Beware, my Garmin Fish Chart has gross inaccuracies and could have cost me finding a new fishing spot.

Roccus7

Roccus7

Moderator
Staff member
After quitting today's Cod C&R Circus I realized that I needed to kill 15 minutes so I'd have a comfortable amount of water around my dock; I wasn't in the mood for a "carrier landing-like controlled crash" that only 6" of water below my keel forces. As normal while cruising I had the NOAA chart displayed on the chart plotter, and I noticed to nice humps of 55 and 47' closely grouped coming up from 130' of water. Very promising indeed.

As I neared the spot I switched over the Fish Chart mode and the humps DISAPPEARED!!! That chart showed the area to be 120' deep!! Now my curiosity was piqued and I switched back to NOAA and as I went up the 1st hump, the sounder showed a steep decrease in depth, topping out at 57', and as I started down the backside of the hump, the machine lit up with fish and I dropped a jig, catching a 22" cod that fooled me into thinking he was much bigger, sucker took out line.

My Fish Chart is 2021 and when I went home and looked at an older version, the humps were there too. When I'm in the mood, Garmin will hear from me...

Moral of the story: NEVER believe a single source of depth data!!
 
So when are all these brilliant tech companies going to start using the internet of things to crowdsource depth-finder data to create more current and accurate charts?

I mean, with all the boats running all over with an integrated GPS and depth-finder it shouldn't be a big deal to start gathering that information and putting it to use.
 
Avenger said:
So when are all these brilliant tech companies going to start using the internet of things to crowdsource depth-finder data to create more current and accurate charts?

I mean, with all the boats running all over with an integrated GPS and depth-finder it shouldn't be a big deal to start gathering that information and putting it to use.
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LOL, I'm no help in that my unit is "off the grid", as I would keep it even if it had the capabilities...
 
Roccus7 said:
LOL, I'm no help in that my unit is "off the grid", as I would keep it even if it had the capabilities...
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A lot of people would be because they'd be afraid of spot burning, or somebody figuring out where they dumped the body. But most privacy rules wouldn't allow, or any sensible company that wants customers to share data wouldn't collect that kind of information. Plus, as younger people get into the sport, or just boating in general they'll probably be more accepting of data gathering.
 
Roccus7 said:
You just can't fix stupid, like folks using their cell phones to post that the COVID vaccines contain a tracking device in it...
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WAIT !!! What ??? it doesn't !! :giggle: Sorry i couldn't help myself.

All the accurate sounding now are coming from satellites . No human input at all.

To me redundancy is king. I have two sounders, Two ducers, two plotters, two antenna's, two VHF's and two Antenna's.
 
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after reading your post I had to check it out..Just bought two new garmin GPS / FF a 9" & 10 " two different boats ..ran them in the same channels & with the same chip..
also ran the new machines along side an old 3210 & 4220 , simrad Go & evo ..spot on charts & bottom 3D bottom contours dead accurate ...I have a new chip for the simrad coming tomorrow ..Will check this 3D bottom contour with the Garmin..
 
Capt Richie said:
after reading your post I had to check it out..Just bought two new garmin GPS / FF a 9" & 10 " two different boats ..ran them in the same channels & with the same chip..
also ran the new machines along side an old 3210 & 4220 , simrad Go & evo ..spot on charts & bottom 3D bottom contours dead accurate ...I have a new chip for the simrad coming tomorrow ..Will check this 3D bottom contour with the Garmin..
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The Low Res, but correct map is 2016. The FUBAR Hi Res is 2021, go figure.

On the home computer I’ve got an old Hi Res map and it’s correct…
 
Roccus7 said:
The Low Res, but correct map is 2016. The FUBAR Hi Res is 2021, go figure.

On the home computer I’ve got an old Hi Res map and it’s correct…
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I just did all the update on a new machine and its very accurate...did you try to up date it ? or call Garmin ? ..
I ran both blue charts G3 and the 3D bottom chip all accurate ..even had a small hump I go over in the north/south channel out of my marina....I'm also running a older 3210 & simrad Go & Evo 2 all seem to be spot on..

My Northstar 952 charts on the other had are crap...But love it as a number machine still accurate after all these years & boats..
I'm going to run the garmin3D bottom chip & the strikeline 3D chip side by side this week and see ..

as far as the bottom machine ,,simrad still kicks a$$..
 
Machine is updated and the new chart is the bad one. Garmin will get a call next time I get out and split screen both "views" and photo so they can see the inconsistency...
 
cany said:
And one motor :eek: :p
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Yes I agree I like stand alone machines ..But these day all in one is whats made...Thats why I have several and a handheld ...I think we need to go back to dead reckoning ...I still read my compass every time Im on the move...

Im a twin motor man..Its so effin easy to dock put it on a spot set up a fluke drift ...But you pay the price $$$$ twice of everything
 
Capt Richie said:
great machine ,,you should ask them to send you a G3 update chip..for free..they sent me a update chip for my 4212 ..
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Card is g3, the 4212 just doesn't display as many of the fancy features as well as newer machines. You can't download maps from the website, you just have to have the card (chip) in the machine, can't even move the g3 maps to the machine. AAMOF, the "newest", offending card is a "freebie" upgrade from Garmin since 4212 owners can't download the maps directly from the website.

I got all them "fancy things" like "Fisheye View" and "Marinerseye View". Not a fan of either one, as they really don't offer me any practical advantages. The Fisheye would have been great 40 years ago when dragging wire through pockets like the "trough" that runs through the shoal around Buoy 9 in Sound Beach, but there's no longer wire dragging for me; trolling in Maine through the slalom course of lobster traps isn't at all practical. Just about every bump in the bottom within 5 miles of shore has it's own extended family of lobster pots on it.

The Marinerseye might be nice in a busy port Portland, but once again, nothing is "busy" enough up here, "Above the Toothline" to need that special "sense". No matter, the satellite image for my harbor on the "newest" chip is so old that when I'm zooming into 500' resolution, land is nothing but a blur. I'm guessing it's a circa 2007 satellite photo, based on Google Earth maps' resolutions.

Next time I'm out in the Gulf and the spirit moves me, I'll take screenshots and show Garmin the newfound error of their ways. Until then, I'll continue to use all available info to carry on and hopefully uncover additional "secret spots" that I log, in honor of the Fosberg Family, as "CIA Grounds"...
 
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