# Best chartplotter for auto route guidance??



## ISLA Mapping (Jan 12, 2020)

There is no such thing available unless you want to run the ICW from main inlet A t main inlet B. Auto Guidance is a gimick for any inshore rig. It only works in easy to run deep water through marked channels. If you are running in shallow areas and expect any GPS mfg., to have created proven routes that will auto guide you through these challenging and changing areas think again. That is not what they do and for a number of reasons they will likely never do that. You will be required to create your own routes that you can save and rerun or save tracks to create them or rerun. Any decent GPS can create and save a Route you may run.


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## VANMflyfishing (Nov 11, 2019)

ISLA Mapping said:


> There is no such thing available unless you want to run the ICW from main inlet A t main inlet B. Auto Guidance is a gimick for any inshore rig. It only works in easy to run deep water through marked channels. If you are running in shallow areas and expect any GPS mfg., to have created proven routes that will auto guide you through these challenging and changing areas think again. That is not what they do and for a number of reasons they will likely never do that. You will be required to create your own routes that you can save and rerun or save tracks to create them or rerun. Any decent GPS can create and save a Route you may run.


As a edit, I don't need one to run super shallow creeks or areas. More use from the boat ramp to a certain point or creek mouth. In the past year, I only launched from the same place twice. I tend to do research on google earth, find a flat I want to fish within 15 miles, then navigate buy sight. It would be nice to do a point to point navigation on a unit to get me close enough.


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## ISLA Mapping (Jan 12, 2020)

VANMflyfishing said:


> As a edit, I don't need one to run super shallow creeks or areas. More use from the boat ramp to a certain point or creek mouth. In the past year, I only launched from the same place twice. I tend to do research on google earth, find a flat I want to fish within 15 miles, then navigate buy sight. It would be nice to do a point to point navigation on a unit to get me close enough.


You will have to create that track yourself, save it, and then pull it up on the GPS to follow or do what is often done on poor charts with insufficient detail - just create a line of precise waypoints to follow and use that to navigate instead of the chart. That is what most people do and especially those running Garmin charts.


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## hcft (Dec 10, 2015)

I believe the navionics app does indeed build you a navigational map.


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## ISLA Mapping (Jan 12, 2020)

hcft said:


> I believe the navionics app does indeed build you a navigational map.


No application builds a map other than software used to create encrypted files run by chart manufacturers. There are applications that provide a map or maps that have some data. Most applications are just replications of map chips you can run on a mobile device. You can use the map provided to try to determine where to run or to create and program your own navigation route with it. The same goes for a GPS. They also provide a chart or charts you can choose to display. None provide any detailed navigation insight outside of a main channel like the ICW or very deep water with the sole exceptions being an ISLA chart that has the Tracks set to display. Other than primary deep water location A to primary deep location B, there is no such thing as Auto routing that actually works. Some say setting a GPS to GOTO a waypoint is auto routing but that is not correct as if you do this the unit just creates a straight track (shortest distance) to the waypoint from the boat location without regard to any obstacles or land. Thus, for most situations that would not be a navigable track.


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## hcft (Dec 10, 2015)

I just meant I put point A and point B in Navionics and it gives me a route based on how much I say my boat drafts. Pretty cool, that’s all I meant.


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

As @hcft suggests, the Navionics app will do what you want. It is subscription based, you set min draft requirements, and will auto build routes with a couple touches on your phone screen. You can build routes with the app on iphone or iPad and then upload them to your GPS unit that runs a Navionics chip as well as save your tracks. 
Do some research on it. You pay to play, but very useful app, even as a backup to your GPS


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## VANMflyfishing (Nov 11, 2019)

Navionics is $20 or something. That’s pretty cheap. I had a unit with it before and use the C-MAP app on my phone now which has auto routing. Again point A to B. I’m not running shallow flats or such like it Florida. Purely deep channels and bays to get to the opening of a creek/flat 15 miles. The Garmin does it by how the crow flies versus a map with separate waypoints in the water. Ill download navionics for my next trip and see how it goes. Then probably get a Lowrance elite FS 9 unless someone recommends a better unit.


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## Water Bound (Dec 12, 2018)

Yeah it’s cheap, and has some good integration with a GPS running the Navionics+ chip.
I keep it on my phone as a backup. It also always you to download the map for use offline


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