- Best Overall - Garmin Echomap 74Cv
- Best for the Money - Humminbird Helix 5 G2
Table of Contents
A Good Looking Product Table
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Dimensions | Screen Size | Type | Weight | Preloaded Charts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Simrad GO7 XSR Combo | 18 x 10 x 6 inches | 7 inches | Chartplotter & Fishfinder | 4.63 lbs | Yes |
Humminbird Helix 5 G2 | 7 x 3 x 4 inches | 5 inches | Chartplotter & Fishfinder | 3.8 lbs | Yes |
Simrad Cruise 7 | 10.8 x 9.2 x 8.2 inches | 7 inches | Chartplotter | 4.84 lbs | Yes |
Garmin Echomap 74Cv | 13 x 10.3 x 8.5 inches | 7 inches | Chartplotter | 6.75 lbs | Yes |
Raymarine Axiom 7 | 18 x 13 x 13 inches | 7 inches | Chartplotter & Fishfinder | 8.8 lbs | Yes |
Things you should look out for before buying a chart plotter
When it comes to choosing the right chart plotter for your boat it can get quite confusing as there are hundreds to choose from and the prices can range from $500 to $1000 or more and there’s a world of difference between them. As there are so many chart plotters available, you can easily decide which one is best for your needs after you’ve figured out what you would use it for so how can you make an intelligent choice considering your needs and your budget? Before you go ahead and purchase a chart plotter be sure to consider these important features.
Screen Size
The larger the screen the better (5-7”), as this dictates from how far you can view the screen, how large the numerics will appear and how congested the screen will become if you zoom into a particular point or use the split screen functionality. Anything smaller than this will be difficult to view as details on the screen can become cluttered. Before you go ahead and pull the trigger take into consideration the screen size as the larger it is, the easier it will be on your eyes.
Last but not least, another important consideration is screen resolution which determines how much detail a chart plotter provides you with. Screen resolution is measured by the pixel count with more pixels being better.
Power
Power is another important factor to consider and it’s only half of the battle as to how deep and accurately your unit can see what lies beneath the boat. These days chart plotters come combined with fish finders as they offer a visualisation of the area beneath the boat. Power and transducer (more on this in a moment) will determine how deep you’re able to see when you’re out sailing. Units in the lower range put out between 100 – 300 watts and if you’re sailing in shallow depths (up to 200’) then this is perfectly suitable for your purpose but in deeper waters you’ll definitely need more power.
Transducers
Transducers go hand in hand with power. A transducer with a focused beam is better as the more focused it is, the deeper it will penetrate. The larger the transducer crystal the more focused the beam will be.
Longevity
This is another important consideration to factor into your buying decision. If you’re thinking of mounting the chart plotter on a small open boat the main thing you need to be wary of is water resistance. Pay attention to IPX (International Protection Code) or JIS (Japanese Industry Standard) ratings which are exactly the same. A rating of four is normally considered splash proof and this is not suitable especially if you have a small, open boat. A rating of five means that the unit can withstand low pressure bursts of water, six means that it can withstand high pressure bursts of water, seven is submersible up to 30 mins at three meters and eight is can be submerged and be operational. Essentially the higher the rating, the longer your unit will survive in the harsh marine environment.
Now that you know what to look for in a marine chart plotter it’s time to look at some of the best marine chart plotters that consistently get great reviews from customers. This list below should help you to narrow down your choices and help you select the right marine chart plotter for you and your budget.