New to the lake- need a gps/chartplotter

[hancoveguy]

Hello all,
I am shopping for a GPS or Chartplotter for the lake. I have a 24' boat in the greens basin area and would like to see it stay in one piece. Took the boater safety course and can navigate during the day w/out too much problem. I would like to get some sort of gps or depth finder or chartplotter thing that will help me simplify both day and night navigation... the whole follow your own previous routes etc.

Can anyone recommend a model or package that will take Bizer's charts that isn't too expensive? An someone who can install it?

thanks

[Slickcraft]

Suggest you start with a search of this forum for "gps chartplotter", you will find out a lot right away.

I have a standard horizons cp180i with the Bizer C-Map chip. The full Bizer map on the chip is great. The 180i chart plotter, while ok, is no way as user friendly as my wife's garmin nuvi gps.

[Lakepilot]

I agree with Slickcraft. I have a Standard Horizons with the lake chart, that works great, but is not as user friendly as any of our Garmins. It has a big screen and is visible under all conditions.

[NHDOLFAN]

I would go with a Garmin as you can get Lake Winni download. I bought one a few years ago for around $450.00. You could also call Marine Patrol and ask them what model they use.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by NHDOLFAN

I would go with a Garmin as you can get Lake Winni download. I bought one a few years ago for around $450.00. You could also call Marine Patrol and ask them what model they use.

I thought that while Bizer's chart would run on a Garmin it had "limitations" vs what you'd get on a chart-plotter that runs a C-Map chip naturally. I'm not sure what these "limitations" are but it's mentioned on Bizers GPS page. Perhaps they are not important, perhaps version W2 eliminated them ? Hopefully Bizer can chime and let us know.

http://bizer.com/

[Bear Island South]

I agree, go with a Garmin, I use a GPS MAP 276C, I haven't experienced any problems.
Go to Bizers website, if you purchase an electronic chart the download is easy, he will email you a file with instructions, it takes about 5-10 minutes.

[Rinkerguy]

How much for the Lake Winnipesaukee download for the Garmin?

[Sman]

maps work

from their website:
Bizer's most common product is its waterproof, folded chart of Lake Winnipesaukee. It's 22"x34" folded up to 6"x11". It costs $ 9.95 plus $3.50 for shipping (total: $13.45)

there, just saved you $436.55

good luck have fun its a great lake

[Seeker]

I have an older Garmin 172C with Bizers card and it works great. It shouldn't be hard to find something like it used for real cheap $$$. Install is super easy (unless you connect it to your radio and or depthfinder) just 2 wires. The antenna is built in and the colors are readable in all sunlight conditions. I would talk to some boat owners at marinas, etc and get their input. Just remember, the bigger the screen the better you'll like it.

[camp guy]

I know this thread is all about what hardware people find most user friendly, and I am sure there will be plenty of very helpful answers - however, I can't sit still and not put in my two cents worth about boating in general.

Even with the most sophisticated hardware, there is no substitute for personal knowledge of where you are boating. If you are going to an area new to you, use your compass and chart, and your Garmin, and your eyeballs, and the eyeballs of anyone with you in the boat. Nothing beats actually seeing what you are doing.

My last caveat, and one I have said before, and so have many others, when in doubt, go SLOWLY, even more slowly than you think necessary. If you have a problem, have it at the slowest speed possible.

I hope you have a great season of boating, and enjoy the Lake - it is a great place to be.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by jonfinn

"...I'm very much a fan of "heads-up" boating too...!"

Dittoes—obvious from my post.

Originally Posted by camp guy

"...Even with the most sophisticated hardware, there is no substitute for personal knowledge...If you have a problem, have it at the slowest speed possible..."

Really good advice. A good ¼-square-mile+ area near Carry Beach is great sightseeing for scary huge boulders just under the surface.

(Called "glacial erratics").

Originally Posted by VtSteve

"...Unfortunately APS...blah...blah...blah...only reading what you want to..."

The article was posted at BoaterEd.com: I'm certain they didn't intend to deceive its readers. Both GAO and USAF say the same thing—it's a spitting match between two government agencies!



The OP wants to spend the money on GPS: All I'm saying is to eyeball the weather and to eyeball any interruptions—whether they are granite or fiberglass.

GPS can't be relied upon to tell the whole story!

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[VtSteve]

I think the money is well spent on the GPS. I also think the OP should follow the good old-fashioned paper charts to get a good map read. In addition, touring the lake with chart in hand (slowly) is a great way to look at areas first hand that the chart seems to have marked off as problem areas. Nothing like training the mind to have the real picture.

The GPS is an awesome way to mark waypoints this way. You can navigate to areas that you've marked off using the methodology above. It all works together to make for a happier boating life IMO.

As for the GPS satellites themselves? It's been an ongoing situation for some time now. If you read the second article after the first, it's far less alarming, and far more informative.

[Orion]

Pilots are trained to develop a scan which includes instruments, charts, and out the window. Boaters should follow same. More information is NEVER a bad thing. A GPS is helpful when the old Mark-8 eyeball is playing tricks, as is a depth-sounder to a lesser extent. I am very familiar with the lake (boating here for almost 50 years) yet occasionally things are not what or where they seem between what you see and what's on the chart and the GPS is a sweet thing to have to give that extra measure of comfort while navigating. This is especially true at night, more so with no moon, and even critical in the Fall when the warm water meets the cold morning air. In the latter case, I wouldn't venture some mornings (from the Island) without a GPS as you can't see 10' past the bow.

I've been investigating the newer Lowrance HDS series chartplotters and the maps look beautiful. When you buy the Lake Insight equipped versions, they come pre-loaded with the Navionics detailed lake maps of the whole USA and I believe it includes the fishing Hot Spot data ($200 value). I should have it by next week to provide a comparison to the Bizer maps and will report.

[pardsie]

I've been communicating with Orion regarding the Lowrance HDS5 and it does look very tempting. Can anyone shed any light on units they are using for fishfinder gps combos other than those using the Bizer feature. BTW standard horizon now makes the CPF180I which is a combo unit as opposed to the older CP180I which required a black box fishfinder FF250 I believe. So now they have combined the 2. I have been told the Standard Horizons are not the easiest to operate however.

[BroadHopper]

Works for me for 50 years.
Never did like the 'naggin' mother-in-law' effect of the new GPS.

I remember the NASWA boat ran into the Witches a few years back because the skipper relied on his GPS!

Any service man will tell you that the DOD 'scrambles' the GPS signal so that it is only accurate to 300 feet. To prevent the accuracy from falling 'into the hands of the enemy'.

[Woodsy]

Broadhopper...

The US DoD no longer scrambles the GPS signal.... they havent for years! They do reserve the right to shut down civilian use of GPS should a crisis arise.

The newer GPS units are pretty darn accurate depending on the number of sattelites they recieve... They are not a replacement for the good ol'e Mark I eyeball!

Woodsy

[Bear Island South]

Originally Posted by Sman

maps work

from their website:
Bizer's most common product is its waterproof, folded chart of Lake Winnipesaukee. It's 22"x34" folded up to 6"x11". It costs $ 9.95 plus $3.50 for shipping (total: $13.45)

there, just saved you $436.55

good luck have fun its a great lake

yup, even with your expensive GPS always have the chart handy

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Bear Island South

yup, even with your expensive GPS always have the chart handy

I saved $436.55 by always following the weather AND by consulting both popular Lake Winnipesaukee charts.

Originally Posted by camp guy

"...Nothing beats actually seeing what you are doing...go SLOWLY, even more slowly than you think necessary. If you have a problem, have it at the slowest speed possible..."

1) Meaning, when you "can't see kayaks", you probably can't see boulders either?

2) According to the Gummint, "following the plotter" looks like a dicier past-time under today's economic constraints—with an improved and modern European GPS system in the works:


http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...in_a_year.html

[jonfinn]

I haven't yet invested in gps for my boat. This will be my 4th season boating on Winnipesaukee (or even owning a boat for that matter). So I'm talking from an "intermediate/novice" POV.

The things that helped me the most when learning the lake are:

-learning what the markers REALLY mean in the lake. It's not just "pretend the black markers are replacing green." It's not quite that simple.

-Learning to navigate via lake charts (I like the Bizer ones).

-Don't proceed thru a heavily marked area (like the "graveyard", or that little cove near Camp Winaukee) unless your pretty certain you know which way to go. Further, don't assume the person in front of you knows the right way. I've dinged a coupla propellers and skegs learning that lesson! Yikes!

Anyway, good luck and have fun!

GPS/Plotters are great. I'm very much a fan of "heads-up" boating too!

[VtSteve]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

I saved $436.55 by always following the weather AND by consulting both popular Lake Winnipesaukee charts.


1) Meaning, when you "can't see kayaks", you probably can't see boulders either?

2) According to the Gummint, "following the plotter" looks like a dicier past-time under today's economic constraints—with an improved and modern European GPS system in the works:


http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...in_a_year.html

Unfortunately APS, when you view things ideological all the time, you find yourself only reading what you want to.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/16530..._concerns.html

Posting this would have pretty much defeated the original, misinformed article you posted first. Just as a five minute conversation with the MP would pretty much relegate a lot of what you and FLL attempt to post as fact, to something more fitting in the circular file.