Garmin Echomap mapping questions

[Skywagon]

I did not want to horn in on ggpr's Garmin thread so thought it better to start an entirely different one.  I have a few questions.

I have been using a Echomap 93 with Livescope mostly for ice fishing and am toying with the idea of setting up a entirely new portable kit for open water to replace a Lowrance HDS 5" screen.  This kit would be used exclusively on small 14'-16' cache boats, so not a lot of physical space for a finder.  I am looking for the ability to map the remote lake my cabin is on with it and was contemplating a Echomap 73 (or Canadian equivalent) hoping it would take less room than my 93.  One question is the 73 screen big enough to see a map well enough to read?  The next question is if any of you have been using the Echomap to map with, if so how do you like them for that? or is another brand easier to use?  Thank you for any thoughts, I am totally clueless about mapping.

[Gunflint]

I purchased the original 73 and it does a great job for me when I map. In fact, I never did a fixed mount on my boats in the summer but simply used my Ice fishing kit all year. That way I can put it on my canoe for mapping in the BWCA and on various boats as I fish different places.  Works great.

[hardwater diehard]

I have the Garmin EchoMap 43cv ...My plan this season is to use the soft water transducer to map some small lakes and ponds that I ice fish..via some PVC piping .. wish me luck . I have mapped using it on open water its pretty EZPZ ..then uploaded it to the Active Captain App so its on my smartphone ...supposedly you can get it loaded to the Navionics app via sonar chart live ..I did try that but not to successful as it does not appear on the  the Navionics app ...could be my error . As far as size a 73 seems to be a big screen ..and probably a better portable option . As far as the mapping I used a combination of videos on YouTube and reading some information off the Garmin site .I took a screen shot of the mapping instructions on my smartphone and used that as my guide on the water

[jbird68]

I've had my 73sv for a few years. Fire the last few years ice been taking a trip to Chetek, Wisconsin at the end of September. I've mapped quite a bit over the years. It's easy. Just have to remember to hit record every time you head out. Then when I get home I just upload the quick draw map to the Garmin community. My 73sv isn't compatible with Active Captain so I have to transfer from my SD card.

[hardwater diehard]

I've had my 73sv for a few years. Fire the last few years ice been taking a trip to Chetek, Wisconsin at the end of September. I've mapped quite a bit over the years. It's easy. Just have to remember to hit record every time you head out. Then when I get home I just upload the quick draw map to the Garmin community. My 73sv isn't compatible with Active Captain so I have to transfer from my SD card.

Yes I have to use my SD card to go to Quickdraw then to my Active Captain app ..cant remember exactly what I did ..but it was not to bad if I recall .

[Skywagon]

It sounds like I better bone up on mapping (what did we ever do before utube).  I am wavering now on which Garmin model to get, there is an attractive price on the UHD 93SV right now, may grab one of those and try to make the 9" work.  Will probably make some sort of shuttle to fit the available space and may use a Milwaukee 18v for power. 

[kpd145]

I got a Garmin echo map 73SV on sale a few years ago.

Has active captain, mapping, etc....

I love it, great unit I use year round, I use my Genz box off my old Vexilar as a shuttle, had to mod a bit but it works great.

While the newer models may have a sexier screen or more bells and whistles. It works great, good target separation, I really like the ice ducer for it.

Mine came loaded with lake mas which were a bit underwhelming on some bodies of water.
 
But I use contour mapping pretty much every trip I am out to get more accurate depths for the time of year I am fishing. I also bought a larger SD card to use for memory and to download new updates for the finder.

I plan on getting a 10" garmin for next season.