Navionics or Lakemaster

Recommendations for my new Helix 7 SI/GPS, Navionics or Lakemaster? Why?

I can tell you that you can preview Navionics mapping on their web app. Here is the link to the Web App https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=e...%7B%7CkoGfinxP, after you go the areas or lakes you fish click on the sonar icon lower left for the High Def SonarChart Layer. From there I would rec. the Navionics+ Preloaded, it is preloaded with the Nautical Chart layer for the entire US and Canada, you then add or download the high def SonarChart layer of the are you fish. You get a year of updates or the ability to refresh the card for a year so your card will not go out of date for the first year. After the first year you can renew the Freshest Data for another year for 50% of new.

Navionics+ is on sale right now Navionics Plus | Navionics

You can also log sonar and upload the logs to Navionics and they process the logs into the existing data making additions and possible corrections to mapping. You then refresh your card with new data so you can use it in your sonar.

I have the helix 7 also. I mainly fish 1 lake and it was available in Lake Master high definition. I'm really liking it. There is a section on the lake that I have always known, that maps didn't show the river channel correctly. I used the web app and navionics also didn't show it correctly. Lakemaster is on. I also like the depth highlight feature and the offset feature that allows you to choose -2 if the lake is 2 feet below full pool. I have no experience, but I have heard people say if lakemaster is not available in high def, to go with navionics.

lake master. I like to mark the depth I want to fish, and all shallow places the different colors. plus you can set the depth to what ever the lake level is and its pretty well on

What warbird said. Read your manual. There are many features you can use ONLY with the Lakemaster.

Thanks guy for all the info.

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Originally Posted by Kirth

I can tell you that you can preview Navionics mapping on their web app. Here is the link to the Web App https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=e...%7B%7CkoGfinxP, after you go the areas or lakes you fish click on the sonar icon lower left for the High Def SonarChart Layer. From there I would rec. the Navionics+ Preloaded, it is preloaded with the Nautical Chart layer for the entire US and Canada, you then add or download the high def SonarChart layer of the are you fish. You get a year of updates or the ability to refresh the card for a year so your card will not go out of date for the first year. After the first year you can renew the Freshest Data for another year for 50% of new.

Navionics+ is on sale right now Navionics Plus | Navionics

You can also log sonar and upload the logs to Navionics and they process the logs into the existing data making additions and possible corrections to mapping. You then refresh your card with new data so you can use it in your sonar.

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Kirth, how many lakes can I download to the card?

As stated above, Lake Master has some great features that Navionics doesn't have. Also, as stated above, you can actually view the Navionics map on line before buying, on Lake Master you cannot. You will hear that Lake Master "HD" is a great product, however before buying into this proposition, find out what the contour interval is for the Lake Master "HD" lakes that you fish & compare them to Navionics.

I purchased a Lake Master "HD" chip for a lake that I fish a lot. It is surveyed at 3' contour intervals. At the 3' level of detail, multiple pieces of fish holding structure are invisible. The Lake Master features are there, but the map is useless. I bought a Navionics chip which is surveyed at 1' contour intervals which shows all of this structure. A side by side comparison of the LM vs Nav map for this lake is ridiculous. Some of the other lakes on this same LM chip are surveyed (HD) at 1' intervals & are great maps.

Bottom line: all Lake Master "HD" maps are not created equal; find out what the contour interval is for your specific lakes before buying; if it is 3' vs 1'....beware!