Raycaster

Not trying to promote products (unless I get a cut!!!) but this has been available for awhile and works with Navionics already and is cheaper. Not a super high end scanner ( no side scan/chirp etc and not sure about depth max) but... http://www.sonarphone.mobi/navionics I like the idea of people at back of boat also being able to check depth/fish etc. from their phone or tablet. Everyone on boat can login to the device to view info.

The old Navionics Canada Lakes was able to go "live" mapping right away as soon as turned on WITHOUT DATA. All maps were preloaded and as long as your lake was purchased you were set. This was perfect for me with my older android phone without data. The new Navionic Boating HD although originally free requires you to purchased your maps within. This is fine although most users were stuck purchasing the same maps twice to upgrade... I was shocked the first time I went to use it with my Samsung 10" tablet. It worked perfect weeks before the fishing trip but when I turned it on in the boat the maps had no detail! It drove me crazy turning the different options SONAR etc. but still was left with no detail. When I got back to the motel and had wifi access the detail worked right away! This kinda sucks as the maps are preloaded with all detail but the app now seems to require a 5 second data login for activation every time. I now have to remember to turn the app on before heading out on the lake because I don't have a data plan. This is probably a piracy deterrent that doesn't stop piracy but hurts legit paying customers. The one problem I have with my tablet is that it's battery is old and doesn't last long. I installed a USB connector just for it but the connector only provides a small trickle charge 1 amp probably. It will actually die plugge in charging. I need to look for a 2.1A USB connector for this year.

Don't think the android version is available yet got the Vexllar add-on, just ipad. I use Navionics on a big 10" tablet and its pretty nice as no data is needed with the maps preloaded. This used to be perfect but the latest version requires data for verification when you first turn it on I believe. Was thinking of the vexilar option also but no Android support yet and the transducer seem pretty basic compared to new side sonar etc...

My mistake... The copilot (NOT iPILOT) option is $150, the transmitter is $50 and the wireless pedal is $100, useable with V1 and V2. Looks like $449 (IPilot for PDV2), another $50 for transmitter... There goes my cheap anchor lock dream...

Got my eye on an friends older MinnKota trolling motor but keep dreaming of the newer ipilot features. I noticed there is a iPilot add-on available to equip older unit 1991 and up. Can't afford a full blown unit but a gently used one with an option to upgrade sounds do-able. Anyone tried this? thx ahead.

Syncing the kobo with overdrive downloaded library .epub or .mobi files is UGLY, (you know this already). It requires adobe Digital Rights management setup properly on your laptop/pc/kobo. Once you are able to get overdrive setup properly you still need the Adobe DRM account proper and probably windows media player updated with the latest DRM. Syncing purchased ebook from kobo is fairly easily to sync but unfortunately the transfer for library to laptop to kobo with DRM ebooks is a nightmare with very little information available. Even visiting the library looking for help will probably be fruitless due to the various DRM hoops needed to jump that are out of the librarian's grasp. Of course I would not suggest to you to find a geek friend to download the un-drm files for you to easily within 2 minutes sync with Calibre. I wish I could help more but when your overdrive/adobe drm/gmail/email account are set you should be pretty close.

Funny that Tiny Talent Time. was mentioned ... I met Bill Lawrence and his wife while getting flu shots in Dundas a year ago or so. I think atleast 5 people came forward and shook his hand saying they played a song or danced on the show when they were kids. I think he was overwhelmed, the lineup for flu shots was 100 deep and the place got pretty loud once someone reconized him (now in his 80's). Back to the ads.... I understand bills need to be paid but I'm just amazed at the ratio of ads/show are. Yes ad blockers etc. work kinda but wondering how well sites like tsn are doing. The site just had a major overhaul and uses all the latest browser features but almost bogs down trying to navigate. People with slower ISP's must be getting frustrated. Not to mention phones are beginning to nede some serious horsepower to function. My pet peeve is waiting for a page to load while the site is trying to download ads from a slower source. The bandwdth required to load those page has gone thru the roof!

Has anyone else noticed how Internet ads are becoming overwhelming now? I'm not talking about cookies remembering your google searches for a new rod and reel etc. and hitting you with fishing banners every website you visit. I'm talking about the video ads that this year seem to have doubled or tripled in length! If you visit CNN or TSN every small article you want to glance at starts with 30 sec video ad and than another and then another.... Even articles that don't have video turn pictures into a video etc. I know sites have to make money but watching 90 seconds of ads to see a 45 sec. recap of last nights game is ridiculous! And not only time consuming but the sites all take longer to view because google has to figure out the 10 relevant ads to fill the page and download them all before you can even see simple line score from a game. Ok, off my soapbox, things are newer and cool but TV commercials never seemed that invasive or long. Or maybe I'm guilty of a growing instant gratification need has amplified the ads sense of waste to me... hmmm Signed, old man.

I have one last trip planned for LSC but the furnace seems to want to get in the way. I have a older furnace that needs replacing but its just not in the cards right now. The furnace and AC are working fine but the damn blower/fan has been driving me crazy for a year or so. The blower fan is the older variety with the motor on the outside belt driven. Well the bearings and shaft wobbled enough to wake the house so I went looking for a replacement. With Kijiji I was able to grab a used one which is fine but it was a little big and its causing problems also. I just need a 15" fan/blower as anything bigger won't fit properly. A newer fan/blower with the motor inside would probably be my best bet for quiet... I've not been able to track down a assembly in the Hamilton area and hoping someone here has a line on a reasonably priced unit close by for pickup. I can install no problem as long as its the right size. I can pm exact measurement if anyone might have something. Thanks ahead of time. Really hoping to brave the cold and hit LSC in 2 week to chase the big boys but the furnace sounds like a bowling alley and the wife isn't happy if you know what I mean.

From the computer side of things formatting larger than 2G drives with exFAT32 may help out. It may have ZERO to do with your Navionics problem but worth a try. Only try with a blank card as this will wipe a memory card clean. If your not a computer guy I would 100% just go buy a cheap 2G card and avoid the hassle. Of course if someone knows a proper Navionics memory card solution than ignore mine.

The problem is I assume the maps are loaded. I have been on LSC several times with the app with full detail and then the last time I had no detail until I was back at the motel with wifi. With the original US & CANADA I never had this problem as the maps were available in full detail the minute after it was fully installed with updated maps. Either the app now requires authorization for every use or flushes it map "cache" between uses. I think it may be authorization as it monitors days left on map updating... I have a android Road GPS program from Sygic that is around 5 gigs of data but once installed I have a Android GPS mapping program that never requires data for all roads North America. This is how the older version of US & CANADA Lakes worked. .

Being able to have a digital Bluechart with GPS at night time on a unfamiliar lake is worth the $60 to me. Even with a paper map of Nippising its pretty easy to get lost trying to recognize little islands and inlets etc. if your not a local. Contour detail and community edits of stumps and rock locations is nice too. Of course it might not be in the league of the chart plotters but either is the cost. If you are thinking of purchasing it research a little to check if your phone/tablet plays with it nicely and also if your LAKE is actually charted!

Actually I'm pretty sure the blue maps are built-in but Sat image overlay and community edits require data. Just seems it now needs internet access to "turn on" the detail WATER information each time the app is started. The older app US & CANADA LAKES never required DATA once installed. (except for overlays etc.)

As mentioned in another post I opened the wallet and paid for Navionics HD Boating ($60) even though I owned a older version. I loved the apps because no data was required as the maps preloaded etc. and all that was needed was a device with GPS. I ran out to Lake St Clair and brought my tablet along to play. I was out of Belle River closing in on the hump and fired up the tablet. For the life of me I could NOT get a detailed map of the lake. It appeared blocky with no contour info. I wondered that since I was given a free "fisherman" add-on trial if that screwed up the license or something. I notcied it only showed the GOV map option and I think the Navionics/sonar were ghosted. Sure enough when I got back on land with Wifi and internet access it all worked out like originally. The other day I was planning a trip to Sturgeon Lake so I looked at the tablet maps at a friends house without wifi. Trying to locate Goose Bay and pickeral point. Guess what? Same thing... All blocky no contours. It may be requiring a internet connection to confirm ownership or to refresh what maps are on the phone/tablet... I'm probably the last guy on the planet not to have DATA on their phone but I seriously only need it less than 5% of the time and can just wait till I'm at a hotspot or home. I now have to turn the tablet on before every use with internet access to make sure the maps are ready. I'm using a Samsung Tab 2 10.1" and Samsung Note 2 phone. I know most guys here use the "chip" in their units but wondering if there are any mobile users here with the same setup? Thanks Guys.

You can pick up a cheap 10" tablet with GPS under $150 instead of phone. I have a Samsung Tab 10" that is nice with navionics. Don't need a high end tablet, just a cheap kijiji used one. Just need a good mount and some weather proofing and away you go. If anyone is looking for the "Hump" on LSC, here it is.

Predicted on this board probably 2 years ago that a bluetooth fish finder option would be available to run wireless with Navionics. I'm a tech geek at heart and have been watching the launch of the "go deeper" sonar unit but without maps and gps not ideal. They may have changed things not sure. Anyways, noticed a fishfinder option on Navionics yesterday with a "demo". Basically the demo just shows a fishfinder readout running under the maps. The app appears free within Navionics (could be wrong...) but you would of course need the hardware. The hardware is by Vexilar "T-Box" and looks like a simple transducer ($150 US). The price seems right and then just adding a cheap no-name 10" tablet with GPS and it could be a nice combo. A usb charger onboard would probably be necessary to keep on all day. I read some of the reviews and there are a few complaints that its really not setup for icefishing and some tablets have problems with the wifi as its a hotspot not internet access. Some tablets will jump from access point to access point looking for best internet connection. Well I guess holding out for a Side Scanner model would be nice but I think being able to play back routes with fish patterns might be handy. Heck I could see spending a few days re-mapping your personal lake with updated contours and stumps/rock etc. May not be up there with the pro equipment but for $300 (Tablet + Navionics + T-Box) it looks pretty inviting. Didn't post links, I'm sure its not hard to find more info.

Getting a guide for the day was the best thing we ever did on Nipissing. We spent the first 2 hours on Cache Bay snagging and tangling like 5 year olds. We hated the weeds but by noon we were ripping every lure through the soup like champs. Think we ended the day over 15 pike and a much learned appreciation for REALLY fishing with a smart plan and a better understanding of lake. I now head to the thickest cover I can find whatever lake I'm on. I know everyone says "not me" but I 10X agree with the above posters about the rocks there! I swear we were in the middle of the lake in deep water when we took out a prop. Another time we were skating between islands and ended up on slate top in 1' of water bottomed out! We were very careful, had maps, and were warned several times. When locals each have 2 sets of extra props in their boat you should be very weary...

I know with the Boating license you can phone and have them send you a temp. pdf file you can print up. I have a slow pontoon and am targeted the minute I launch from Balsam every year. I have been stopped 3 times in 18 months while boats around me are breaking Guinness Speed Records.... grumpy... a little.

Our family has netflix but we have something like a 275G limit. We are probably guilty as the next family thinking that you would eventually start eliminating extra packages from cable TV to basically even it up or save money. Well, it hasn't happened and it just makes it easy to watch tv on your tablet or laptop etc. Netflix does have a few things extra like movies and tv series made just for Netflix like "House Of Cards", and Orange is the new Black etc. Bottom line is that with 4 members in the house during non-summer months we can push the 275G to the limit easily. We don't sit and watch TV 24-7 but it just adds up. Besides Netflix we use XBMC and also have the Slingbox... Still can't figure out why after spending all this cash on programming I never seem to get the fishing channels!

This is actually the Android App not the chip for the fishfinder/chartplotters. Guess it makes sense that I keep the current maps but only updated maps for a year.

Well I don't think its a question... Yesterday gave in to purchasing the new Navionic app for my tablet as the old version for my phone and tablet ($14.95) just randomly stop working. Kinda sucked paying for the same app twice (new maps same detail as old and I don't use the social media stuff). But I really like the Navionics app so I went and installed the new Navionics Boating HD for free (With map purchases inside). Saw the Canadian maps for $45 but then saw the US+Canada for $54 so thought what the heck... Went to sync with phone and saw a 356 days remaining blurb... What? Am I mistaken or is the Navionic Android App subscription based? Reading the site says: Navionics + Receive a 12 months subscription to all the value of Navionics+: Nautical Charts, SonarCharts™ and Community Edits. It also provides 12 months of chart updates. At the end of your subscription, you will retain all the charts you have downloaded and have the option to renew your subscription to updates.

Just back for the Hump (fished Thursday/Friday). 2 days bumbling around in a 16' pontoon with a 30hp, but was very lucky the lake was like glass Thursday and calm yesterday. Spend most of my time in the Kawarthas so really not set for Lake St. Clair, think I was the only guy chucking 2lb lures around. The majority of the "floatilla" (5-15 boats) at the hump appeared to be jigging their limit of wally I guess. Noticed 2-3 boats trolling with planar boards for musky. Went all over the lake after some time on the Hump and ended up with a small guy (38") in the net/boat/quick pic and back in the lake. I am still very much a newbie for LSC (only been twice) but I would suggest a detailed contour map or navionic etc. I would 100% pay attentions to posts above also, they REALLY know there stuff (Mike, Lew etc.) I would not suggest a small boat as mine is close to minimum on the lake. Mitchel Bay to Belle River took over an hour easily and alot of gas. BTW, I was in shock Thursday as 2-3' GAR were everywhere on the lake surface swimming beside my boat like dolphins! Apparently locals ignore them and no one targets them (don't blame them!). Never saw one last year but looks like an explosion this year! Bottom line.... Lake St Clair is not Buckhorn...Be very careful of weather too...

I have a 30 hp yamaha 1985ish and when replacing the lower unit oil noticed the nice creamy yellow liquid coming out... It caught me off guard in the fall and really hoped it was worn screw grommets... Well after a new season start and a few trips around Balsam a quick check showed the same results. Seen tons of video how to diy and just wondering on the pros and cons and what a mech would charge. I,m home next week with it in Hamilton and probably will start calling around.

Thx guys.

Pulled a braindead move and forgot license at home. Is there a quick way to get a replacement? Should my name be on file to obtain a paper copy as proof until I get home in a few weeks? Might be easiest to walkin to the towns internet cafe retake the test online and print out the temp? I usually keep in boat but was preseason cleaning etc. I know I can order replacements but probably wont help for the next 2 weeks. Thx ahead. Ya I know, I know... dumb move.