How to use "North Up" for slow trolling

I hear lots of discussion about the confusion of using the "North Up" setting ...

This is important to slow trollers with HB units because (at present with the AS GR16 and AS GR50) the HB chart spins at speeds below 0.6mph...therefore slow trollers are using the "North Up" setting but getting confused of how to use it to their advantage....

The HB default chart orientation is always "North Up" when the antenna sees no movement...so when the boat slows to below 0.6mph...the boat icon icon changes to the "donut" (indicating no movement) ...therefore the chart default orients to "North Up''...

For example...:

Taking a "Course Up" setting of the boat traveling south..."South" is at the top of the screen as long as the boat is moving more than 0.5mph...

Now, if the boat slows to below 0.6mph....2 things happen...:
1. boat icon changes to "donut"
2. chart spins to the default with "North" at the top of the screen....

The "North Up" setting keeps the chart from spinning.... but confusion arises on "which way do I go to get to that blue dot waypoint icon on the chart"......

It is entirely possible to mark the edge of the glass screen..(mentally, stickers, marker...etc.)...:

"North" is at the top of the screen
"East" is at the right of the screen
"South" is at the bottom of the screen
"West" is at the left of the screen

Now, lets say you're staring at your "Donut" on the screen and the blue dot waypoint icon (that you want to go toward) is between the "donut" and the left side of the screen...

The boat has to navigate toward the left of the screen....left side of the screen is "West" ...therefore the boat has to navigate "West" on the Earth to get to the blue dot waypoint...

In a nutshell....(using the "North Up" setting in a HB unit)...

Relative to where your boat icon is on the screen....if you want to navigate...:

*toward the top of the screen........move your boat "North" on the water
*toward the right of the screen......move your boat "East" on the water
*toward the bottom of the screen...move your boat "South" on the water
*toward the left of the screen........move your boat "West" on the water

Rickie

I am a dummy when it comes to all this and may ask stupid questions but without asking I do not learn. So are you saying it is better to use North up? Also if I am traveling with the boat icon facing up on the screen and the waypoint is below the boat icon then I need to turn and go the opposite direction, will it then show the boat headed toward the icon?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crappieseeker

I am a dummy when it comes to all this and may ask stupid questions but without asking I do not learn. So are you saying it is better to use North up? Also if I am traveling with the boat icon facing up on the screen and the waypoint is below the boat icon then I need to turn and go the opposite direction, will it then show the boat headed toward the icon?

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The decision to use "North Up" or "Course Up" would depend on the how the user incorporates the chart view in his normal fishing techniques...(specifically if the user frequently fishes below 0.6mph)....

Using the "Course Up" setting definitely is easier in most cases where the boat speed is greater than 0.5mph...(the boat's forward course on the screen continually points toward the top of the screen)...

Then...:
*if you want to go to the left on the screen - turn left on the water...
*if you want to go to the right on the screen - turn right on the water...

But in the "Course Up" setting if the boat slows below 0.6mph ...the chart is going to automatically spin to reference North to the top of the screen no matter which way the boat's course in navigating...
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Using the "North Up" setting keeps the chart from spinning to the default "north at the top of the screen" when the boat slows to below 0.6mph...

But the "North Up" setting also creates a confusion in what is left and right ...(and especially confusing when the icon is a "donut"...which way do I turn...??)

So in your given scenario using the "North Up" setting...if I am traveling with the boat icon facing up on the screen and the waypoint is below the boat icon then I need to turn and go the opposite direction, will it then show the boat headed toward the icon?...

Turning around would, indeed show the boat moving toward the icon at the bottom of the screen (if the boat is navigating at more than 0.6mph...slow the boat to below 0.6mph and the icon will still change to the donut)...

Rickie