Thread: Thinking of upgrading to Xi5 and Lowrance

All Gen 2 and Gen 3 units interface with the XI5, as long as you have the Gateway and NMEA 2k. I have a 1199 on the console, 998 on the bow and a Lowrance HDS 7 Gen 3 touch on the bow connected to my XI5. No ducer connected to the HDS, only use GPS in it. Have all my waypoints loaded in all 3 units. All I do is touch the waypoint on the screen of the HDS and I get a pop up on the screen asking me if I want Auto Pilot to steer me to Waypoint ###, I confirm, and the motor takes over and sets my boat dead on the point and anchors (be sure to set the option to anchor once it gets to the point). I can go to the back of the boat and build a sammich while the XI5 takes me to the next brush pile!!

Thanks for the reply. That sounds great! I couldn't stand it any longer and I ended up ordering the xi5, gateway, NMEA 2000 kit, elite 7 ti, & a 7 to 9 pin adaptor so I can connect it to the built in transducer. I watched videos and it looked like the elite will do everything I want it to do. I'm excited, can't wait for it to come in!

How accurate does the autopilot put you on the way point? Like will it put the brush pile right on your sonar or do you still have to search a little?

I hope it gets pretty close, but I don't see how it could do better than other GPS systems. If it will get within 10' or so initially and then hold me on the spot once I move around and find it, I will be happy. Maybe Pop N Cork can answer that. I'll post an update once I try it out. I've noticed that with my handheld gps, it will get me within 10 feet or so, but if I mark a new waypoint on the tree top, the new waypoint will be right on for that day. The next trip, the new point will be off a few feet as well. We will see. I can't wait to try it out.

Originally Posted by uofa314

I hope it gets pretty close, but I don't see how it could do better than other GPS systems. If it will get within 10' or so initially and then hold me on the spot once I move around and find it, I will be happy. Maybe Pop N Cork can answer that. I'll post an update once I try it out. I've noticed that with my handheld gps, it will get me within 10 feet or so, but if I mark a new waypoint on the tree top, the new waypoint will be right on for that day. The next trip, the new point will be off a few feet as well. We will see. I can't wait to try it out.

I think that you would be better off, manually finding the waypoint/brush pile. Then use the anchor function.

You're probably right. I thought maybe I could use the jog function to move around to find the brush pile, but I'll have to play around with it I guess. At least I'll have a new toy to play with when I can't catch fish...lol

nothing more frustrating than marking a bunch of fish and then turning around and not being able to find the brush again. i would definitely get the gateway if it could put me on the waypoint better than my poor steering could lol

Mine is so precise, that the problem I have, is the difference in the puck location for my Humminbird units, and the internal antennae in the Lowrance unit are about 12 ft apart. If I marked a pile with my HB unit, then transfer those coordinates into my Lowrance, then my anchor point is 12 ft off my brush. Then I have to factor in my Transducer location. I use the 5' jog features on the lowrance unit to position my boat to view the brush pile on my 2D, then drop a buoy near my transducer and fish around the buoy. I am very impressed with the technology in this setup, but still prefer the HB imagining features, and despise the fact that Lowrance cannot be purchased as a "Turnkey" unit. The Imaging transducer has to be purchased extra, takes a separate purchase for NMEA 2k kit, separate purchase for Gateway to MG, and on and on. I also like the ability to manage my waypoints on my desktop with Humminbird PC. If you have a large number of points, you have the ability to edit them, manually enter, etc on your computer, then load back in the unit.