Nautic Insight charts on Lowrance HDS Gen2

[Ziggy]

I am interested in your experience with Lowrance Nautic Insight charts of the Coastal U.S., that come with the HDS Gen2 chartplotters. (From the few screen shots on the Lowrance web site, they look like NOAA ENC vector charts.)

How do you like the Gen2 chartplotters? Any any problems with reliability or useability?

[Ziggy]

Yesterday I went to West Marine to have a look. The Nautic Insight charts look very similar to the NOAA ENC, and the resolution and clarity of the display is truly amazing. Looking at the Garmin 546 and HDS 5 side by side (similar screen size and resolution), Lowrance seems like a far better value.

[witzgall]

We had a Lowrance 7300HD C plotter, two generations earlier, with the Nautic Insight charts. I used it on the Neuse river, and down to Beaufort - Cape Lookout etc (all in NC) . In these areas, I found the charts to be very accurate.

[Ziggy]

That's good to hear. It's really amazing how much more you get from Lowrance compared to Garmin for the same price. It's hard to see how Garmin can stay in the chartplotter business.