GPS Mapping Chips for Lake Ontario

[Erbyjoe]

I was wondering what your favorite Mapping chip is I'm looking to upgrade to a color GPS but I'm not sure what brand to get yet.Please let me know what you use and why you like that chip.Any info good or bad would be great.Thanks in advance

[Billy V]

Erin,

I've done a ton of research on this since I'm upgrading just the same as you are. From what I've seen, I think that the Navionics Hot Maps Premium East '08 offers the best detail out there (unless you spring for the Platinum version, but most plotters won't run that). It has 3' depth contours of the lake and all of the navigation aids. I've found them for about $139

Navionics also makes the Gold series, which is what most of the electronics salesmen have told me that I need. But when I looked at it, it is much more of a navigation chip and only has depth contours out to 30 FOW or so. Plus it's $50+ more than the Hot Maps Premium. I liked the Hotmaps much better for fishing.

If you decide to go with a Lowrance plotter, they offer the Nauticpath chip for those for something like $75. I'd rank that chip last behind the Navionics Hotmaps and the Gold. It has depths marked all over the lake just like the Gold, but again, it only has depth contours out to 30FOW or so. It would definitely do the job, but I like what I saw from the Hotmaps Premium a lot better.

You can check the Navionics site for details on all of the chips that they sell.

http://www.navionics.com/Default.asp

Here's the main differences:

>What is the difference between HotMaps and the Classic/Gold Charts?

Navionics HotMaps are electronic freshwater lake maps for your GPS; Navionics Classic, Gold and Platinum Charts are saltwater marine charts for coastal areas, plus the Great Lakes.

For 2008, HotMaps lake maps are available in both Premium and Platinum editions on both SD (SecureDigital) and CF (CompactFlash) media cards. The Premium edition offers thousands of lakes in 5 regions, plus hundreds of high-definition lakes from Navionics own on-the-water surveys. HotMaps Platinum edition also offers thousands of lakes but in 15 regions, plus hundreds of high-definition lake maps with 3D bottom view, top-down photo overlay and more. Special order HotMaps are also available for GPS models not compatible with either HotMaps Premium or HotMaps Platinum editions.

Navionics Classic, Silver, Gold, Gold+, Platinum and Platinum+ Charts are based on official government charts and provide detailed coastal and Great Lakes navigation and fishing information. Each provides a unique set of features and benefits designed to suit a wide-variety of boaters and fishing enthusiasts.

For 2008, Classic Charts are available in (L) large-size regions to support an array of earlier model GPS chartplotters; Gold/Gold+ Charts are available in XL9-size regions; and Platinum/Platinum+ Charts are available in XL3-size regions. Some special order marine charts and media card types are available for GPS models not compatible with the products mentioned above.

Hope this helps.

[Erbyjoe]

Billy great post one of my only problems with the nav. premium maps is they cut off Lake Ontario right around rochester in less they added it on the 2008 chip they only show the eastern basin. When I was at the bar last year I thought my plotter was not working right but the chip wasn't made for that area. This is why I'm asking. I could get the great lakes map chip but I would also have to get the northeast map chip. Costing me over $300 just for two map chips I',m trying to see if I can keep my cost down I just don't see why they couldn't just add the rest of the lake on the northeast chip. Does that sound crazy? But I have heard the the G2 map series is loaded into the new Garmin units and they might show that area. That's why I hoping someone has been to the bar area with the G2 or any other maps that would help me out. Thanks again for you reply like always great post.

[Billy V]

Erin,

I don't know if they added the western basin for 2008 or not, but I'm going to check into it. Navionics was recently bought by Johnson Outdoors and I have lots of connections there so I'll ask. Why they can't make one chip for the entire lake is beyond me too.

I don't know anything about the Garmin charts so I can't be of any assistance there. But I have heard good things about them. I just wonder if they have the detail that the hotmaps does.

[Erbyjoe]

Thanks Billy I also have been talking to a girl named Christie at the Navionics place here in mass she is supposed to get back to me. You know how that goes but,that would be great if you have an in for that stuff.I really like there maps but i really need the Niagara area to.

[ERABBIT]

Erbyjoe I don't know much about these but I have a Navionics HotMaps Gold (not in color) and it shows the entire lake on mine. If that's any help..... :shock: