Finally installed my Lowrance HDS-5

[Cymru]

After many recommendations, I purchased a Lowrance HDS-5 in the fall of last year and decided that it was going to be too big a job for my untechnical hands so last week, while Wales Tales was having her annual physical we finally got it installed.

I tried many different positions before actually picking the place to install it including one of those RAM mounts but in the end decided to just mount it with the included hardware on the control panel and I'm glad I did. It’s easy to see without having to take my eye off the water. Now I just need to read the book and get my PhD in order to use it!

Anyway, I'm really thrilled with the unit and just wanted to post a quick pic of the installation.

[ss3964spd]

Lookin good Cymru. You can keep your eyes on the water and on legs, a well thought out location.

Dan

[Bella Sera 3300SCR]

Pretty cool Cymru, its always a challange to retro fit stuff on these new jelly bean shaped helm stations. looks like you done good though.
Can you run it yet?

Bella Sera 3300SCR

[seapuppy]

nice job !!!...your going to love it....just pay the 100 bucks to get the chart chip...


SP

[Cymru]

Seapup, can you explain the benifits of the chart chip? Cheers.

[seapuppy]

Cym

although they are pricey as hell ..they give the HDS-5 more capabilities and also shows more details in the charts.....so..if you look at it as it sits now...you have basic water and land mass..highways....maybe rudementary water information...like main bouy's and maybe channel markers...with the chart chip....you get much more detail in land mass...marina's show up including docks....main buildings ....channel's and all the markers and depth details....when we steamed up to canada last yr..I didn't have the chip...we got up to Nanaimo BC and the landmass's all pixilated....edges were sawtoothed...detail was aweful..I had to resort to my Garmen 76C color hand held one that had all the charts installed..detail gave me the docks and the marina layout....etc.....after I got the chip for the lowrance...the detail was much more improved....
is it worth it??..I'd say so if that's the only gps you have.....
and I meant to say 250 bucks for the chip....it's not cheap...
SP

[ss3964spd]

Agreed. I've a Garmin 541s and the G2 Vision (Garmin's name for their add in cartography cards) for the Chesapeake Bay region.

The add-in card makes a world of difference. The Garmin cards are about the same cost as the Lowrance cards.

Dan

[Cymru]

Is this the one you are talking about? Obviously its for Georgia;

http://www.nulime.com/Navionics-HotM...cro-SD/p418216

[seapuppy]

you need to make sure it works or is compatable with Lowrance hds-5...from what I understand ...they are proprietary chips....

not sure...but from what I contacted the other map makers...they didn't sell for lowrance...


SP