# Navionics HotMaps Explorer Reviewed



## Buick Riviera (Jul 15, 2007)

Navionics HotMaps Explorer software, is an atlas of 10,000+ lake maps for your home PC.

I am probably the perfect target customer for Navionics HotMaps Explorer. I've never owned waypoints manager software or navigation planners. I'm a handheld guy only. No fancy 7 inch screen, console GPS on the boat.

I don't fish tournaments and have no interest in doing so. I enjoy fishing new lakes but it is not the end of the world if I don't catch anything.

There is no way I'd spend $200 for a planner, but for 20 bucks I'll take a flyer on anything. So I took a flyer on Explorer.

Explorer loads and resides on your hardrive from a DVD. It claims to have over 10,000 lake maps and it has already had 2 updates and 52 additional lakes added since it was released a couple weeks ago. The update downloads are free off the Navionics site.

You can plot tracks, routes and set waypoints right on you PC and transfer them to your GPS. You can also transfer the same information from your GPS to your PC. The transfer is quick and easy.

I tested the track transfer by plotting a few tracks around town and then driving them in the truck (there is a surprising amount of land detail too, especially my town...including residential streets). Every track was dead on. This gives me confidence for when I try it on the water.

The GPS menu is used for GPS planning and programming only. Explorer does not include the ability to plot a real time GPS position or navigate with GPS in real time. Apparently an upgrade is available if you want to add this functionality.

The written instructions are apparently written on the assumption you will throw them away. They get you started and that's about it. But the Help menu is well written, easy to understand and easy to follow. Garmin's manual writers should take a few lessons.

The 3D feature is a POS. It must be for marketing because it is worthless in my opinion. It's nothing more than a bad video game.

The weakest part of this program are the maps. They are average at best. Most of the maps in my Ohio maps are in 5 or 10 ft. contours and none of them are very accurate. For example, Portage Lakes has two boat ramp areas and neither are marked on the map! It is unlikely that you'll find a honey hole based on these maps but at least they should point you in the right direction.

It is called HotMaps and not HotSpots for a reason.

The lack of detail and accuracy is offset somewhat by the Google Earth plug-in. On a split screen you can see a satellite view of the the portion of the lake map you are reviewing, at the same scale. It is cool and helps orient things a bit.

HD maps are available on a limited basis at $20 a pop, with one free download included with the program

Explorer will be an excellent way to organize your waypoint, track and route library. It will be a mediocre way to plan a fishing trip, but certainly better than nothing. In most cases it will get you on the lake and headed in the right direction.

Is it worth $20? You bettcha, especially to us handheld guys. Is it worth much more? Probably not.

Is it worth it to you guys who expect detail and accuracy? No way. Keep saving your pennies for the HD stuff.

The cheapest I've found it is $19.95 + 7.95 shipping = 27.90. This is a savings of $10.00 compared to the manufacturer's web page, at this site: http://www.landfallnavigation.com/

Buick


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## fishingguy (Jan 5, 2006)

A few months ago I stumbled on to a website that offered free maps. I messed around with it for awhile, checked it's accuracy with some of my known waypoints, and looks to be quite accurate. I've only messed with lake erie and mosquito, but I would think any lake in the country is in there. It will never replace a chip, but allows a number of options. Even downloading to gps if you have the software. So if you have a magellan gps you would need a mapsend product downloaded to your computer for example. I just put the cursor on the spot and write down the coordinance, put it threw the converter, (gives you the decimal) and enter in the gps. Try it, see what you think.
http://www.findyourwater.com/register.php


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## Buick Riviera (Jul 15, 2007)

Cool site! It does a lot of what Explorer does, for free! Thank

Buick


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