# River Boat GPS Question



## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Fixing to order a new Humminbird depth finder and I'm on the edge with the GPS. The boat will only be used in local lakes and Yellow River. Is it worth the extra $200 to have a unit with GPS. I know all my spots and have an app on my phone to mark new spots if desired. What are you guys running on your boats?


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

Splitter,
If you are in uncertain navigable waters, structure, bars, stickups, etc, then I would strongly consider it.
You would benefit with that option when navigating in heavy fog. You can keep the bread crumb trail from your previous trips for blind guidance.
Just depends on the waterway you are traveling.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

Frankly, with what is available on map chips for Humminbird for river fishing it's not worth the extra expense, especially if you are already familiar with the usual areas you fish. I have a 798ci HD SI and haven't found the GPS to be all that helpful for my kind of fishing. Of course you can mark spots to return to, but you have to weigh is it worth it, espcially if you keep going back to familiar territory. 
I got a very good deal on my unit is the main reason I bought it, but could still have saved some money getting a similar unit without the GPS. 
Having said that I wish there were better map chips for rivers in the panhandle and the southeast. Then a GPS (for me anyway) would be more valuable. 
I have heard the maps on Garmin are better than what is available for Humminbird, but don't take my word for it.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

The navigation on the hummin bird chart plotter is terrible, it looks like a 8 year old drew it with a crayon.

On the other hand I would not have a boat with out it. Its very useful when navigating late at night and in dense fog, returning to spots or giving your buddy's an idea where you are when your motor wont get you home. 

The 798SI is what I use and I have grown to love it, I mark dangerous objects like dead heads and fallen trees all the time for safe night travelin, the chart plotter and mapping system works a bit better on larger rivers like the Apalachicola and Alabama Rivers even Escamba river up until a certain point.

I would say yes its worth the few extra hundred bucks if it can save your butt on just one trip.


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## Wharf Rat (Sep 27, 2007)

CatHunter said:


> The navigation on the hummin bird chart plotter is terrible, it looks like a 8 year old drew it with a crayon.
> 
> On the other hand I would not have a boat with out it. Its very useful when navigating late at night and in dense fog, returning to spots or giving your buddy's an idea where you are when your motor wont get you home.
> 
> ...


I had a humminbird and the navionics maps were great, very detailed. If you removed the navionics chips, they would hardly be considered maps. Looks like your unit is navionics compatible, so not sure you can blame the humminbird unit for the maps if you aren't using the chip.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Wharf Rat said:


> I had a humminbird and the navionics maps were great, very detailed. If you removed the navionics chips, they would hardly be considered maps. Looks like your unit is navionics compatible, so not sure you can blame the humminbird unit for the maps if you aren't using the chip.


Are they detailed even on the small rivers? It's hard to beat the navigation tools my smart phone offers.


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## Wharf Rat (Sep 27, 2007)

CatHunter said:


> Are they detailed even on the small rivers? It's hard to beat the navigation tools my smart phone offers.


As long as you get the right chip. I agree that the smart phone maps are really good, just a pain trying to look at my phone and killing my battery life when I'm on the water.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Wharf Rat said:


> As long as you get the right chip. I agree that the smart phone maps are really good, just a pain trying to look at my phone and killing my battery life when I'm on the water.


Power inverters are a great tool to have on the boat if you navigate and check weather with your phone.


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