I bought the "Vision" option for other reasons. I'm not a huge fan of having the
chartplotter pick my course. But now that I have it, I've been known to use it from time to time. Here are some of my observations:
- Sometimes, based on my
draft, it will run me over rocks that are just a few feet or less below my
keel. Even if there's good
water on either side. Imagine doing that in 2-3 foot seas. Ouch!
- Other times, for some unknown reason, it will lead me the long way around an area that's actually plenty safe for me.
- If the
route is too complicated, it won't be able to calculate one at all. Which I suppose is a good feature. But when I'm going a relatively short distance through a place with a lot of
reefs and islands, like Casco Bay, that's when I'd be most likely to let the computer take a stab at suggesting a general
route, which I'd verify and apply common sense to before following.
When it does
work, it's a nice feature. Fun to play with, but by no means a substitute for due diligence in navigating. I wouldn't pay extra just for that. The Vision option has other features which made it seem worth it for the whole package.