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Chartplotter Basics

What Do I Need on my Chartplotter to Give Me Great Detail on the Water

Today's Marine GPS Chartplotters are amazing navigational tools. When they are properly setup with the correct charts installed and all of the settings properly turned on a boater can safely navigate a body of water with confidence.

The key words to pick up here are having the correct charts installed and having the unit properly setup.

Why Doesn't My Chartplotter Come with the Charts Already Installed?

I hear this question over and over. The reason is if the manufacturers sold their chartplotters with all of the charts for all of the waterways the memory requirements would be tremendous and the cost would be outrageous. Some of them do sell units that come preloaded with the US Coastal Charts or the US Inland lakes. But it you were to take that unit down to Mexico you'd be very disappointed. And if you take a chartplotter that was preloaded for the coast to a lake the same thing would happen. So they sell chartplotters that can accept chart cards for the detail on the water your navigating. If you want to take your GPS to Honduras you buy a chart card for Honduras. Much like sailors have been doing forever with their paper charts.

You Need the proper charts installed for the area you're boating.

The GPS chip in chartplotters will work anywhere in the world. Even if you don't have the correct local charts loaded the GPS portion of the chartplotter is showing the exact latitude and longitude of your location. The trick to making this usable is having the correct charts installed. Below is a screenshot of the Matagorda Bay area on a Garmin Chartplotter with no charts installed. All you're seeing is the base map that comes preloaded in most chartplotters.

Matagorda Bay Area with No Chart Detail

As you can see, there is no real detail here, Just a basic representation of what the Matagorda Bays look like. I wouldn't trust a chart like this for my navigational tool.

Chart Detail Not Setup Correctly

Now let's look at the same map with the proper charts installed but the detail set to normal. I show this because this is how most Garmin units come from the factory.

Matagorda Bay Area with Proper Charts but Detail Set to Normal

I have had people come to me wanting to buy a new unit because they didn't like the detail that their chartplotters were showing. I told them how to correct this setting and they were amazed at what a difference just a simple setting could make on how they viewed their unit. I wouldn't trust this level of detail for navigation either.

Charts Set Up Correctly

Now look at a screen shot of the same Matagorda Bays with the proper charts installed and the detail set to highest.

Matagorda Bay Area with Proper Charts and Detail Set to Highest

As you can see now the screen on the chartplotter shows you the depths, the reefs, the color changes that signify deep water (white) and shallower water (blue). I can now safely navigate this body of water with confidence. And for those of you that actually want to fish this body of water here's what a chartplotters screen looks like with the proper charts installed and set up and Angler Products Fishing Hotspots loaded in the units internal memory.

Charts Set Up Correctly with Angler Products Fishing Hotspots Loaded

Matagorda Bays with Proper Charts and Detail and Angler Products Fishing Hotspots Installed

With everything setup correctly and Angler Products Fishing Hotspots installed you can now navigate with confidence and also know exactly where the structure is that holds the fish. And having the proper names for the fishing locations on your chartplotter you can confidently go where you heard they were caught yesterday.

That's why our tagline reads - Angler Products is The Smarter Way to Fish!!

Angler Products Sells, Installs and Services Most Brands of Chartplotters and other Marine Electronics

I will sell you what you want or work with you to identify what's best for your particular needs. And when you buy from us you can be sure your new unit has been tested and setup for the best possible service and ease of use. We also preload your new GPS with our Angler Products Fishing Hotspots for the areas you fish And they all come with one of our Waterproof Cheat Sheets specifically written for that particular unit.

If you're in the market call us. You'll be glad you did!!

Angler Products.com; P.O. Box 868, Seabrook, TX 77586 (281)235-2035

Capt-John@Angler-Products.com