Is a fish finder necessary?

[atomichaggis]

I've been thinking to try this fancy Bluechart G2 vision maps with underwater views and fisheye views.

With this kind of info on screen is it really necessary to have a fishfinder? I'm thinking for bottom fishing in deepwater.

[ChristerGj]

Litt off topic, men kan jeg spørre om hvor du har fått tak i dette? Har du det innstallert som et program på pcen din?

Er på utkikk etter akkurat det der; et program på pcen man kan se bunnen i 3D på.

...eller var kanskje bildene hentet fra nettet?

[abbor]

The quality of the 3D underwater maps are so low that it can only be used as a tool for planning fish trips. The reason for this is the map data available from the goverment. I have 3D maps for whole southern Norway on my plotter, more like a gimmick than a useful tool.

Yes, you need definitely a fishfinder.

The images posted by atomichaggis are screenimages from a Garmin plotter. The best progarm to use to display the seabottom in 3D is Maxsea, but it's very expencive. With Maxsea you can also record your own depths and display in 3D.

[atomichaggis]

Litt off topic, men kan jeg spørre om hvor du har fått tak i dette? Har du det innstallert som et program på pcen din?

Er på utkikk etter akkurat det der; et program på pcen man kan se bunnen i 3D på.

...eller var kanskje bildene hentet fra nettet?

Just promo pics from Garmins website. This cartography is only available on the cards which cost a fortune... don't think it's transferable to PC.

The quality of the 3D underwater maps are so low that it can only be used as a tool for planning fish trips. The reason for this is the map data available from the goverment. I have 3D maps for whole southern Norway on my plotter, more like a gimmick than a useful tool.

Yes, you need definitely a fishfinder.

The images posted by atomichaggis are screenimages from a Garmin plotter. The best progarm to use to display the seabottom in 3D is Maxsea, but it's very expencive. With Maxsea you can also record your own depths and display in 3D.

Isn't Norway well surveyed? I would have thought with the offshore industries, scientific research and cold war this place would be well mapped.

I'd only really need something accurate to 10 metres vertical and horizontal... no need to drop a bait in a pint glass.

With a sounder and a 2 dimensional chart it's still hard to imagine a real time 3 dimensional rendering of the seabed which is the ultimate goal for me... I'm only ever looking for ground, bait finds the fish.

Problem I've had with fishfindfers is that features of interest on the seafloor were lost when tracking back in open water and the only clear indication of fish was high up in the water and the gulls did a better job at that.

I've heard the 3d maps being described as a gimmick many times but I can definately see some real value in them if the are of ok quality of course. sounders wont help you see were the scope of your anchor rode will place you... normal charts will of course but a 3D rendering shows the contours better in relation to one another and to you up on the surface than a 2d map.

I was a road hauliage navigator for 10 years and on a road I wouldn't want anything other than a birdseye, north up view but on the sea fishing deep water you are high above many of the pathways you are navigating. this aspect (looking down through the surface) naturally suits 3D cartography... much more so than 3D roadmaps on Tomtom etc.

I could go for the 525s model with a sounder too but I'm still not convinced it's essential.

If they had a 3D sounder that could work in 300 metres I'd pay top dollar for it... maybe thats just a dream tho?

[abbor]

Simrad (Kongsberg) have 3D systems reaching 300m without problems. But I guess you don't have budget for it or a boat capable of carrying it

Simrad Multibeam sounder

The same data are used for 2D and 3D mapping. To produce 3D mapping they in addition take information about shoreline and terrain formations close to the shore into account.

For some of the fishing grounds and at the oil fields better surveying exists, but is not included in the Navioncs Platinum 3D charts. The extra info is included in the Navioncs Gold 2D charts.

You need at least a 8,4" screen to get anything useful out of a 3D chart, 5" is far to small.

[atomichaggis]

It's worrying when they don't list a price... maybe I should check before I order one

Seems silly to add more info to the gold and leave it out of the platinum charts.. Is there any screenshots of this navionics 3D chart somewhere?

[abbor]

Platinum has a smaller geographical coverage than Gold, so these areas are not included at all.

At the Raymarine pages you can find a Platinum Tour:

Raymarine Platinum Tour

[trollingcharter]

Simrad (Kongsberg) have 3D systems reaching 300m without problems. But I guess you don't have budget for it or a boat capable of carrying it

Simrad Multibeam sounder

The same data are used for 2D and 3D mapping. To produce 3D mapping they in addition take information about shoreline and terrain formations close to the shore into account.

For some of the fishing grounds and at the oil fields better surveying exists, but is not included in the Navioncs Platinum 3D charts. The extra info is included in the Navioncs Gold 2D charts.

You need at least a 8,4" screen to get anything useful out of a 3D chart, 5" is far to small.

Lol that was a helluva "fish finder".

I would say YES you need a fish finder, both for safety(when and if fishing with downriggers) and as a very useful tool to discover thermoclines, steep edges on the sea bottom, seing the actual depths on you downrigger cannonball.

I have to agree with Abbor that so far the 3D function is more a gimmick than a useful tool.

/TC