Best GPS Chartplotter?

[uclueletcharters]

Best GPS Chartplotter? NEW TOUCH SCREEN LOWRANCE?

I'm upgrading my GPS Chartplotter this year which unit do you find best? I have been looking at the new Lowrance touch screens love how user friendly they appear to be. Radar plugs right in as well pretty slick unit. What are your thoughts and does anyone have a touch screen they can elaborate on. For those of you that haven't seen one there is a link below.

http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Products/HDS-Gen2-Touch/

 

[pescador]

I've got two Garmin 720's in my boat. Both are touch screen. I run Sounder/GPS on one and Radar/GPS on the other. Price point is reasonable. Very intuitive, easy to use. I find in rough water when the boats bouncing around that you need to be accruate in what you're touching. Its easy to hit the wrong part of the screen. Thats the only down side. You can push wrong thing. The 720 accepts Radar input and of course GPS overlay. Their photo overlay on GPS is great when you're coming into a port you don't know well.

 

[trophywife]

Just bought the 720 garmin... Price point and sat overlay sold me..

 

[GDW]

I have no experience with touch screen models but generally speaking Lawrance has a solid product but menu navigation is more then clunky. Spend some good time playing with one before you purchase. I've always thought touch screen was the answer to some of the clunky operation of the hds unit so I hope they have figured out a way to streamline all their menus.

Great product, great options but I find I get bogged down with menus and toggles even when trying to do basic things.

 

[Degree of Freedom]

how do you Garmin guys find the charts? The G2Vision seems awfully expensive.

 

[fshnfnatic]

After doing a ton of research on the net,and through word of mouth,I've decided to go with Standard Horizon. They're
not a touch screen,but have the C-MAP MAX chip. From what I've been told,it has the best detailed and accurate
mapping of contours,and is the same technology that the Coast Guard and Canadian Forces use. I want it specifically
for halibut,and this is crucial for finding and getting back to your spots. The price and warranty are also good selling
points.

 

[Birdsnest]

Do not get a Northstar. Useless for fishing. IMO I have one and its prices well and stuff but it has some stupid stuff on it. The main stupid thing for fishing that I hate is that if the sonar can not find the bottom it goes into a search mode trying to establish bottom and it does not mark fish. Stupid. The system is for navigation only.. Watch for stuff like that. Otherwise my radar and everything is nice. GPS map...soso.

 

[pescador]

The Garmin charts are certainly equal to anything I've used in the past. They are expensive. I do the like ability though to buy their product known as "Homeport" which you can load on the desk top at home. It cost about $ 20. You can use it to plan out your trip and save it on the SD card while its plugged into your home pc. Once you've laid down the track, pull out the SD card and take it back to the boat and plug it into you GPS. Its slick. It considers depths, navigational risks etc and automatically will plan your track using the most efficient routing. I've got most of my "honey holes" marked and the most efficient routing to find them. I find I save fuel burn , I can get the right heading from the outset on straight long runs off shore, and, when you've got a lack of reference points IE in fog.

 

[trophywife]

The Garmin charts are certainly equal to anything I've used in the past. They are expensive. I do the like ability though to buy their product known as "Homeport" which you can load on the desk top at home. It cost about $ 20. You can use it to plan out your trip and save it on the SD card while its plugged into your home pc. Once you've laid down the track, pull out the SD card and take it back to the boat and plug it into you GPS. Its slick. It considers depths, navigational risks etc and automatically will plan your track using the most efficient routing. I've got most of my "honey holes" marked and the most efficient routing to find them. I find I save fuel burn , I can get the right heading from the outset on straight long runs off shore, and, when you've got a lack of reference points IE in fog.

Thank you.

 

[reelfast]

in a month and a half, the Seattle boat show will be starting up, January 25. all of the electronics dealers will offer you mail-in discounts if you purchase their products. you will also have the opportunity to stand there and operate the displays to see what you really like. i'd wait for the show.