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cmap vs navionics


mii11x

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So fellas, the time has come to upgrade the sounder.  Looking at staying with Lowrance and with some good pricing to be had on HDS carbon series due to the release of the HDS live series.

I currently have a gen 2 hds 10 with lss2 module and navionics platinum plus card 62p+.

I will be purchasing a hds 12 carbon with the total scan tranny.

My question is about the mapping cards.  Has anyone tried both cmap and navionics, which do you prefer and why?

Cheers

Mick

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I've looked into this quite a bit lately and just like you I'm currently using platinum. I've checked with serval stores which sell both navionics and c-map, I've also contacted people who have used both and have so far only been advised that navionics is still better. When I asked major store ellectronics experts why we are seeing fishing shows stating c-map show more detail, my reply is constantly that these comments are solely coming from those who are paid to state that.

This is the information I've been able to gain, if anyone comes up with better I'd be very interested to hear. Also the info I was given was based for my location on the south coast.

By the way, I also use a gen3 Lowrance hds.

Edited by JonD
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4 hours ago, JonD said:

Also the info I was given was based for my location on the south coast.

 

I think that location is key.  Some areas one might show more detail than another for a given plotter.   Throw in the wrench that Garmin just bought Navionics so we will see how that fares in the future.   

Bear

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Will second that have both and never use c-map as Navionics is better (more detail).

Something else just to be wary off, the new Active Imaging transducer does not appear to be comparable with the HDS Carbon like you might see stated in some places.  Agree the Carbon is good pricing at the moment (purchased one recently for this reason).  Side by side with a HDS Gen 2, the Carbon resolutions is so much better.

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I've never had a problem with my navionics platinum + 62p card, but I would like to update it as it would be atleast 6 years old now.  I have noticed navionics now do trade in deals for their cards so I will take advantage of that when I purchase the new sounder.

I bought the maps new when I purchased my hds7 gen 1 around 2011....I upgraded to the hds10 gen 2 with the lss2 module in November 2014 and kept the same card.

As for the sounder, my hds10 gen 2 has served me well for the past 4 years, just trying to stay more current.  I chose to upgrade the trolling a couple of months back before the sounder, so now its the sounders turn.

I dont want to get the -9 as it is a smaller screen size.  Budget will allow a carbon 12, but not a live 9 and definitely not a 12 live.  But like I said, I dont want to downsize the screen, so carbon -12 is the way to go for me at the moment.  The whole unit, 12 carbon, is not much larger in size than my current hds10 gen2.  The 9 carbon has a much smaller footprint however.

20 hours ago, Fish_More said:

Will second that have both and never use c-map as Navionics is better (more detail).

Something else just to be wary off, the new Active Imaging transducer does not appear to be comparable with the HDS Carbon like you might see stated in some places.  Agree the Carbon is good pricing at the moment (purchased one recently for this reason).  Side by side with a HDS Gen 2, the Carbon resolutions is so much better.

Cheers for the comparison on the gen2 vs carbon mate.....makes my decision a little easier.  Im not an open water fisho, mainly estuaries/rivers like georges, hacking, shoalhaven, stgeorges basin and clyde so I was thinking the basic total scan transducer will do me fine also.  Out of curiosity which tranny did you choose?

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15 hours ago, mii11x said:

Im not an open water fisho, mainly estuaries/rivers like georges, hacking, shoalhaven, stgeorges basin and clyde so I was thinking the basic total scan transducer will do me fine also.  Out of curiosity which tranny did you choose? 

One area in particular I have found Navionics to be better is in the estuaries etc.

I went with a Carbon and an Active Imaging Transducer and found out the hard way that they are not compatible.  Apparently in the next software release they will be compatible, but not 100% sure.  Have been able to return the unit, so all sorted now.

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Hey mii11x

Did you end up buying a sounder?   Which one did you get?

I just bought a new boat and it came with a Garmin 75sv which I've only had out twice but so far it works really well for me. (Considering I was using a Lowrance x25 before it lol)  Different than what you are asking but curious to which one you went with?

 

Bear

Edited by Sea Ranger
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7 hours ago, Sea Ranger said:

Hey mii11x

Did you end up buying a sounder?   Which one did you get?

I just bought a new boat and it came with a Garmin 75sv which I've only had out twice but so far it works really well for me. (Considering I was using a Lowrance x25 before it lol)  Different than what you are asking but curious to which one you went with?

 

Bear

 

Was going to buy a carbon unit, of the 12 variety as I don't want to downsize from my hds10 gen 2 display size.  The carbon's have been discontinued anyway, but some shops still have them.

Over the weekend went looking and have decided on the 12 live with the AI 3 in 1 tranny.   I figured if I'm spending close to 3k may as well chip in the extra 1k and it will be the most current.  

Will be making my purchase before xmas, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.  I would hold off until next year for the Rosehill boat show - better deals, but I have a week long Mulloway trip planned well before then and want it beforehand so I can learn it a little better.

The gen 2 hds10 with lss2 (no mapping card) will be for sale soon fellas 😉, but I wont be giving it away.  Was going to advertise it well less than a $1000......keen to hear what you guys think of pricing for my old unit actually?

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On 11/16/2018 at 10:58 AM, Fish_More said:

One area in particular I have found Navionics to be better is in the estuaries etc.

I went with a Carbon and an Active Imaging Transducer and found out the hard way that they are not compatible.  Apparently in the next software release they will be compatible, but not 100% sure.  Have been able to return the unit, so all sorted now.

Yeah they all say that the AI tranny is compatible, but not at the moment....the update shouldnt be too far away.  I have changed my mind from the carbon with total scan to the live series with the AI tranny

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Hi mii11x

Attached are a few screenshots taken from both cmap and navionics of Shoalhaven area.

First one is cmap of the area.  Second one is navionics of the area at hte same zoom.  Third one is navionics at about hte same zoom but on a HDS2 touch.

Last couple are some screenshots of the HDS live with the AI ducer.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Screenshot_2018-11-18_17.49.45.png

Screenshot_2018-11-18_17.47.39.png

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Screenshot_2018-11-17_15.44.19.png

Screenshot_2018-11-17_16.06.23.png

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50 minutes ago, Fish_More said:

Hi mii11x

Attached are a few screenshots taken from both cmap and navionics of Shoalhaven area.

First one is cmap of the area.  Second one is navionics of the area at hte same zoom.  Third one is navionics at about hte same zoom but on a HDS2 touch.

Last couple are some screenshots of the HDS live with the AI ducer.

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

Nice post Mike.   That is very informative

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1 hour ago, Sea Ranger said:

too small for my old eyes but the phone version does work on a tablet as well which works for me (and is cheaper than the tablet version)

 

Bear

Agreed re phone/tablet version.  I normally carry an iPad as backup with Navionics on it.

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