Garmin Lake Vu and Tenn-Tom

[The Masons]

Has anyone had experience with the Garmin Lake Vu charts in regards to travelling down the Tenn-Tom/Tombigbee Waterway to the Gulf from Kentucky Lake? Are the charts good and detailed? I have used Navionics in thr past and their inland charts are very good. I am expecting my R27 this coming Tuesday and plan on heading south late October - just want to have my ducks in a row.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[Crewdog]

Hi:

While I haven't been on the Tenn-Tom, the Southeast LakesVision chip works quite well on Lake Allatoona, and has excellent detail and features. It incorporates nicely with the Garmin chartplotter. I think this is the previous version though.

I may be out at the boat today and will see if my chip has the Tenn-Tom on the coverage area.

It looks like the new LakeVu series has the entire country now instead of separate regions.

We also have the Navionics app on the iPad as a backup, and that coverage is excellent as well.

Bill

 

[knotflying]

I recently purchased USO39R from Garmin for $165.00. This map has all of US including major inland lakes and rivers as well as all of northwest Canada, Bahamas and a few other areas. We are also going down the Tenn-Tom in October as well. When I took a quick look at the map in that area it seemed to be fairly detailed. I also have the Garmin mobile blue charts and that has good detail as well.

 

[pugtug613]

Doesn't the standard chip give you the whole USA? I thought it did?

Chester

 

[knotflying]

I got the USO39R because I was doing the North Channel and the standard chip did not include that. I have not checked to see if the standard chip included the inland lakes and rivers. You can always just go in and try scanning over to a river and see if a chart comes up.

 

[knotflying]

I went out to the boat. The stock map has nothing on the inland waters. I inserted the USO39R and it has much more detail such as the navigation line and numbered buoys. The depths are color coded, but no depth indicated. Not sure if the data base has marine services, but you can get that on the mobile Blue Charys with the Active Captain overlay.
Hope this helps.
Mike Rizzo

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

We're on Kismet so I just checked our Garmin 5212 without any data card inserted and like Mike I only get very basic info. I have a Canada g2 HXCAD15R card and when I insert this, although I get everything for Canadian waters it adds nothing for the US River system. My point is not to get the card I got if you're looking for the US Rivers/Lakes..get the one Mike mentioned. I do however have the Navionics HD app for our iPad and it has all of the US inland waterways and has proven to be very accurate for us.

Jim F

 

[rt11002003]

I've used two of Garmin's rivers and lakes specialty chips. Their basic coverage of inland rivers and lakes is barely adequate. Those specialty chips are great. I used one several years ago on the TN River system; it worked great, super details. Used it in conjunction with the paper charts; backed up with an old handheld Garmin.

Used one on Lake Lanier (in GA) for awhile in my 2009 R21EC, also greater detail than standard. Changed boats, needed a new chip (the old one went with the old boat) bought Inland Lakes Vision, Southeast VUS205R. Seemed to be the same results as the older one.

My current R21EC came with Lowrance electronics. Needed more detail for Lake Lanier, so I bought the Navionics SE lakes and rivers chip. It shows more bottom configuration than the Garmin did, however I'm not getting buoy numbers. ???

Back to the Garmin, my first Garmin specialty chip went down the Tenn-Tom with the new owner. He was pleased, but I've forgotten the details of our conversation. You might go to the Albin Owners Yahoo Group and query Ernie, a member.

gene