Garmin maps, bummed

[fishbadger]

I just recently upgraded my electronics with a Garmin lineup. 7612xsv, B175HW, GT51, Fusion radar, etc. I am so far impressed with the ease of use and performance of all the components.

Except for the mapping detail on the fishing charts. In most areas the detail sucks compared to my old unit with the Navionics card. New Garmin Bluechart (v2016.0) shows roughly 7 foot contours, whereas the Nav sonar charts card had 1 foot contours in the areas of the PacNW that I fish.

I didn't realize how spoiled I was with the Navionics product, until I got these Garmin charts. Anybody else experience this?

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[marzocchi]

x2 on the Garmin mapping. It suck balls.

 

[flyinverted]

Do you have the G2 charts? What I do with both Garmin units is to turn on the feature that draws new countours as I pass over new area. This is essentially building your own database of contours, just as the Navionics data is built.. by users sharing data.

 

[fishbadger]

The QuickDraw function is certainly a plus to map out areas that you're exploring, but I'd really like to have decent cartography in the first place, so that my boat doesn't have to be the hydrographic survey boat! Navionics charts look like they've already been surveyed, and Garmin's charts look like they haven't yet.

Bummed!

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[kdubinwa]

The QuickDraw function is certainly a plus to map out areas that you're exploring, but I'd really like to have decent cartography in the first place, so that my boat doesn't have to be the hydrographic survey boat! Navionics charts look like they've already been surveyed, and Garmin's charts look like they haven't yet.

Bummed!

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Generally I feel the same. I use the G2 Vision card in my 7610s. Quickdraw is a handful in areas of big tidal exchange and "zeroing" the software to record the same relative depths between trips cab be tricky. Viewing quickdraw contours also prevents any other chart detail from showing except nav aids. Not usually a problem unless it is dark and you are navigating under bridges or other near shore obstacles, like the rivers and harbors in the SE.

On the flip side. I'm amazed at the pace of investment Garmin makes in it's software. I love getting a ton on new and useful features every other month or so.

 

[TonyG]

Raymarine+Navionics Platinum Plus...

 

[kdubinwa]

Raymarine+Navionics Platinum Plus...

Plus 3 extra house batteries to run all your big screen toys....

 

[Salmonater]

I've ran both and Garmin's just as good as Navionics.

There's an adjustment in the menu section where you can turn the contour lines up and down.

 

[fishbadger]

I've ran both and Garmin's just as good as Navionics.

There's an adjustment in the menu section where you can turn the contour lines up and down.

Where in the menu? If you're talking about Menu->Chart Setup->Chart Appearance->Detail. . .then that doesn't do anything for contour detail. I'm all ears, if it's a simple setting. Thanks in advance,

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[Salmonater]

Yes, it's been a while since I went there, but there is a number of different levels.

 

[TonyG]

Plus 3 extra house batteries to run all your big screen toys....

Bring the power.

Funny thing is that I'm going to add yet another big screen to the forward helm!

 

[kdubinwa]

Yes, it's been a while since I went there, but there is a number of different levels.

Jeff,

I looked a couple of days ago when at the boat for settings related to contour lines but came up empty. Would not surprise me in the slightest if I wasn't looking in the right menu for this....

I'm back down at the boat tonight and will give it another try.

 

[kdubinwa]

Bring the power.

Funny thing is that I'm going to add yet another big screen to the forward helm!

At least now when you are fishing my ass off I can interdict with a short-range EMP.

 

[TonyG]

At least now when you are fishing my ass off I can interdict with a short-range EMP.

I think that'd work better on people that don't fish inside a faraday cage.

 

[kdubinwa]

Just a general info update that I saw a huge difference in contour detail with the latest Garmin G2 Vision HD cards today. Couple members of THT posted some screen shots for me and I saw dense contours at 1 foot intervals and much more bottom structure visible on the latest Garmin G2 Vision HD cards -- at least for a couple of focus areas (Duntze Rook and northwest of Ediz Hook). Compared favorably to Navionics Platinum+. My existing card was G2 Vision 2015, but pre HD so I will investigate more and upgrade to the latest.

I also run the Garmin Reactor autopilot and the auto navigation with Vision cards is pretty slick and now further improved with the HD card. Just another consideration if you are tempted.

 

[Salmonater]

Just a general info update that I saw a huge difference in contour detail with the latest Garmin G2 Vision HD cards today. Couple members of THT posted some screen shots for me and I saw dense contours at 1 foot intervals and much more bottom structure visible on the latest Garmin G2 Vision HD cards -- at least for a couple of focus areas (Duntze Rook and northwest of Ediz Hook). Compared favorably to Navionics Platinum+. My existing card was G2 Vision 2015, but pre HD so I will investigate more and upgrade to the latest.

I also run the Garmin Reactor autopilot and the auto navigation with Vision cards is pretty slick and now further improved with the HD card. Just another consideration if you are tempted.

I'm running the G2 vision card also, the boat is down at NR, when it gets back I will try to map oyt the key strokes, Kurt did you find the contour adjustment screen.

 

[kdubinwa]

I'm running the G2 vision card also, the boat is down at NR, when it gets back I will try to map oyt the key strokes, Kurt did you find the contour adjustment screen.

I did not find it. Pretty lame, I know.

 

[kdubinwa]

Just in case anyone follows this, I was told by a Garmin representative that the new 2017 version of the blue chart cards will become available March 15.

 

[Salmonater]

I did not find it. Pretty lame, I know.

i'm running te 8000 series, it may be different.

 

[Salmonater]

i may know what's going on here. In order to get detailed bathymetric data, you need to be using the fishing chart option, than go to menu options, and you should be able to adjust the detail.

 

[Team Sency]

7612 all the way...but we are seriously kidding ourselves if we think blue chart is anything like Navionics detail.

Tommy and I have the taste great vs less filling battle bewteen brands and the detail on his Raymarine smokes my Vision HD fishing charts.

Ours work, but if FishBadger didn't research that no Garmin Navionics, then I could see why he could be a grumpy bear!

 

[kdubinwa]

Well my sample size is very small... but this week I carefully compared Duncan and Duntze rocks on Garmin Vision HD to Navionics Platinum Plus and the Garmin contour mapping was every bit as detailed or more so. Surprised me too. That said, I still think Navionics is the gold standard for mapping -- it's what I used with the Furuno gear on my last boat.

 

[fishbadger]

I think we got er figgered out, with the help of some nice THT'ers.

My new 7600 unit comes with G2 built-in map, v2016.0. Maxed out detail settings, of course it's the fishing chart, and still shitty contour detail. Garmin support says it's "the exact same detail as the HD and Vision charts, so don't bother buying our cards if it's detail you want". As Kurt references, Garmin support missed the boat (and the opportunity to sell a F-load of cards), because the HD and new Vision cards appear to have excellent contour detail based on shared screenshots, even in their v2016.0 update.

So my general plan and advice to 7600 or other G2 users who stumble on this thread, is to confirm the G2 chart sucks ass for bathy detail by getting most recent free update, and then buy either an HD or Vision card, and then go fish.

I hope this thread helps some other folks down the line. Other than this mapping gliche, the new Garmin package is kickass so far.

See you guys on the water!

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