no problem! heres a couple examples of how it has helped me. one i was just cruising and seen a large rock pile in a wide open area. i marked it made one cast and caught a fish. most guys would run past this spot a million times and never even think twice it was in an open area where most boats cruise through. another spot that it helped alot. i was fishing some downed trees in a spot and didnt get a hit. i made a pass to see if i could get some good shots of the trees. i noticed more trees further from shore isolated from the rest of them. i moved out about 20-30 feet and bounced some cranks through them and nabbed about 5 or 6 fish!! again another spot i wouldnt of even thought to hit without the si. this stuff is worth its weight in gold. i cant wait till i have a year or two of seat time with it!!

You guys are killing me.  I dropped my small boat off this morning to have the 898 si installed. My plan is to use it this weekend. Once I get the small boat done I will be having the 898 si installed on the bigger boat also!  It is absolutely killing me to have to wait till the weekend to see the unit in action.  I will be burning a ton of gas tocheck out the reservoir!

Darn it gail, I am with fishingforfun - I am dying - I actually finished the install in totality last night - I actually do not know when I will be able to get out ont he water with it - I am going out of town to visit family this weekend - ahhhhh

Gale, your description of your actual on the water experience is exactly what all of us hope for in buying this technology - you are making us salivate 

Cant wait to get it out there as I have said - even though the boat monkey is off my back, it is still in my mind cause I have not even seen it in action yet  >

I hope you have a good idling motor.....because you will be putting around looking at everything.

I hope you have a good idling motor.....because you will be putting around looking at everything.

I have a 30HP mercury - it idles ever so quite and is quite slow at idle - I think I will be ok - I have never wanted to get in my boat so back just to idle 

i get to wet the line a bit tomorrow!! i am getting teeth pulled a 2pm so i have the mornming open i am hoping to get some good shots from a spot i know has some drowned trees in 30+ foot of water

Do you guys have the Navionics card?  I purchased the 2010 Platinum edition.  I hope to check out Burke Lake this Saturday!

I have the "premium" card I believe - I have previewed its details on a couple of local lakes and it is freakin awesome!!!  It has 1 foot variable changes in depth on contour and also details like areas of submerged grass or timber, docks, landings, man all kinda crap - I would pull my teeth tomorrow to get out with it !!!

i didnt get any of the cards yet atleast. they dont cover any lakes i reguarly fish anyway....... i live in a small area and i fish a private lake and a couple small lakes close to me. i travel maybe a few times a year. the local few i fish have produced 10+ bass and decent numbers so i stay close to home usually

Alright, thats enough gale, your pissin me off 

How do you preview the details of the card?  I am thinking that the guy who is putting the sonar on my boat is getting tired of me calling!  I can't wait to get it on the water.

How do you preview the details of the card? I am thinking that the guy who is putting the sonar on my boat is getting tired of me calling! I can't wait to get it on the water.

get it hooked up to power...then during start up at some point you will press menu and choose the simulator mode and you can preview the maps all you want - I know I have too dude - my setup is sittting ready in my garage since 2 nights ago and guess what....I aint gonna be able to get it out there till NEXT weekend AHHHHHHHHHHH  :'(