Current chart plotters and best value

[Wisefam22]

As title stats looking at chartplotters for several different trips we have planned for 2019.

I know the Garmin cv54 was popular for while as an affordable chartplotter. It's no longer sold so unless a random website has them in stock out of picture.

My wife liked the "look" of the simrod go5. Is that good bang for buck or something else to look at/options?

We would use the down scan some but honestly wont hook it up right away as it's not main priority.

Thanks for input.

 

[Bluewater272]

I'm a huge fan of my Go7 XSE. Not sure if it falls into a best value category, but it's solid.

 

[Wisefam22]

Just looked at that go7xse looks pretty sweet.

Also looked at Garmin inreach and noticed there is an app you can download on I product or android to turn it into a chartplotter, has anyone done this? How well does it work?

 

[vanmurray]

As title stats looking at chartplotters for several different trips we have planned for 2019.

I know the Garmin cv54 was popular for while as an affordable chartplotter. It's no longer sold so unless a random website has them in stock out of picture.

My wife liked the "look" of the simrod go5. Is that good bang for buck or something else to look at/options?

We would use the down scan some but honestly wont hook it up right away as it's not main priority.

Thanks for input.

I’m a huge fan of the Garmin 54CV. Just got mine this year and used it on the June Bimini trip.

The auto navigation and sonar will read on plane are best reasons for me. I mounted on ram above steering and while standing, it’s a good location.



I want a bigger one (wide screen). I would consider selling my 54CV to get the 64CV if the transducers are compatible (I think they are the same)... PM me if interested.

 

[justason]

I'm not well versed in chartplotters and the variations out there...but I'll say this about that.. I have the dragon fly 5pro. Its almost 2 years old and i find the user interface cumbersome at best. Add to that a smaller than most screen and I'm not impressed.

I bought it based on a sale at the time and the limited space a 21ft offers for mounting it.

 

[CraigAR]

I’m a huge fan of the Garmin 54CV. Just got mine this year and used it on the June Bimini trip.

The auto navigation and sonar will read on plane are best reasons for me. I mounted on ram above steering and while standing, it’s a good location.

View attachment 78669 View attachment 78670

I want a bigger one (wide screen). I would consider selling my 54CV to get the 64CV if the transducers are compatible (I think they are the same)... PM me if interested.

I'm looking at the 64cv as we speak. Can you show a picture of your transducer mounting location?

 

[biffdotorg]

I'm a huge fan of my Go7 XSE. Not sure if it falls into a best value category, but it's solid.

Since ours was installed by the previous owners, I cannot take credit for shopping and purchasing this model Simrad, but I have loved using it! For us inland guys, the Navico products that are most popular in our region are all from Lowrance. But I can see why the Simrad line are popular with the offshore guys, and the "big boat" guys with Radar and auto pilot. I didn't know that Simrad and Lowrance were from the same parent company. I do see the similarities after owning both.

These offshore and advanced features will never be used by me in MN, but all the other things work really well and are super easy to navigate with the lack of buttons. The screen is large enough to carve it up with the features I use most and customizable. And the buttons that pertain to the feature you are using are easy to touch on screen while in motion.

When I am not sure where to find what I really need, I hit the home button and find help. Or I hit the power button and the most common quick features pop up like brightness and night mode. Accuracy and performance seem good at most any speed. I will say, the transducer is huge, but there is so much room under the swimdeck, that we have not seen an issue yet. Someone would really have to be putting their feet somewhere they should be to bump it.

I have yet to load the smartphone app to mirror the display. I have not had the need yet, other than a gimmic. If started fishing off the stern, I would want it on my phone.

Good luck!

 

[Julian]

I'm in the market for a new GPS and Sounder....mainly because we were fishing at 1200 feet and my current sounder would stop reading around 600-700 feet. I also hate my Garmin's UI (GPSMap 541S) and want a touch screen. On lakes it is fine...but on the ocean when you want to quickly mark or change route....it isn't easy.

Any of you use your sounder on the way across to Bimini and have it read the whole way? We wont be fishing at 2000+ feet, but 1500-1800 is a possibility.

 

[Bluewater272]

I have yet to load the smartphone app to mirror the display. I have not had the need yet, other than a gimmic. If started fishing off the stern, I would want it on my phone.

Good luck!

I've not tried the mirroring, but the big advantage for the smartphone app for me is in two places: 1. I can download updated Navionics maps and update the chartplotter wirelessly, rather than having to bring the SD card home. 2. Autorouting with Navionics, and syncing to plotter. I took a trip last week through unfamiliar coastal waters requiring navigating through a bunch of narrow estuaries, and was able to drop a perfect route onto my chart. Without that, I'd have had to take a much longer way around an area that was easier to visually navigate.

 

[John McLaughlin]

I have the GO 7 and it has a lot of stuff that I doubt I will use for instance I do not have auto pilot or radar. Other then that it works very nicely for depth, speed and bottom

 

[Bluewater272]

Yeah, the feature set is definitely overkill for boats our size and capability. It is very good for charting, routing, and bottom. Also, I really love the built in tide charts since we are on tidal waters.

 

[swatski]

As title stats looking at chartplotters for several different trips we have planned for 2019.

I know the Garmin cv54 was popular for while as an affordable chartplotter. It's no longer sold so unless a random website has them in stock out of picture.

My wife liked the "look" of the simrod go5. Is that good bang for buck or something else to look at/options?

We would use the down scan some but honestly wont hook it up right away as it's not main priority.

Thanks for input.

Chartplotter or fish finder? How fancy?

If chartplotter only and simple instrument is okay with you - you could not go wrong with Raymarine Dragonfly 5M, especially for the money.

It is not a touch screen, and it is a nightmare to program.

BUT - if you want to know exactly where you are and where you're going, with a nice "beam" /vector, with updated Nav+ maps showing every detail of every lake, river, L-dike, and creek, and Bimini - included, and a fantastic polarized screen you can see in bright sunlight and any conditions that will not fail you when you soak it wet in salt water - the Dragonfly 5M is hard to beat. All for $300.

--

 

[vanmurray]

I'm looking at the 64cv as we speak. Can you show a picture of your transducer mounting location?

 

[F.M.]

I know a guy that has a like new Dragonfly 7 Pro with Nav+ for sale if you think might be interested.

 

[Bluewater272]

View attachment 78697 View attachment 78698

I have mine in basically the same spot. Just a suggestion for anyone who may eventually consider adding trim tabs, that spot is a no-go. I'll have to eventually move mine and then fill in the screw holes. Wish I had planned better, but oh well. That's what the off-season is for!

It is a perfect spot though, I get clear readings up to 50MPH.

 

[Wisefam22]

I know a guy that has a like new Dragonfly 7 Pro with Nav+ for sale if you think might be interested.

Potentially. Wife and I started making a list of "wants" and a list of "needs" the trip costs a lot the first time since you have to gear out the boat.

 

[Zonie]

I have an older Garmin, not sure what model exactly and find it's not that useful for my purposes because the charts aren't very accurate. I'm sure I could upgrade it but I just use the sonar and have my phone mounted under it with the Navonics App, which is VERY accurate and free! I might upgrade to a small tablet next week on Amazon Prime day.