Correct me if I'm wrong...

I have 2 HDS units on the boat with all of the necessary transducers (no modules are needed), one on the bow and the other on the console. I will be linking them with an ethernet cable. Those units will be fully functional without setting up the NEMA network, correct? As well as my boat being fully functional?

I can set up the network at a later date if I want data from my outboard, or what have you, correct?

Yes. Ethernet will allow you to share waypoints, transducers, mapping cards etc.

If you decide to add a Point 1 heading sensor, you will need to setup a nmea network or to get engine data

Ok, thanks. In regards to the P1, do I need an antenna if both HDS units have internal antennas?

You won't need a Pt 1 unless you are planning to fish wpts. The Pt 1 helps with that.

Well, of course I'll be fishing waypoints as I accumulate them. The internal antennas aren't accurate enough for that?

It isn't accuracy. It is getting and staying on a spot. When you are stopped the gps won't show you drifting away from your wpt. With the Pt 1 you have a heading that makes it a lot easier.

Take a trip to bass boat central web site and look in the Lowrance forum or do a Point 1 search. You will find out what you need to know about it and you can decided for yourself if or not you need one.

I'll help explain it (maybe)... the point 1 is a heading sensor, it tells the graph which direction the boat is pointed. When you are fishing open water, with no reference points, while sitting still your graph screen will start to spin in circles. When the graphs not moving it can't tell where it's going, so the screen gets confused. With a heading sensor hooked to the graph this does not happen because the graph now knows what direction it's pointed to.

That may help or confuse you.

Makes perfect sense. I'll probably add a P1 a bit later. I've spent a small fortune in the last few weeks getting everything else. I'll just work with some marker buoys in the mean time when I'm offshore. Thanks fellas!