Chart plotters?

[slow rollin]

Can someone explain to me what the difference between a chartplotter and a fishfinder is? Im trying to figure out exactly why you use them and what there purpose is.I feel a lil dumb asking what a chartplotter is because the name is self explanitory i guess but i dont know anything about them or why you need them. Thanks in advance guys.

[CaptSpike]

Some units combine a fish finder (depth sounder, shows you fish below your boat) and the chart plotter when hitched to a GPS antenna (internal or external) will show you your boat location and path that your boat has traveled (if you select to run a track). The path is very useful when determining where you caught a fish and allows you to navigate back over the exact spot (or pretty darn close to it). You can also save way points on the chart plotter that will allow you to return to the same spot even after your track line runs out (limited amount of data can be stored as a track). If you just have a stand alone chart plotter that is all you get on the unit. Which isn't so bad. I used to run a Raytheon chart plotter on my ocean boat. It had the ability to run a fish finder off it as well but I already had a commercial grade finder and only used it as a stand alone chart plotter. I also hitched the chart plotter to my radar and was able to have navigation data relayed to the radar, which helped a lot when you were looking for river buoy's in the fog and the place was littered with small boats fishing stripers. You knew for sure what target was the buoy and what wasn't.

Hope that helps a little. West marine has some great definitions on there website and explain different features of the various units (at least they used).

Spike

[Tim Bromund]

a fishfinder is a sonar device that graphically displays both the depth and whatever the boat passes over. A chartplotter is a GPS unit with scanned nautical charts that the gps satellite track is overlaid that also shows compass heading, speed over ground etc. you can save waypoints on the chart plotter (such as where you marked a lot of bait on the fishfinder or where you caught a fish) and can use the waypoints to navigate back to the same area.

Tim

[slow rollin]

Thanks alot guys you did a great job explaining that.