The S76C+ with IIDS is a nice machine to fly offshore and has good range. The power, though good compared with A models and the C, is still sadly lacking compared to the good old B. The main advantage of the C+ over the B is range, as both have the same max gross weight and fuel tank capacity, but where the B, in Nigeria, used around 760 lbs/hr in the cruise, the C+ uses around 680 lbs/hr. The SPZ7600 autopilot is great, particularly if coupled to something like a GNS 530 GPS and the machine is a stable instrument platform. However, when you arrive at your offshore destination the high nose attitude makes for difficult approaches and as geoffers says, if it's raining it's almost impossible to see your landing site, particularly as the wipers just increase the amount of water flowing down over the chin window you may be trying to look through. Mostly though' it's like flying a mini airliner en-route. An autopilot's machine rather than a pilot's machine.
The Dauphin is, and always has been, a great pilots machine (though suitable only for very small or deformed passengers
). The N3 is a terrific machine to fly, though it's not as stable an instrument platform as the S76, and most don't have the full 4 axis autopilot like the S76. The drawback of the N3 is that it has the same fuel tank capacity as all the other N series, but a much higher cruise fuel consumtion (out here in Nigeria the N used around 265 kg/hr cruise, and the N3 around 305 kg/hr). Dauphins are amongst my favourite helicopters of all time and the N3 is top of the list. A pilot's machine, not an autopilot's machine, you want to just hand fly it because it's so nice and smooth and fast.