I just learned this from Garmin.
1. 6,700 HD lakes with 1 foot contours (that’s over 1,000 more than last year). Garmin has increased from 40 MaxDef lakes in 2014 to 72 MaxDef lakes. 55% increase. Also, current HD lakes support Auto Guidance features. This is not specific to Maxdef Ultra HD. That is way cool.
2. You will not find Auto Guidance from any other map maker or GPS manufacturer – Garmin holds the US patent on this feature in chart plotters.
And you trust this auto guidance thing? Might work in your lakes but down here you would sink your boat in a heartbeat with all these trees and stumps......i could see it working in an offshore situation but not the best for inland lakes especially the ones that have lots of hazards...
YOU are not entitled to what I have earned!!!!!
2014 Phoenix 619 Pro / 2014 Mercury 200 Pro XS
Deep, sorry to disagree again but Lowrance introduced "Easy Routing" using Jeppeson, and Auto Routing From Navionics in May of 2014 exclusively for only the Gen2 and Gen 2 Touch units.
The first Youtube on this that I saw was on May 22nd 2014. I was told that it was not introduced in the US because of the liability issue. It is not a safe and reliable method of routing although in vast open waters it works well. On our lakes here it would be pure suicide to let the computer plan a route through channels, turns, bends, stumpfields etc..Please check the Garmin website and they have a warning disclaimer about the safety of using this and basically say you are responsible for avoiding shallow or dangerous areas. ie; they are not responsible for the accuracy so use at the operators own risk. Sry, but check it out for yourself. Not bashing Garmin at all but alerting to the possible dangers of relying on this auto routing technology.
Tommy
Prostaff Lowrance/Navico
Prostaff Specialist/Navionics
LOL I'll swap you 3 icebergs for 4 stumps, 1 floating tree, and 1 blond jetskier.Originally Posted by fishin couillon
No...icebergs means it cold, i dont want that.....
YOU are not entitled to what I have earned!!!!!
+1 Fishin on the icebergs thing. Just walked my dogs on solid ice here...enough of that.
Send a picture of the blond jet skier!!
FC, duly note and appreciate your point of view. There is are safety disclaimers with Garmin like every mapping software including Navionics and LakeMaster. I'm sure not suggesting to get out there and run WOT. If I suggested that my apologies. Sure not my attempt. What I am suggesting this is innovated feature in mapping software. On that merit it's quite impressive attribute. It sure beats the straight lines to waypoints I experienced before I went to Garmin. Obviously, if you don't like it or trust it you have a right to your opinion and I respect that.Having it I sure do like it. Also, the data being used are scanned by Garmin and do trust their accuracy. At least the lakes I fish. i have no knowledge of your lake. Pass it my way and I'll be sure to look it up on their website.
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Last edited by deepanchor; 02-16-2015 at 10:59 PM.
ProStaff, We can agree to disagree and not sure these are the same products because Garmin offers this for freshwater fisherman now and has been since 2007. As stated Lowrance does not for freshwater use. Garmin has full confidence in their software and has been established for quite sometime. However, like any marine mapping software there are disclaimers by default. As with anything use common sense. As it stands there is only one company offering Autoguidance for freshwater fisherman. Maybe their patent protects them on some level for freshwater use. What I will say AutoGuidance works, I've used it, I use it wisely on new water and I feel confident in it's use on their HD and Ultra HD MaxDef electronic maps. Now don't go out and run WOT at night.
Have you ever heard a company say something else? ;) Garmin does hold a patent in the US on autorouting. Here in Europe it has worked with Navionics and Lowrance/ Simrad since 2014.
The auto guidance does work and i have used it on our canadian lakes for 3-4 years now. You still have to be conscious of your actions but it takes a tonne of the guesswork out of making 20 mile runs. I have mine set at 8' min. Depth.
everyone knows what its like to scan across a map for distance on a chartplotter. Its a pain as the screen only holds small portions of the map. This just is one tool that makes things that much easier.
everyone knows what its like to fish a new lake, you make a run down the lake to a particular bay or inlet and once there they all start to look the same. This just lets you put a mark in the backbay and let it draw your route right from the launch.
Special thanks to my sponsors- Team Daiwa, Garmin Electronics, Gill Technical Fishing, Bass Magnet Lures, and Upper Canada Marine.
Duly noted and good for Navionics users in Europe. Using common sense and how it's used Euro owners will appreciate the functionality. To properly inform U.S. freshwater fisherman Autoguidance is quite useful and is exclusive feature for Garmin owners as originally posted.
I'm not trying to get off topic but does Lowrance own any patents in America? They can't make a compact side imaging transducer and they can't offer this auto guidance.
Good discussion. My only point was simply to be careful with it and not rely totally on its accuracy. I think that would be hazardous to your health :)
Tommy
Prostaff Lowrance/Navico
Prostaff Specialist/Navionics
Yea for y'all that have pretty much open water that would be cool. But for us flatlanders, that have a bunch of trees, not so much.
SE Kansas grass grower
ROCK CHALK
No open water down here.....
My other point is that there are stupid people out there that will/would use the auto feature, wreck the boat and then wonder why/what happen and then want to sue the company....
YOU are not entitled to what I have earned!!!!!
I've used auto-guidance for years, even networked it with my autopilot and at let it drive me around at 40mph (cruising speed of my offshore boat). Its just a general guide and Garmin never suggested that you can set your course and follow it blindly without having to worry about any debris or other boats. Also you can set the minimum water depth manually and the Garmin maps to mark rock piles and other under water obstructions, I know its not all of them but if you set the minimum depth to 6 o 10 ft then you most likely wont have to worry about stumps.
If you use auto-guidance most of you will like it, don't knock it until you try it.
if you set the minimum depth to 6 o 10 ft then you most likely wont have to worry about stumps.
I understand what y'all are saying about not trusting guidance blindly, but I guarantee I fish lakes that have real solid 'stumps' in 30' or more of water. Am not arguing at all, just don't want people thinking you set it and go without any worries.
SE Kansas grass grower
ROCK CHALK
you are right, i use it to navigate to the end of a lake or bay and it helps find a safe path because scrolling 5 to 10 miles on a chartplotter zooming in and out is a pain. This is the reason some of us still carry paper so we can look at the big picture.
how many times have u ran and kept scrolling ahead on your graph to see whats ahead a couple of miles. This is just another tool that makes the runs less complicated.
Special thanks to my sponsors- Team Daiwa, Garmin Electronics, Gill Technical Fishing, Bass Magnet Lures, and Upper Canada Marine.
Spot on.
Well said. Use common sense. I feel safe using it. I'm sure not running 60 mph with it. I don't think it's designed to be used that way. Very nice tool to have in the toolbox.
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