Looking for input

[Mower]

I'm in the market for a GPS chart plotter. Looking for any suggestions on a good unit w/ proven track record. Right now I have a Garmin GPS that is grossly inaccurate. I am a running it w/ a map card and the depth sounder reads 100 feet and were on the 20 ft contour line on the GPS. I typically fish cayuga w/ the occasional ontario trip. We enjoy fishing the skinny water for a good part of the season and like to keep our presentation close to bottom. This being said any cayuga angler knows how erratic the shore is and often makes it tough. Please advise.

[chowder]

John, I've got the Navionic's Hot Maps Premium 08 on my Lowrance 5200 Global Map and it's pretty good (not perfect)on Cayuga. The new Lowrance gps is the HDS series and Sean Brown (Hooked Up) has installed one on his Charter boat. I don't know what he's got in it for a map but I'd talk to him about his setup. -Andy

[Mower]

thanks Andy, I'm just tired of bouncing bottom w/ my shark weights and of coarse the probe right above. I love fishing tight for browns and even though I know the contours to a degree it would be better to have the fail safe so my only excuss is operator error.

I have a Lowrance lxc -27 and the Gps keeps blowing the antenia puck. I have replaced it three times already so I use at as the depth sounder only . Any problems w/ your unit loosing signal? Or "not acquiring satalites"?

Hopefully we'll catch up on the water sometime, seems like when your on the water I'm south and your north. We've had a great season so far.

John

[Tim Bromund]

well, I would say that there is something wrong with either your individual unit or the map card. Garmin is almost universally regarded and accepted as the leader in GPS systems and technology. I have a Garmin 172C on my boat and mine is so dead on that, for instance, when I'm sitting in my slip in the marina, it shows me sitting in my slip in the marina. when I'm going out through the piers, it shows me going out through the piers, etc. My sonar and the depth contours on the chart plotter are always right there. I have the garmin blue chip map card installed in mine for Lake Ontario which coveres from the area from Montreal on the SLR to Long Point on Lake Erie.

Don't shy away from another Garmin if your's is screwed up, they make great equipment.

Tim

[Mower]

i'm not knocking the manufacture, the particular unit i have is a cheap one, i bought it from a discount store and found out upon installing it, that it was discontinued two years prior. i got exactly what i payed for and up to this point it is functional, just not what i need anymore. i'm going w/ unit that has a much more detailed viewing screen. and hopefully more accurate placement of cursor on the contour lines.

[chowder]

John, I can work Rocky Dock and other structure sites on Cayuga with my Lowrance 5200 + the Hot Map premium 08 but it sure helps to have a live wire tending the wheel. I'm pretty sure the new Lowrance HDS series will deliver the same or better performance w/ a premium chip in it. I'd like to add an HDS diplay w/ the BR24 radar but it's probably going to be awhile. Here's a link to the guy's Sean got his stuff from. http://www.boemarine.com/ I've seen other guy's refer to this outfit on this forum. Good luck-Andy