Creating your own Sonar charts?
Submitted by Jason P on Thu, 2014-06-12 18:43
Does anyone create their own Sonar charts or use Navionics+ or any other programs to create more in depth charting. Would be interested to know if it is worth while in investing in, or just a gimmick.
Any advice would be good.
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DM306
treefrog
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 17/12/12
maxsea
I had maxsea v12 which was pretty good then upgraded to the new version Maxsea TimeZero which isnt bad either, probably not as good at the terrain definition and allowing you to interrogate it afterwards but still impressive.
It allows you to clearly identify structure (amplify also) clearly and then target it specifically with your drifts/anchoring
the other system ive been using recently is fckn amazing
a WASSP installation feeding raw data straight to an OLEX box that interprets then overlays the WASSP data on the chart. You name it this thing does it. probably not in the rec fishermans range though
Maxsea TZ is expensive but entry level for this kind of stuff I use it with a 2kw/200 3kw/36 pair of transducers through hull, running into a TZ14 touch sounder and its great.
talk to brett or mike at fremantle maritime electronics (agent) or christo down at taylor marine (furuno) they will be able to sort you out
Seafari
Posts: 116
Date Joined: 17/03/12
Maxsea is the preferred choice
Maxsea is a PC base plotting system which connects to your sounder for depth info. It takes a while to build up a good data base but everytime you go our it's building a more accurate data base of the ground you're fishing.
Here's what the 40m contour looks like on a normal chart plotter and what it looks like when you've built your own 3D data base using Maxsea and a decent sounder and overlay it on the same chart.
standard chart without any bathy data
with maxsea 3D bathy generator
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
Awesome
Wow that's awesome seafari
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
That looks pretty
That looks pretty interesting.
How does it deal with swell and tides affecting your depth measurments?
treefrog
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 17/12/12
I use a Sat compass SC50 to
I use a Sat compass SC50 to take any variation out,
it has a "heave compensation" feature which pulls out swell, roll and pitch. The maxsea software also runs off of the closest tidal marker and uses that for reference
southcity104
Posts: 1659
Date Joined: 27/01/09
Ive seen this progam too
Dr depth.
Never used or seen it in action. Super low budget at $250 its worth a look. I chatted with the guy via email and hes not that helpful.
"Its a life style job"
Sulo
Posts: 256
Date Joined: 13/08/11
Dr Depth, has sold all his
Dr Depth, has sold all his rights to someone else some time ago and is no longer available.
Love the Max Sea stuff, not so keen on the price though!
Browndog
Posts: 581
Date Joined: 10/04/12
Data
Holy crap that is impressive data. Is the detail you generate then shared over the net to create a massive detailed database?
It would be a great way to generate super accurate charts covering all popular / metro ground available to all. Doubt it would happen, but what a great way to map the ocean.
BD.
Dogmeat
Posts: 24
Date Joined: 16/07/13
PBG
Seafari,
Wondering is that your data? I run maxsea with the PBG module but have struggled to get a quality database despite being out there plenty. Great if your a crayfisherman on the water everyday mapping but its a slow burn and not sure i'd go that way again.
treefrog, agree the olex is cracking program and is without peer in defining bottom hardness which is critical when focussed on a new area. Like you I also run the 14 TZT MFD (3kw 28) and its kick ass. Love the ability to 'touch' an echo on the sounder screen and it places a wpt on the plotter at the pricise location of the fish/edge/lump etc that your looking at. Allows max focus on the sounder and marking fish.
second that...brett/mike at fremantle maritime elecs know olex inside out. Simon/cristo at taylors are gurus on all things furuno. All great blokes and go out of their way to be accessible and why its worth shopping local.
treefrog
Posts: 50
Date Joined: 17/12/12
The database you have got
The database you have got should be fine, ie: all the data will be in there, its just how you display and interrogate. the old MSv12 used to let you pop a 3d window and spin, amplify bottom contours etc really easily but MXTZ is a bit of a pain to do it, i find that if i turn the colours off and mess with the depth shading and contour density its a bit better to work with. the TZ14s had me fcked for a couple of days when i first got them, the sounder image was ok, but i wasnt seeing good shows of fish and the other boat i was fishing with was seeing christmas trees. There are some settings in there i had never even heard of, sorted now though.
I dont trust the touch the screen echo and WP placement, mine didnt put it right on the button so i tend to use maxsea for plotting
Ive left the boat in Gero until August (calm winter days at the islands... joy.) , Im heading up in the next couple of weeks for a fish, ill take some screenshots of my settings which might help you work with it a bit better while im up there
Olex is the shit when its running with Wassp. I couldnt believe it. check out the whales that i ran over in the screenshot. you can actually see the buggers diving away from the boat.
Finally got the image working....
Jason P
Posts: 521
Date Joined: 16/02/13
Geez, impressive mapping
Geez, impressive mapping maybe a little over the top for what I was thinking to use. Pity you can't get a licence for the Dr Depth program anymore.
DM306
Australiamaid
Posts: 210
Date Joined: 12/11/12
nice
Were an how do I get hold of that ??
Dogmeat
Posts: 24
Date Joined: 16/07/13
Thx for the heads up mate.
Thx for the heads up mate. That is an awseome image.