Lake Champlain United - Forums

I know, I know...Navionics charts are the "Platinum Standard" for Champlain.

But frankly, I prefer the Garmin user interface over Simrad, Lowrance, Raymarine ( not even considering Humminbird, for multiple reasons).

How much would I be sacrificing using the Garmin charts vs. Navionics? The boat is expected to live its entire life (or mine) solely on Champlain, since I don't trailer, and have waterfront property.

Another chart-related question: do any MFDs make displayed depth adjustments, based on current lake level, on the nav charts? I know for the sonar, there is a keel-offset that can be used, but I mean on the actual indicated depths of the GPS charts...I suspect the answer is "no, not yet"...

I know for a while there were navionics chips for Garmin... Ask Andre if he has any left. Griz used this system and it was great.

Navionics for Garmin was a short-lived and exploited a flaw in Garmin's firmware, which has since been patched. So the only Garmins that will still run Navionics charts are ones which have never had firmware updated.

Since Garmin is also a chartmaker, they are very protective to exclude other brands of charts, which they don't seem to realize costs them some sales. If you are forced to pay for Garmin charts when purchasing the MFD, they have already made their profit, so why not let a competitor's chart run?

I have had both Garmin and Navionics. Navionics wins hands down. it is the best mapping in MHO.

I've been wondering the same thing, as I'm looking at possibly upgrading my FF this year. Is the Navionics that is loaded on a fishfinder different from the webapp? I use the Navionics webapp alot and there seems to be pretty big offsets, like showing water where there is land and vice-versa. I was thinking of getting a Garmin Echomap and was hoping that their charts were more accurate.

I do like that you can create your own charts on the Garmins, though. Not sure if other manufacturers have that capability. Would help with smaller bodies of water that may not have useful charts available (Carmi, for instance).

I have a Lowrance GPS only(Model HDS-5M) ,and I have a seperate fishfinder,too.I use a Navionics chip which I can update whenever I wish,I have had no problems with it,I can bring the chip in the house and update it on my PC.I think its $99 a year for the updates.That way I can buy the sonar of my choice and don't care what charts they use.I have a Lowrance Elite 7 and a Vexilar (which they don't make anymore). If I was going to buy another sonar I would go with a Garmin or a Raymarine.The Lowrancew Elite 7 is a piece of shit and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.It works fine when it wants to.this is the 2nd one I have had and it still is no good.Don't buy one and the Hook series is even worse.If you buy a Lowrance get the HDS series,they have the best software.

@fishingmachine what are the problems you encounter with you're Elite? It's not fair to compare a $500 unit to a $2000.

Let me know what is wrong with you're Elite and I'll try to help you if you want

Quite often I fish with my friend George in his boat and he run a Elite-7 and I don't have any problem with it.

As for the Navionics update, if you fish mainly Champlain you don't need to update you're card every year.

If my memory is correct (doubtful these days), Navionics gets all Champlain data from Middlebury College, which has a marine studies program, and has been towing commercial/military spec. depth recorders for decades. As I recall, Navionics is the sole licensee of that data.

Navionics.

karl wrote:If my memory is correct (doubtful these days), Navionics gets all Champlain data from Middlebury College, which has a marine studies program, and has been towing commercial/military spec. depth recorders for decades. As I recall, Navionics is the sole licensee of that data.

Correct!