# Navionics vs. LakeMaster



## LundAlaskan (Apr 6, 2010)

I have just upgraded to a Lowrance HDS 5 GPS/Sonar and I am debating between getting the navionics chip or the LakeMaster chip for Michigan. Which chip is better for an occasional trip to the great lakes? Which chip has the most detail and the most lakes? Is it worth it to buy the HD maps or should I save a little extra cash? 

Any help would be appreciated. I'm new to these map chips and I need all the help I can get. Thanks


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## sjk984 (Jan 4, 2010)

I have both the navionics gold 2010 and the lakemaster on my boat. The navionics is good but the lakemaster has better contour lines. At least the places I fish. ( sag bay, detroit river and erie western). The only reason I even have a navi chip is my bow mount isn't lakemaster compatable. Both can get the job done, thats just my thoughts. And the lakemaster is $80 cheaper but the gold 2010 covers all US costal and the Bahamas.

Steve


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

Go with the Lake Master. It sells better at the store and more people are happier with it. NO NOT try to copy it onto another SD card. It will erase the original.


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## JJ Mac (Dec 29, 2003)

I have not viewed the lastest version of Navionics (and it has improved to also include HD maps) but my observations have been in the past:

Navionics maps are clearer, easier to see, nice when running at full speed.

Lakemaster has better contour detail. It also has pretty darn good street level detail when in the car.

Personally, I run both side by side in two different units.


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## marty59 (Jul 17, 2007)

Just bought the lake master earlier this spring for my HB. Have the navionics in my older Low. I relay like the lake master for fishing - and since I only fish mainly Michigan. For the price you can't go wrong.

MArty


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## withgrace (Apr 24, 2005)

If I get the navionics North lake maps will that include the Great lakes waters like the St. Mary's river?


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## JJ Mac (Dec 29, 2003)

withgrace said:


> If I get the navionics North lake maps will that include the Great lakes waters like the St. Mary's river?


In Michgan, the hot maps premium north will cover the St. Mary's river system, larger inland UP lakes, most lower pennisula inland lakes, Lake Huron, the very western part of Erie, Lake Michigan north of Ludington including Bays de noc and Green Bay. For Superior it covers the southern, central, and eastern portions. 

That chip has impressive coverage for the St. Mary's river system, including great detail of bouys (green and red, and it has the numbers for the bouys!) lighthouses, shipping channels, international line (really important if you don't have a Canadian license). It even shows for example the bell bouy wilth an audible icon indicating it has a bell. With Navionics excellent definition and clarity, it really is nice when running fast navigating that challenging sytem.

What I've told you above is based on my Hot map premium north chip, which is not the latest version, so coverage area may have changed. Be sure to double check.

Hope this helps. If you want more precise info. pm me or call Navionics, their customer service is great.


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## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

I have the Navionics Premium 09 chip and was wondering, can you put the chip in your SD lot in your PC and update it?


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## JJ Mac (Dec 29, 2003)

Chad Smith said:


> I have the Navionics Premium 09 chip and was wondering, can you put the chip in your SD lot in your PC and update it?


No, I don't beleive you can. However, Navionics has a trade in program where you can buy the latest version and mail in your old chip for a discount. See their website for details.


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## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

Thanks.


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## WELDINGROD (Oct 11, 2009)

Is the Navionics feature worth going with the upgraded fish finders, I mean the 7XX series units from hummingbird I think come with all the nice features including side imaging, at half the price, are the Navionics (or similar) worth the upgrade? I assume this is just satelite mapping of the lake? Don't you already have that to some degree with GPS?


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## L Carr (Jun 11, 2007)

I run them both, and use both for my GPS Mapping training on anglers boats. There are unique positives to both. 


Some unbiased observations:

Lakemaster in a Lowrance unit usually run (refresh rate) faster.
Lakemaster just covers one state, Navionics covers a region
The new survey data that Navionics has for the Bays de Noc, Saginaw Bay and esp the West Basin of Lake Erie is really really awesome. They surveyed Sag Bay's key waters and did 70,000 acres on the Western Basin of Erie a year ago last fall. That data for Erie is not available from any other charts except Navionics.
Lakemaster costs less for their 2010 charts: $119 vs. $149. But keep in mind that you get a bigger region with Navionics.
If you want to switch plotters to a different brand, like H Bird, you will need to buy a new LM chart, as they are not cross plotter 'compatible' so to speak.
The same Navionics HotMaps and HotMaps Premium SD/MSD card will run in either Lowrance or Humminbird
Lakemaster has some very well thought out new features on the Humminbird products, like Water Level Offset, Shallow Water Highlighting and Selectable Depth Ranges. These do not work on a Lowrance.
The new Lowrance units will run Navionics Turbo-View, which is a pretty slick way to see the area you are fishing/cruising in a multi-dimensional high-speed view.
Lakemaster has a lot of the Great Lakes water on their chart. Navionics has just the near shore water plus the Bays De Noc, Sag Bay and West Basin
Navionics offers a chart called their HotMaps Platinum that includes 3D bottom contours, Top Down 'Google Earth' type views and Panoramic views of various launch ramps and ports.
The best thing you can do is go to one of the many retailers in MI that sell both LOW and H Bird units and have them show you the features of each chart. Find the one that best suits your needs and that you find the most applicable to how and where you fish.

Larry Carr
*Your On Water GPS/Mapping Personal Trainer*
*:fish2:*


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