[SFL_Mirage]

Hi guys,
Possibly you could help me out on my search. Right now I use navionics on my phone purely for the satellite overlay and sonar chart GPS when navigating, but id like to mount a GPS on my console so that I can use it during the rainstorms. I'm not interested in depth sensors/fish finders or anything like that. I just want a GPS that has the sonar contours and the ability to load satellite overlays with the best bang for my buck. Please let me know what you'd recommend.

 

[Tailwaters]

FMT with a Simrad unit. The info below was copied off their web site:

The Gen 1 screen and the Go7 screen are not as capable of generating the same resolution/clarity/color as the Gen 2 screen. This isn’t an issue with the chip, but with the chart plotter’s screen design.

While the Gen 1 units store the color the same as the Gen 2 (same RGB support), the color does not appear as vibrant because of the differences in screens. The Gen 2 and Gen 2 Touch units, Simrad NSS, and B&G units have a higher quality screen. There is no data fix for this, as this is a hardware limitation of the Gen 1 screens. The HDS Gen 2 and Gen 2 Touch look pretty close, but many say the Touch looks brighter. The HDS Gen 1 is known for being dull in appearance compared to the Gen 2 and Gen 2T and Gen 3 units.

There are different screen options for Simrad NSO evo2. A sales partner can make recommendations with respect to the differences. Otherwise, Simrad NSS evo2, Simrad NSS, Simrad NSE, B&G Zeus Touch, B&G Zeus, Lowrance HDS, Gen 2T, and HDS Gen 2 are all pretty close. The main distinctions are screen size and touch vs. non-touch. The multi-touch is too new to make the comparison.

 

[ifsteve]

I concur with the Simrad recommendation but you can scratch the NSS evo2 off the list. You may find an odd one but by and large they are gone. I know as I tried to find a 9" one. Also I strongly suggest you get a unit that has some sort of dial/button controls beyond just touch screen. Touch screen only can be a bit hard to use when you are running. Some guys are fine with it but IMO its nicer to have a dial like on the NSS series.

 

[jsnipes]

Ive been really happy w my Simrad. No fmt in Texas but navionics platinum+ has been pretty damn good for tx/la.

 

[jay.bush1434]

I have satellite overlay on my Lowrance HDS7 G2 touch and never use it. The Navionics map is much easier for me to navigate by than Google maps. Part of the problem with sat map over lay is having to zoom in and out a lot to see detail. It is more of a contrast issue. On the sat map, the water is green, the shallow water is greenish brownish, land is brownish. On the Navionics chart, the water is blue, the shallows are brown, the land is yellow, and there are depth contours, reefs and other info at a quick glance. I was in a complete white out rainstorm the other day and just slow boated following my heading to my waypoint until I could the storm passed. Easy to see the chart because of the contrasting colors.
So if you just want that feature anyway, it will probably be easier to get a unit that can to gps chart, sonar and etc since they are the most popular and there are more choices. They are also likely to be on sale for whatever holiday that is coming up (West Marine Father's day sale for example). Make sure you update you nav chip often to get the latest imagery.

 

[Coffeyonthefly]

I have an old Garmin 440 off my airboat and it has Google earth overlay. It was the best thing in the Glades as it shows not only canals but airboat trails, camps, roads and levees.

 

[GullsGoneWild]

FWIT, FMT has a Louisiana map but they still don't have a TX map. Also, you can add a shoot thru hull transducer for relatively cheap. The Lowrance Shoot thru hull transducer is less than $100 shipped to your door. Prices range from $70-90. It even comes with water temp sensor. I use my transducer all the time.

https://floridamarinetracks.com/product/louisiana-maps/

 

[ifsteve]

FMT is a great product. But for the money, for LA, I think Standard Mapping is more cost effective tool.

 

[Egrets Landing]

ISLA fmt for LA is the same price and provides much more information and 6" res photos from an airplane processed at a half meter. Standards professional has low res unnatural color photos from a satellite so they look all blue/grey, far less map detail, a fraction of the tracking data, and imagery processed to only 2 meters. So it is not lower cost and it is lower quality data and detail. That does not equate to more cost effective although some may prefer their sat photos look like a map rather than an actual photo.

 

[ifsteve]

ISLA fmt for LA is the same price and provides much more information and 6" res photos from an airplane processed at a half meter. Standards professional has low res unnatural color photos from a satellite so they look all blue/grey, far less map detail, a fraction of the tracking data, and imagery processed to only 2 meters. So it is not lower cost and it is lower quality data and detail. That does not equate to more cost effective although some may prefer their sat photos look like a map rather than an actual photo.

ISLA for LA is $599.
SM LA One Card Premium is $299.
SM LA East Card is $199

Certainly much of it depends on what you want in your mapping card. And the ISLA card is more detailed. But for most guys purposes the SM card is fantastic and it is less than the ISLA card especially if you don't need the entire state.

 

[Egrets Landing]

ISLA for LA is $599.
SM LA One Card Premium is $299.
SM LA East Card is $199

Certainly much of it depends on what you want in your mapping card. And the ISLA card is more detailed. But for most guys purposes the SM card is fantastic and it is less than the ISLA card especially if you don't need the entire state.

 

[Egrets Landing]

That is not the Professional Card they offer so it has far less by comparison.

 

[ifsteve]

That is not the Professional Card they offer so it has far less by comparison.

Yes and I said as much. The question for most users is do they need all the stuff shown on the ISLA or higher grade SM cards. For most the answer is going to be no. I have seen the ISLA card for FL and they are great. I'd like to see it for LA. Not sure given the water clarity and mud bottom that you really get anything more with the ISLA card. Maybe you do but I would have to see it first hand before I shelled out that kind of coin for what I PERCEIVE to be marginal value.

 

[Egrets Landing]

Yes and I said as much. The question for most users is do they need all the stuff shown on the ISLA or higher grade SM cards. For most the answer is going to be no. I have seen the ISLA card for FL and they are great. I'd like to see it for LA. Not sure given the water clarity and mud bottom that you really get anything more with the ISLA card. Maybe you do but I would have to see it first hand before I shelled out that kind of coin for what I PERCEIVE to be marginal value.

 

[Egrets Landing]

It is possible to speculate based on what may be true based on limited knowledge but it is not possible to perceive (by definition) what you have not seen yourself.

There is plenty to see with high res natural color imagery taken at 6 inches from airplanes when compared to low res sat imagery that is not natural color that is processed to only two meters that looks more like a paper map than an actual image. Years ago similar speculation was tossed around with respect to the initial releases of FMT for S. FL vs. how it would stack up vs other charts and it was all clearly proven wrong by leaps and bounds. The pictures and the map details and accuracy matter a lot and the fact that the ISLA product has thousands of miles of tracks to run as well along with thousands of obstacles and posts, wellheads, stumps, and stakes that are important given the minefield of obstacles to avoid in LA, the two products are really apples and oranges. Just as it is with the Garmin maps, the Standard product is pretty much general reference only and that includes the $600 option. You can see where land is and where water is on it but that the rest of the important details such as the locations of many bars are largely missing and that could cost you well more than the minor difference in price noted.

 

[ifsteve]

Like I said I would like to see the LA card up close to decide for myself if its worth the investment for the new skiff. But I have gotten plenty of use out of my SM card and it has served me well.

Note I have zero ties to either of these products.