# FMT N&S with Simrad Go7



## MAK (Dec 15, 2017)

What area are you fishing?
I just ordered the N FL maps the other day. I’m hoping the Flagler area isn’t short on tracks. Had the boat out yesterday for the first time and was definitely running in to problems with the outboard dragging the muck in areas I never would have thought were that shallow. 
Str8-Six just posted yesterday asking about the detail level in the Jax/St Aug area.
I had seen on their Facebook page that they recently updated the area of the ICW around Flagler and St Johns/ICW. Hoping it will have good detail and I haven’t made a costly mistake.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

MAK said:


> What area are you fishing?
> I just ordered the N FL maps the other day. I’m hoping the Flagler area isn’t short on tracks. Had the boat out yesterday for the first time and was definitely running in to problems with the outboard dragging the muck in areas I never would have thought were that shallow.
> Str8-Six just posted yesterday asking about the detail level in the Jax/St Aug area.
> I had seen on their Facebook page that they recently updated the area of the ICW around Flagler and St Johns/ICW. Hoping it will have good detail and I haven’t made a costly mistake.


From St. Marks to Panacea, but I fish the tidal creeks and back bays. I generally only see kayaks and commercial oyster/mullet skiffs where I fish, there aren’t many skiffs with a 4” draft to get in there at anything but high tide, and at a negative low tide most everything goes dry, but there are deeper cuts in the edges of the creeks. 

The oyster bars and shallow sand points are visible on sat images, so it’s still useful and would be nice to not constantly be looking down at a phone. 

Here’s the video showing it, the Jax/St. Augustine area starts around the hour and a half mark and looks pretty populated. I think FMT is a great product, it just seems more geared towards bay boats wanting to run safely than guys wanting to go as shallow as they can.


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## MAK (Dec 15, 2017)

Yeah, their site says their tracks are for 13.5” and less, and I think it said the boat used for charting S FL was an Egret that drafts about 13.5”. So I guess there aren’t going to be any shallower tracks for you, but the good aerial maps would sure help. I can try to screenshot some specific areas for you once mine arrives.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

I just got off the phone with them and was reassured that N FL area has plenty of tracks. The guy was also very helpful as well, recommended which unit to buy. If you buy a unit from them you save 30% off chip BTW. There is endless creeks and creeks within creeks up her in NE FL. If it’s as detailed as he says than it would be a no brainer. From the research I’ve done and from talking to Glen, you want to make sure you get a bigger unit. The 12 inch units have higher resolution than <9”.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Thanks for the replies, I’d be happy with the satellite maps and charting my own tracks for the areas I fish regularly, plus it keeps the riff raff out. . The tracks will be handy when fishing unfamiliar areas though. 

Anyone know if you can add your own tracks in different colors, and if the N&S combo pack comes loaded on one chip?


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## MAK (Dec 15, 2017)

Str8-Six said:


> I just got off the phone with them and was reassured that N FL area has plenty of tracks. The guy was also very helpful as well, recommended which unit to buy. If you buy a unit from them you save 30% off chip BTW. There is endless creeks and creeks within creeks up her in NE FL. If it’s as detailed as he says than it would be a no brainer. From the research I’ve done and from talking to Glen, you want to make sure you get a bigger unit. The 12 inch units have higher resolution than <9”.


That’s good to hear about plenty of tracks. I have heard before they recommend the 9” or larger display but I just couldn’t justify the extra cost. I picked up the Go7 w/ the TotalScan at West on Friday for only $550. Comparing the 7 to the 9 just didn’t seem to me like it would be that much of a difference for my use. Especially for over $500 more. Already had to go back and buy a Ram pedestal mount just to be able to fit the 7 on my small console.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

MAK said:


> That’s good to hear about plenty of tracks. I have heard before they recommend the 9” or larger display but I just couldn’t justify the extra cost. I picked up the Go7 w/ the TotalScan at West on Friday for only $550. Comparing the 7 to the 9 just didn’t seem to me like it would be that much of a difference for my use. Especially for over $500 more. Already had to go back and buy a Ram pedestal mount just to be able to fit the 7 on my small console.


Nice, let me know how you like the charts with it. I’m tossing up the idea of getting a new unit from them because Lowrance/Simrad is having rebate right now and you also save 30% off the chip. I plan on getting entire state which is $600. I believe some units like Elite TI will not allow you to see your own tracks while using FMT. Not sure about GO7. I read it in FAQ section on their website. I already have a Elite tI 5 but will probably upgrade to NSS7 Evo3 or hds Carbon, those both have better resolutions than GO and elite tI series. He mentioned an all touch screen display isn’t best for using FMT, but I’m sure it will be fine on GO series.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

Str8-Six said:


> Nice, let me know how you like the charts with it. I’m tossing up the idea of getting a new unit from them because Lowrance/Simrad is having rebate right now and you also save 30% off the chip. I plan on getting entire state which is $600. I believe some units like Elite TI will not allow you to see your own tracks while using FMT. Not sure about GO7. I read it in FAQ section on their website. I already have a Elite tI 5 but will probably upgrade to NSS7 Evo3 or hds Carbon, those both have better resolutions than GO and elite tI series. He mentioned an all touch screen display isn’t best for using FMT, but I’m sure it will be fine on GO series.


FMT runs fine on a GO unit but it is not recommended vs. a Elite Ti because the touch only display is prone to response issues in wet conditions, loads a single chip from the rear which is a pain and only has a single processor. Its cheap for a reason. The elite is a better choice as it has buttons and is basically an HDS unit with a touchscreen that wont pinch.

Chip discounts only apply when a 12" unit is purchased. Smaller screens do not qualify. Any navico unit will create its own tracks that will display on top of any map loaded including FMT if you have the unit set to record and display them.

The entire State on FMT will not fit on a single chip that the machines can read. So it has to be split into two areas. The data set is about 60 gb and the machines will only read a 32 GB chip. That is likely to change and when that happens the later model new units could then load a single chip with the whole state.

The red Tracks were not created for micro skiffs. They are good for a typical skiff that drafts approx 1 foot at rest but still must be run with caution. Many black tracks are provided which are good only on higher water conditions and not suitable at low tide for a typical skiff. FMT has had requests for specific tracks for all kinds of boat drafts from 3.5' to 4". With many thousands of miles provided, making a separate set of tracks for every draft would be a very time consuming task that has not been elected to be tackled any time soon. If you run a micro skiff, you can run many more tracks than what are provided and can clearly run the red tracks without a problem.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

Gatorgrizz27 said:


> From St. Marks to Panacea, but I fish the tidal creeks and back bays. I generally only see kayaks and commercial oyster/mullet skiffs where I fish, there aren’t many skiffs with a 4” draft to get in there at anything but high tide, and at a negative low tide most everything goes dry, but there are deeper cuts in the edges of the creeks.
> 
> The oyster bars and shallow sand points are visible on sat images, so it’s still useful and would be nice to not constantly be looking down at a phone.
> 
> Here’s the video showing it, the Jax/St. Augustine area starts around the hour and a half mark and looks pretty populated. I think FMT is a great product, it just seems more geared towards bay boats wanting to run safely than guys wanting to go as shallow as they can.


Hundreds of miles of tracks have been added in the big bend since this video was released. An updated video should be out showing the big bend soon.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Egrets Landing said:


> FMT runs fine on a GO unit but it is not recommended vs. a Elite Ti because the touch only display is prone to response issues in wet conditions, loads a single chip from the rear which is a pain and only has a single processor. Its cheap for a reason. The elite is a better choice as it has buttons and is basically an HDS unit with a touchscreen that wont pinch.
> 
> Chip discounts only apply when a 12" unit is purchased. Smaller screens do not qualify. Any navico unit will create its own tracks that will display on top of any map loaded including FMT if you have the unit set to record and display them.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the detailed reply! I figured that all the data might not fit on a single chip if there were in fact two included with the package. I also understand that the more expensive units are better, but I’m not willing to spend the $. As someone else said, going from the 7” to the 9” is double the price, and the 12” would be awesome but almost absurd in a minimalist tiller skiff. I just don’t want to purchase the unit and FMT chip and find out it won’t do what I want it to. 

My comment about the lack of tracks in the area I fish was just that given 12” draft standard there may not be any safe routes outside the main channel. I also understand that it’s impossible to chart for different depths because the tides or even winds can cause significant changes. I’ve seen the water over 2’ different in the same tide height on the chart, due to wind direction alone.


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## Str8-Six (Jul 6, 2015)

Egrets Landing said:


> FMT runs fine on a GO unit but it is not recommended vs. a Elite Ti because the touch only display is prone to response issues in wet conditions, loads a single chip from the rear which is a pain and only has a single processor. Its cheap for a reason. The elite is a better choice as it has buttons and is basically an HDS unit with a touchscreen that wont pinch.
> 
> Chip discounts only apply when a 12" unit is purchased. Smaller screens do not qualify. Any navico unit will create its own tracks that will display on top of any map loaded including FMT if you have the unit set to record and display them.
> 
> ...


I knew that sounded too good to be true lol. Thanks for the info and clarification. Going to pick up chip now.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

Gatorgrizz27 said:


> I just don’t want to purchase the unit and FMT chip and find out it won’t do what I want it to.


No worries. If it doesn't after a couple of trips trying it just send it back and get all your money back. No risk. That hasn't happened yet so you would be the first. I think it's highly unlikely you would find a different chip to provide superior insight. The product was created to address the shortcomings in the others and it has a proven track record so far.


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## Gatorgrizz27 (Apr 4, 2015)

Egrets Landing said:


> No worries. If it doesn't after a couple of trips trying it just send it back and get all your money back. No risk. That hasn't happened yet so you would be the first. I think it's highly unlikely you would find a different chip to provide superior insight. The product was created to address the shortcomings in the others and it has a proven track record so far.


Thanks again. I’m more concerned about what the Go7 allows you to do and not do than the FMT chip, really generous offer though.


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## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

There is no advantage at all to a GO unit vs. any of the others. If a Go fits the budget, I think you are better off in an Elite Ti unit instead as it avoids some of the problems and has the same screen res. It also has superior data overlay ability (no white bar) which is a big deal on small screens.


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## Cwilson27 (Mar 6, 2017)

I’m gonna pick up the go7 for 250$. Is anyone running the sonic hub with any simrad units? What’s it like?


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## Mike C (Feb 27, 2017)

$250 is a steal. Where are they available at that price?


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## Hardluk81 (Jan 3, 2016)

Does FMT show bottom composition or is it just contour lines? The reason I ask is I sometimes fish the St. John’s river where finding shell bars or grass beds would be useful.


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## PCBIII (Apr 28, 2018)

Does anyone use FMT in NE Florida? Jax, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach? If so how is the chart quality?


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