Lowrance/Navionics
 

My older GPS is a Garmin with Bluechart cartography. I really like being able to manage routes, tracks, and waypoints from my computer, so the Bluechart filled the bill. For the 25 Seafari, I needed a new bottom machine and Lowrance just seems to have better fishfinder technology than Garmin.

I ended up buying the Lowrance Elite 5 DSI Gold which is a combo unit that comes with Navionics Gold Cartography. I wasn't really looking for a GPS, but it wasn't that much more than the straight fishfinder unit. I'm impressed with the map coverage. It's got charts for every place from Cuba and the Bahamas to the freakin Northwest Passage. What it doesn't come with is software for managing waypoints, routes, and tracks.

Can anyone recommend a software package that does that and is compatible with Lowrance and Navionics Gold?
Dave

Dave, some of the reviews I read said it was difficult to use???I will be curious to see how you like it...I need something for the 21 and I will let you be the test monkey.

Most of the reviews I've seen on the Elite-5 DSI are good. There are a couple where it's obvious the guy writing the review wasn't experienced with fish finders. I'll be in the Keys the week of 6/11, so I'll get some experience with it there, and know whether it's worth the price. Just from tinkering with it on the trailer, it looks like it is. The user interface is a little less intuitive than Garmin's, but the cost was less than Garmin's, too. A lot less when you factor in the cartography.

I have seen bad reviews on the Navplanner2 software. So I was wondering if there's anything else out there that works better.
Dave

i have the standard one without the gold, wish i would have upgrade, now i need the MSD card, but i realy wish the instructions had more complete, dosent come with much info at all. and im still not sold on the DSI. nothing like what i expected. stopped over some wrecks i know and wasent happy with the picture.

I'm not really sold on it either... I picked up the same unit without DSI for my skiff. It would be nice if you could have both technologies integrated together like the HDS units, but as a standalone I can't see it replacing the older analog display. Just my 2 cents!!