When Lowrance announced its all-new HDS Series in October, there seemed to be several valid rationales for the letters, which stand for “High Definition System.” All the plotter/fishfinder models have high detail but formerly black-box Broadband Sounder digital technology built in. They also have more detailed Lowrance lake and ocean cartography built-in or available and can display all Navionics formats, including high-def Platinum Plus photo maps; and all can also display Lowrance HD radar. Now add support for the new Broadband Radar, which I discussed in my column, and HDS makes even more sense. The various systems are offered with 5-, 6.4-, 8.4-, and 10-inch screens at prices ranging from $900 to $2,800. Most HDS models also support Lowrance’s new Sirius Satellite Weather and Audio receiver. And larger models like the HDS 10 shown here incorporate LED backlighting—a lower-power, longer-lasting first in dedicated marine electronics—and a soft-key interface, a first for Lowrance. I have yet to see HDS in action but suspect it will forever end the misperception that Lowrance gear isn’t good enough for saltwater.
LOWRANCE (800) 324-1356. www.lowrance.com.
This article originally appeared in the March 2009 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
