Lowrance HDS - 8 Mapping Options
 

Gentlemen,

Looks like I am about to pick up my HDS - 8 in the next week or so...I have a question for folks that have gotten and/or see the mapping options for the 7/8/10 series...

Should I purchase it with the Insight USA map which adds about $250 to the cost or should I go with a Navionics map or re-use the old navionics card I have in my other sounder/plotter ?

I only use the boat in the bay, don't use it in freshwater....

Most of my fishing is from TP light north....

Would be great to hear your opinions....

Mike

Honestly; I think it's a tossup. I purchased the base unit (without insight), and then bought the nav chip. It works great.
I was on someone elses boat and they have insight but no chip. It appears to work great also. He said he thinks the insight "refreshes" quicker than the chip, but I can't confirm.
If I was going to do it over again, I would probably buy it with insight, and if I was disapointed with insight, I would buy the chip at a later date.
Hope this helps. Save up some money for the sidescan/downscan:D; it is awesome.
5th (Marty)

Mike,
Don't get the insight. I got it on my HDS 10 and not on my HDS 7. The 7 updates WAY faster. It really is not that great an option, and defnitely not worth the extra coin. Buy the platinum plus chip, for less than the cost of the insight and it's more than twice as good. You are close to my marina, putting the boat in the water tomorrow and it will be there for a week before I move it to my other marina so you are welcome to stop by and see them side by side. You got my e mail, hit me up
Mark

Marty,

The side scan is a given.... :).....

It ends up just being too cool to pass up....

:)

Mark,

I was thinking the same thing that you said....Think I will do what you suggested...Although its good to hear confirmation of what I was thinking....

You are going to beat me to the water by a good month...I still need to install the HDS8, a new radio and antenna, wash/wax, prep, wow ! Let me know if there are any fish out there that are not in nets.....

Mike

If u fish in the big pond the insight data doesn't have much detail past 10 miles or so.

Don't forget your rebate...

There is a rebate ?

Mike I owe ya a beer !
 

Thanks...I just looked on the Lowrance site and it looks like I am going to end up saving at least $200.00

Thanks a lot !

I am very impressed with these units. Only downfall is how slow the refresh rate is with the maps. It is SLOOOOOOWWWWWW. I have only used a unit with insight so if others state that the unit without insight is faster. go that way.

if the printing market would pick up I would love to add a HDS 7 with structure scan just for a fishfinder and keep my garmin for radar and chart plotter

I ordered the Navionics Platnium Plus Bay map...The boat should be in the water sometime in the next couple of weeks....(Depends on how lazy I am to give it spring cleaning, work, and of course the temps...)...

Will let ya know....