# Raymarine a95 chart plotter touch screen issues



## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

Anyone with a Raymarine a95 chart plotter experienced issues with touch screen? Freezing, hanging up on initial boot?


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## RobGallagher (Aug 22, 2001)

No. My experience last season was good. Sorry I can't be more help, maybe a factory reset?


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## Icibc (Jan 21, 2020)

Yes I had the touch screen a95 and it freezes on initial booth. It was only a few month old. I tried everything, reset, etc without success. I send it back to Raymarine for repair. They couldn’t repair it and send me a a98 (touchscreen). I used it for a few months and again, on my way to the Bahamas, it began to be erratic, as if I gave it multiple orders but I didn’t touch the screen. Then it freezes and I was forced to close and reopen it for a small amount of time, and then the same problem reappears again and again. It was even dangerous some times, because we need it for sailing and sometimes have to pass in narrow channels.
So I send it back to Raymarine for repair still on the warranty. They were unable to repair it, and send me a new one, Axiom 9 (touchscreen), which I now have for a few months. I am back sailing in the Bahamas and hope I will not have problems with this one. It was raining one day and seems as if the rain on the touchscreen gave wrong orders to the MFD, but it seems a common problem and it was only occasional. But 3 MFD in 2 years ...seems a lot!!! I should mention that I had a very good service from Raymarine in Connecticut.


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## flyrod (Oct 29, 2011)

I have had the A 95 for 5-6 years now without a problem, as a backup measure I also installed a remote keypad, the pair gave me a more flexible install size wise and for less money than the E series with the knobs. It has performed without problems, I also installed all the same generation of auxiliary units, depth, speed, knot log, wind, and radar on the nmea 2000 can bus. I don't know if this makes a difference or not for the MFD.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Had a e95 which I used as gps source while using the big 12” e series as master down at the nav station for the micro SDs. Usually have two different chart sources available. The e95 failed halfway between Grenada and St. Lucia. With no gps the AP wouldn’t work. Happened just leaving Grenada so blowing dogs off their chains due to compression zone. Was interesting steering and reefing while trying to do diagnostics and reboot. Thing wouldn’t turn off except by turning everything off at the breaker. Need my AP to cruise.
Ended up replacing everything as could only get axiom here Or paying a fortune for b & g. If using axiom for just one device that device would be stand alone. Need radar/AIS/AP on all three. Put the pro axiom at helm as don’t trust touchscreens in wet/cold and not functional with gloves. Rest pure touch to save money. So far so good. Heard protocols have changed since e series so in future can replace just one unit in network without difficulties as RM will ensure legacy units will network. 
Learning the axiom by fooling around. The documentation is lousy. But it’s fairly intuitive so not worried. Bad thing is I lost all my tracks somehow which sucks.


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## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

Update on original post: RM recommends disabling the sonar/depth transducer logging function presumably to see if that might be overloading the operating system, going to see if that helps.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Though I have no experience with that particular unit, this has pretty much been my experience, as a professional captain, with every product Raymarine sells, right down to the useless service department and customer support personnel. 
It isn't worth my time to install *anything* Raymarine sells even if it was given to me for free.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

capta said:


> Though I have no experience with that particular unit, this has pretty much been my experience, as a professional captain, with every product Raymarine sells, right down to the useless service department and customer support personnel.
> It isn't worth my time to install *anything* Raymarine sells even if it was given to me for free.


So how many times do we have to read the same post of your obvious bias against Raymarine. We know how you feel. The fact you are a professional captain has nothing to do with it. Just like it has nothing to do with bottom paint.

Every time you post feel I MUST counter that to make it fair to those reading, I have had nothing but good luck with their products. Please stop reposting every time someone mentions Raymarine and break this endless cycle.

Since you won't purchase I wonder how you can comment on the newer products like Axiom, lighthouse program since you can have no personal experience than reading about it.

I have a C95W , before that a C80 , MFDs and both have been excellent. Accompanying them are the Ray wheel pilot and depth wind instruments and HD Radar on an NMEA 2000 backbone.

The only issue I had was when I added the Vesper AIS but Raymarine tech advice was spot on.

All electronic brands are very similar and have their positives and negatives IMHO. The steady drip drip drip of negativity does not really represent well.?


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

chef2sail said:


> The fact you are a professional captain has nothing to do with it.


Actually I believe it has everything to do with my posts such as this.
Whereas most on here might own or operate a few to possibly a dozen or so vessels over their lifetime, I as a professional, have sometimes operated a dozen or more vessels a year, spanning a career of over 5 decades. This exposes me to a greater variety of equipment, under a greater variety of conditions.
As I have had few good experiences and many more bad to very bad experiences with Raymarine products, customer service reps and service technicians, I feel it is my responsibility to warn others before they spend their hard earned money on what may turn out to be equally unfortunate experiences.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

OK we are warned.
But do we have to be warned every time someone posts about Ray Marine was my point

You are but one person. Many of us who have plenty of marine experience have had good experiences.

We know how you feel by you repetitive animus against Ray Marine. It’s your holy grail it seems. Give us a break


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I have a C80. I would rate it OK but I have had problems with it over the years. I find the menu system difficult. However I have only used two other plotters... a quite old Stand Horizon CP170 and a B&G Zeus T7 relatively new which also is a touch screen. My experience is very limited. Of the 3 and each has been on board different times and so forth, it is only to C80 I have had multiple problems with.

I am not a "power user". I want to see the track, easily set a waypoint on the fly and have AIS and Radar overlays. Only my C-80 is interfaced with radar and AIS. My issue is the crashes. C 80 has an older antenna which I think is a problem. T7 has an onboard antenna. I may upgrade but mostly likely will go with B&G because of my excellent experience with their other instruments on board and the service I get from Wheelhouse and YachtSoft.

I am not a Ray hater... but for sure not a fan.


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## Marc53 (Oct 7, 2020)

Good Morning,
I had exactly the same problems and the same solutions, but Raymarine refuses to replace my second a98 under warranty ! I am obliged to pay for an Axiom. Not correct from Raymarine...


Icibc said:


> Yes I had the touch screen a95 and it freezes on initial booth. It was only a few month old. I tried everything, reset, etc without success. I send it back to Raymarine for repair. They couldn't repair it and send me a a98 (touchscreen). I used it for a few months and again, on my way to the Bahamas, it began to be erratic, as if I gave it multiple orders but I didn't touch the screen. Then it freezes and I was forced to close and reopen it for a small amount of time, and then the same problem reappears again and again. It was even dangerous some times, because we need it for sailing and sometimes have to pass in narrow channels.
> So I send it back to Raymarine for repair still on the warranty. They were unable to repair it, and send me a new one, Axiom 9 (touchscreen), which I now have for a few months. I am back sailing in the Bahamas and hope I will not have problems with this one. It was raining one day and seems as if the rain on the touchscreen gave wrong orders to the MFD, but it seems a common problem and it was only occasional. But 3 MFD in 2 years ...seems a lot!!! I should mention that I had a very good service from Raymarine in Connecticut.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Marc53 said:


> Good Morning,
> I had exactly the same problems and the same solutions, but Raymarine refuses to replace my second a98 under warranty ! I am obliged to pay for an Axiom. Not correct from Raymarine...


Welcome to the forum. I've never known Raymarine to outright refuse a valid warranty, so there must be something more to this story.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Screens are available separately from other sources (for a lot less money). If you open up your unit and get the manufacturer and #s then you should be able to google one up. I did that for our 2003 Garmin and the screen is only about $100.00 plus shipping, and it is 100% plug and play. No soldering etc.


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## Marc53 (Oct 7, 2020)

Raymarine accepted the warranty when my two a95 (installed in 2016, both presenting the same problems) where changed by two a97 (in 2018) . But 15th month later the new products presented exactly the same problems (both !) and Raymarine refused this time to apply the warranty.


Minnewaska said:


> Welcome to the forum. I've never known Raymarine to outright refuse a valid warranty, so there must be something more to this story.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Marc53 said:


> Raymarine accepted the warranty when my two a95 (installed in 2016, both presenting the same problems) where changed by two a97 (in 2018) . But 15th month later the new products presented exactly the same problems (both !) and Raymarine refused this time to apply the warranty.


I understand the frustration and awful experience. To clarify, you're saying the units were out of warranty, over a year after honoring it the first time and four years after original purchase, not that Raymarine refused to honor a valid ongoing warranty. I too would like to think a manufacturer would step up anyway, given your described experience, but it sounds like it expired.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

s


Marc53 said:


> Raymarine accepted the warranty when my two a95 (installed in 2016, both presenting the same problems) where changed by two a97 (in 2018) . But 15th month later the new products presented exactly the same problems (both !) and Raymarine refused this time to apply the warranty.


I've been trying to warn people for *years *not to buy Raymarine products and all I get is a bunch of grief from people who have gotten lucky with a few units over their boating days.
I'm a professional, and over the years I've operated many, many vessels, up to and including commercial ones, and Raymarine products have let me down time and time again. Their tech support has been nearly useless and in one case a fault with their navigation gear (a problem with the master/slave system) shut down a treasure hunting operation, leaving around 50 divers, support personnel and several other vessels sitting around doing nothing, while I spent several days on a cell phone with tech support, when international cell service was something like $5.00 a minute.
One time I needed the horsepower rating for their autopilot rotary drive unit and after about a week of phone calls to everybody from the designers to the actual head of production, never mind tech support and customer service, and not one person in the company could answer the question.
On the other hand, when I needed a jumper for a Garmin unit, the tech support guy personally made one and sent it to me free of charge.
I'm really sorry and I wish that in all my dealings with Raymarine, I had the name of one person at that company that cares enough about after sales service, to help you, but I don't.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

capta said:


> I'm really sorry and I wish that in all my dealings with Raymarine, I had the name of one person at that company that cares enough about after sales service, to help you, but I don't.


I think the best strategy is to have a high volume installer be one's contact. They have a special access to replacement inventory. The program has a name, which I can't recall. Most issues I've heard are the consumers trying to fend for themselves. I would not be surprised that a ton of consumers clog up the lines, having made an error themselves. Not that you did, but I'll bet Ray gets jaded. When the installer calls, they probably trust there is properly identified issue.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Minnewaska said:


> I think the best strategy is to have a high volume installer be one's contact. They have a special access to replacement inventory. The program has a name, which I can't recall. Most issues I've heard are the consumers trying to fend for themselves. I would not be surprised that a ton of consumers clog up the lines, having made an error themselves. Not that you did, but I'll bet Ray gets jaded. When the installer calls, they probably trust there is properly identified issue.


Last I heard, Rod at Compass Marine won't deal with them at all. He wouldn't sell their products nor repair them, I believe because they stiffed him on warranty work. Things may have changed, but I haven't heard that.


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## Marc53 (Oct 7, 2020)

Minnewaska said:


> I understand the frustration and awful experience. To clarify, you're saying the units were out of warranty, over a year after honoring it the first time and four years after original purchase, not that Raymarine refused to honor a valid ongoing warranty. I too would like to think a manufacturer would step up anyway, given your described experience, but it sounds like it expired.


My two a95 purchased in 2016 had two years warranty period. They were changed both in 2018 by two a97. 15 month later the two a97 presented the same problems. Obviously these problems were caused by a hidden defect (4 equipments presenting exactly the same problems after 15 month !). Raymarine refused to take this into consideration...


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## StewartV (Jul 4, 2021)

wingman10 said:


> Update on original post: RM recommends disabling the sonar/depth transducer logging function presumably to see if that might be overloading the operating system, going to see if that helps.


Hi Wingman, did you ever reolve the issue with your Raymarine A95 screen locking up? I have just experienced the same problem and need to find a solution! Thanks, Stewart


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## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

StewartV said:


> Hi Wingman, did you ever reolve the issue with your Raymarine A95 screen locking up? I have just experienced the same problem and need to find a solution! Thanks, Stewart


Stewart, To make a long story shorter, after a lot of troubleshooting hoping it was something else, the touchscreen display had gone bad and RM doesn't fix them, at least not on that unit.

At the time, more than a year ago, it was a flat $600 to ship the unit to RM to diagnose problem and if they couldn't fix it, replace it with an Axiom 9. They told me before I sent it that virtually zero chance they would be able to fix it.

RM tech support was great and worked with me to figure out everything I needed to make the switch, including adapter plate, Sea Talk connectors, remote card reader, etc. , all included in the $600 fee.

It was a 5-year-old unit, 2 years out of warranty, so I was pretty satisfied with RM's effort to keep me as a customer.

I am intrigued about Capta's post about finding and replacing the touchscreen DIY, but for $600 I'd rather be out sailing rather than fixing


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## StewartV (Jul 4, 2021)

Hi Wingman,
Thanks for your reply. I'm going to try RM this morning, I live in the same town as their UK repair center so shipping wouldn't be a problem. My unit is also about 5 years old. All the best, Stewart


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## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

StewartV said:


> Hi Wingman,
> Thanks for your reply. I'm going to try RM this morning, I live in the same town as their UK repair center so shipping wouldn't be a problem. My unit is also about 5 years old. All the best, Stewart


Steward, how did it work out?


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## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

wingman10 said:


> Steward, how did it work out?


Sorry, that's Stewart...fat fingers this morning


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## StewartV (Jul 4, 2021)

wingman10 said:


> Sorry, that's Stewart...fat fingers this morning


Hi Wingman, RM have been very helpful so far. They have loaned me an A97 until they get some Axiom 9's in stock. Apparently the worldwide component shortage is affecting their ability to supply new units. I hope to get an Axiom in the next 2-3 months.


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## wingman10 (Sep 12, 2017)

StewartV said:


> Hi Wingman, RM have been very helpful so far. They have loaned me an A97 until they get some Axiom 9's in stock. Apparently the worldwide component shortage is affecting their ability to supply new units. I hope to get an Axiom in the next 2-3 months.


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## Bill Minchew (Oct 18, 2021)

capta said:


> Actually I believe it has everything to do with my posts such as this.
> Whereas most on here might own or operate a few to possibly a dozen or so vessels over their lifetime, I as a professional, have sometimes operated a dozen or more vessels a year, spanning a career of over 5 decades. This exposes me to a greater variety of equipment, under a greater variety of conditions.
> As I have had few good experiences and many more bad to very bad experiences with Raymarine products, customer service reps and service technicians, I feel it is my responsibility to warn others before they spend their hard earned money on what may turn out to be equally unfortunate experiences.


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## Bill Minchew (Oct 18, 2021)

Yes Raymarine does suck. I have had lots of problems. Their customer service is terrible. You are absolutely right.


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