Need HELP on Navionics selection for new Humminbird Helix 12 Mega SI GPS G2N

[fishraptor]

I am in the process of ordering a Humminbird Helix 12 Mega SI GPS G2N unit.  I had a Garmin 531s but wished to upgrade to something nice. 

I am TOTALLY unfamiliar with Navionics charts/chips.  I just assumed they had ONE chip for the total North East and away you go. I was wrong. 

They have Navionics +,  Platinum +, and Hotmaps Platnium.  I spoke to the Navionics people yesterday but still walked away a little "muddy" with my thoughts. 

 

I fish all of Cape Cod with my 21' Mako, bay, sound & buzzards bay. 

 

I just bought a new Basscat 20' Cougar and plan to fish Hudson River, Lake George & Lake Champlain and some small lakes and such. 

 

I wish to have the best, most detailed chartogrophy I can get so I am not sure if I should buy the Navionics + at under $100 or the Platinum + for over $300. 

 

I wish Navionics has a video of the same area using both choices so I could get a "real" look at the difference as apposed to selecting from a "description" of each. 

 

I believe the Navionics rep said that the "water" info on both was identical (same detail and such) but  only the land portion was different, whereas the Platinum had the 3D and the Satellite capabilities, plus a little more pics and such on Marina inlets. 

 

Does anyone have or know anyone who knows this product intimately to be able to advise me as to which one would be best for me. 

[Further North]

My first choice for any Humminbird product would be a Lakemaster chip - do they have one for the area you want to fish?

 

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/HCNE2/

 

The High Definition lakes are 1 ft. contour intervals.  I've found them to be very accurate in WI and Canada.

 

Humminbird and Lakemaster are both part of Johnson Outdoors, the compliment each other well and add a lot of really useful features when used together.

[Wayne P.]

I have most of the Navionics products except the Platinum+, I don't fish offshore.

 

You can download the Lakemaster lake lists from the Humminbird Lakemaster website.

 

You can view the current Navionics maps on their website's Web App.

 

Lakemaster is very good for their coverage done by them listed as Lakemaster High Definition Survey. The other two detail levels, not so much.

[RoLo]

An excellent Navionics product is "Navionics Plus" (navionics+).

With this product you select any regions, states, areas or specific lakes

for which you want bathymetric coverage. You can add more areas to your SD card at any time.

Total card space is 2GB, roughly the area of 6 states (Mine isn't filled yet). 

Sonar charts and community edits are upgraded daily, and you're entitled to free updates for 1 year.

 

Roger

 

[Wayne P.]

5 minutes ago, RoLo said:

An excellent Navionics product is "Navionics Plus" (navionics+).

With this product you select any regions, states, areas or specific lakes

for which you want bathymetric coverage. You can add more areas to your SD card at any time.

Total card space is 2GB, roughly the area of 6 states (Mine isn't filled yet). 

Sonar charts and community edits are upgraded daily, and you're entitled to free updates for 1 year.

 

Roger

 

The 2GB Navionics+ cards were discontinued a few years ago.

 

Now there is the Navionics+ Region cards and the Navionics+ Preloaded 16 GB card that has all the Nautical Charts for the US and Canada.

 

The Navionics+ Region cards replaced the discontinued Navionics Hotmaps Premium Region cards.

The last year for the Premium was 2015.

[RoLo]

10 minutes ago, Wayne P. said:

The 2GB Navionics+ cards were discontinued a few years ago.

 

Now there is the Navionics+ Region cards and the Navionics+ Preloaded 16 GB card that has all the Nautical Charts for the US and Canada.

 

The Navionics+ Region cards replaced the discontinued Navionics Hotmaps Premium Region cards.

The last year for the Premium was 2015.

 

 

I'm working on my 3RD Navionics+ card, and you made me pull the microSD card from my chartplotter

(it's sitting right here on my desk). Indeed Wayne, it plainly reads Sandisk "16GB" as you stated     

 

Roger

[Wayne P.]

Sort of a difference in the price between the 2GB and 16GB cards-----$50

 

Other than the capacity, you can do the same thing with both.