartcraft compatible GPS that I know of is the Northstar 6000i Series.
Smarcraft handles every function including fuel info. You could even eliminate the drive/tab indicator as long as you have the new Mercury parts.

Spine Tingler

There will be another GPS that will work with SmartCraft, Video, and fuel management systems coming out at the Miami show. It should work for our purposes and will be a little less expensive than NorthStar. Randy Scism has a 12" NorthStar in a 42MTI that is killerbut man that is one big sombiotch.

cookee

We run the standard speedo and tacho plus a sc 5000 - we find it not so good in direct sunlight and it will accept any GPS with NMEA 0183 output.

Navman are now producing a GPS and a GPS/Fishfinder with built in Smartcraft technology, so you can get all the readings you want from the motor as well as GPS info on on unit. We havn't tried that yet, but considering it for the 2006 demonstrator boat - it's a cheaper option and takes up less space overall.