I have a 21ft Pontoon with a Lowrance HDS Gen 3 and a Xi5 TM. I assume the GPS unit is inside my Lowrance unit and what I am seeing is from the transducer at the rear. I fish from the front of my boat and when I mark a waypoint (brush pile / fish) and use the TM to go back to that waypoint I end up having to hunt down that spot I just wanted to fish. Is there a way to calibrate the GPS with am offset or something like that? Would I need to mount my transducer up front, which still leaves the until about 12ft behind the front of the boat. Maybe buy another Lowrance unit and mount it up front using the built in transducer in the TM? Technology drives me nuts sometimes.

check Lowrance Point-1

If your Unit is Linked with your Xi5 you should be able to Mark the pile on your HDS screen and then Navigate to it AUTOMATICALLY using the Lowrance Motor guide gateway link. The troll mtr will bring your boat to it if it`s linked.There is a Youtube Video Lowrance Tips & Tricks Navigating to waypoints by Paul Getty. This is how I learned to use my Xi5 & HDS Units to put me on WP`s. John Crews has a GOOD video on how to line up on a WP after marking them.

Capt - I have experienced the same problem you described and getting to the bottom of it is really involved. I assume your Xi5 has pinpoint right? When you save a way point, are you saving it in your HDS unit, and not in the Xi5 's?

When you set up your network, there are several settings that have a big impact on what happens when searching for the waypoint.

Are you using a Point1 antenna?

I can tell you that I made numerous calls to both Motorguide and Lowrance - while on the water - to get things set correctly to accomplish what I wanted. Both were very helpful, just don't call on Monday! I have a bow HDS unit, with its sonar transducer at the bow, with that unit set to use its internal GPS antenna for position. My stern mounted Totals Totalscan transducer feeds my console unit, and I use the Point1 antenna at the same location as the Totalscan. Then, the console HDS unit must be set to use the Point1 in the "local" mode for position. Again, these settings are critical, and talking to Lowrance while on the water helps a great deal.

If you are using only one transducer at the rear of the boat, then when you are searching for the waypoint structure maybe you could use a marker bouy to mark the point. However, if your TM is at the bow, and you don't have a bow mounted transducer, then it is difficult to get over the waypoint.

Hope this helps.

More questions, PM me.

Caption Cook: To achieve the best accuracy when saving waypoints is 2 fold.

1 Install a Point 1 as mentioned above. Mount on the rear over top of the transducer as close as ou can WITHOUT magnetic interference to the Point 1 (the electronic compass. Then you set the source for GPS to the point 1 and the vessel heading to Point 1.

2 The next item is how you save your waypoints. The best and most accurate way is zoom in on the structure or location on your sonar if you see a brushpile you want to get back put the crosshairs on the location and save waypoint at that location. You can do that on Sonar, Down scan, SI and AT. I do it all the time and go right back to that waypoint everytime.

If you have questions feel free to ask here or PM

If i`m understanding him correctly he has only one Unit which is the HDS @ the console but no other unit up front .just the troll motor .would`nt he be better off just tossing a marker buoy out as soon as the object he wants to fish appears on the screen for a reference point and fish around it since he has no way of seeing whats beneath him when he`s fishing from the bow of the boat?

Man, I knew the great guys from the TFF would have an answer. I appreciate all yalls info. Looking up the Point 1 now. I am also tossing the idea around about buying a livescope system for the bow. Technology drives me nuts sometimes. Much appreciated!

You got all Lowrance get a AT2 that way it networks into your system and you can save waypoint on the AT which will save to any units on your system, the learning curve is very short.

PM sent

I bought an 12" HDS Live and a Point 1 GPS puck. Now I need to find out if the AT2 is worth double the price of the original. Thanks again for everyone's advice. My wife my not have appreciated it but I do!

Congrates on your new toys.

Guess I'm a little behind the times.I mark then on my second pass over it I toss a marker buoy for a visual to my structure/fish etc


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