Boating - Lowrance HDS

[GARY]

Looking at moving from a Garmin to Lowrance on new boat and have no experience with them. Told they offer better mapping and graphics these days. Looking at HDS-7 model and looking for advice

1) Pluses and minuses ?
2) Do I need to buy mapping software in addition to unit? If so, which one(s) are recommended?
3) etc..

Thanks!!

[Slew]

Navionics!

Your welcome! Much better than the crap that comes loaded with the graph. 7" is a fairly small screen I would see about upgrading to at least a 9"!

[Jaybo31]

Not familiar with Garmin and I have a bird but have used the Lowrance. The clarity is great. You will need a Navioncis chip for your map. If you get a 7.......you'll wish you had a 9 or 10

[mattfox]

Get the biggest you can afford or you will regret it. I just got rid of my 10" and went to the 12", wish I could have afforded the new 15". Yes you will need Navionics card for Lowrance. Lowrance is great. I have Humminbird and love them, but that is what I am used to. I have both Navionics and Lake Master for mine. I use Navionics more for the lakes I fish.

Where will you be fishing?

[ultralite09]

As others have stated, go as big as you can afford. Im a fan of running side by side 9inch bow and console or a single 12 inch console and bow.


As for cards, I have a ton, just depends on the waters you fish but heres my list of cards I have.

Navionics Platnium+
Legend Cartography
Lance Vick Boatlanes for Fork, TBend, Sam

Im a bigger fan of the GPS/Charting and on Humminbird or Garmin but the 2D and Structure Scan is better IMO on the lowrance.

[cajuntec]

Which HDS-7 do you plan to buy? Currently, the Gen III's and Carbons are out, and you can still find Gen II's. But I'd recommend going with a III or Carbon due to the CHIRP sonar, which the Gen II doesn't have built-in. If you can swing the extra coin, I'd recommend the Carbon. Much faster processor. I just swapped out my Gen III's for Carbon's, and I'm very happy with the upgrade. The Gen III's worked great. But the Carbon's are a definite improvement over anything I've owned before.

Lowrance has better built-in mapping than Humminbird, and there are aftermarket cards you can purchase for it (Navionics, C-Map, etc...) Humminbird has aftermarket cards available, but the difference between the Lowrance and Humminbird is definitely what comes "built-in". Whereas the Lowrance maps are usable, Humminbird "built in" leaves a lot to be desired. Garmin's maps are proprietary - you cannot purchase aftermarket mapping cards from those same places for Garmin.

You do not really "need" to buy aftermarket mapping cards for an HDS, but they are available, and they generally do offer more detail than what is built in. Certain areas will have better mapping done by Navionics, and other areas you will find are better mapped by the maps pre-loaded in the units. For instance, on Choke Canyon, about mid-lake, beyond the 99 bridge, my Navionics card doesn't show water. But there is definitely water there. Switch back to the included mapping, and it's shown.

2D sonar and StructureScan / Downscan is a toss-up between the units, depending on how you like the read-outs. Personally, I think Lowrance's is 100 times easier to read, but I have friends that think the total opposite and like Humminbird instead. Garmin doesn't have a true DownScan capability, and instead uses their side-scan to stitch together a picture of the bottom.

7" is a decent size screen. 9" screens are much better to me. I have dual 9" screens on my boat, and love them.

All the best,
Glenn

[GARY]

We are getting Carbon.

[timberking]

Man there is a lot of new stuff to learn about. I'm researching the options. Looking 7 but know I need a 9. Pretty good jump in the coin to get there. Going on 16' Xpress duck/fishing boat. How I want it mounted and the hardware hanging off the back is a whole nuther can of worms.

[dgilbert]

Still take to long to come on.

[b.latiolais]

Are you using an Ipilot trolling motor or plan to link you trolling motor to your electronics? I'm sure you are aware that certain units work with certain motors?

I just bought a Humminbird Helix 7 with Chirp, Down Imaging, and GPS. Haven't mounted it yet so cant give you any feedback but I'm sure I will like it. Father in law has the 5" and its nice.

What type of boat are you putting this on?

[Jaybo31]

Another thing, look at Universal Mania or Digital Oasis. They are usually cheaper than anywhere else. Not sure if you are dead set on Lowrance but you can get the Helix 10 Mega for about the same as the HDS7

[GARY]

We will be gulf coast (LA to South Padre) and interested in the best maps for that country.

[GARY]

Are you using an Ipilot trolling motor or plan to link you trolling motor to your electronics? I'm sure you are aware that certain units work with certain motors?

I just bought a Humminbird Helix 7 with Chirp, Down Imaging, and GPS. Haven't mounted it yet so cant give you any feedback but I'm sure I will like it. Father in law has the 5" and its nice.

What type of boat are you putting this on?

Majek Extreme 22.6 hull and yes we will have Ipilot trolling motor.

[txdukklr]

I have the 12 and the 10 at the helm

love my lowrance, I put the plat plus maps so not sure how it looks without it

[bossbowman]

Lowrance has better mapping but more complicated to use/setup, but alot more settings to tweak if you like that kind of thing. I've had very poor customer service with navico and moved to garmin and haven't looked back. Of the 4 marine sonar/gps makers out there right now I'd put lowrance 3rd in the pecking order only above raymarine.