Anyone use the subscription? I like the idea of having the wind, weather, and water temp contours on my Garmin as opposed to apps on my phone. Maybe there are better options?
SiriusXM Marine Offshore
- Thread starter Aheider
- Start date
Help Support Classic Parker Boat Forum:
I have the Garmin XM antenna. It came with the boat. I looked at the pricing and thought it was a bit steep for what it offered. Haven't pulled the trigger but am curious.
IcyAtlantic
Well-known member
I use it more than I had anticipated, honestly. Typically run 60+ NM to the grounds- and despite careful planning- mother nature can sometimes be fickle....and in those moments, I was happy to see real time weather info and plan accordingly.
Additionally, I often use the sea temp data to find nice temp breaks and increase my chances.
Additionally, I often use the sea temp data to find nice temp breaks and increase my chances.
I have Sirius and fish offshore in the Northeast. Sirius is useful at times but IMO frequently over rated on internet forums by subscribers. We don’t get a lot of pop up thunderstorm events in the Northeast particularly offshore, in Southern Waters where that type of weather is a lot more common, the value of Sirius goes up.
Where I fish, there is a big difference from forecast winds of 5-10kts when the actual wind ends up being 15-20kts. There isn’t much Sirius can provide when forecast wind velocity exceeds the forecast unless it’s associated with a rapidly developing storm front, which again doesn’t happen frequently offshore in the Northeast.
Worth having? I’d say yes but IMO the guys who call it “game changing” are exaggerating it’s value (particularly in the Northeast).
Last edited:
Appreciate the comments. The ability to see temperature breaks while chasing albacore is probably worth the cost of admission for me. Is there a minimum number of months you have to subscribe/pay for in a 12 month period? Wouldn't really need it 5 months out of the year.
Yes, you can put a “pause” on the account. I do it every year for 5 months.
@Mpellet , how accurate do you find the SST maps to be? I can see that being worth its weight in gold for offshore canyon trolling, if it’s fairly up to date and accurate.
Is there any sort of penalty for putting a pause on the account, other than just not being able to use it?
I don’t find the temperature data to be very accurate/valuable BUT I am running an older plotter that might not show as much/ detailed imagery as a newer one would.
There isn’t any penalty for the “pause” but the service is not cheap, with music my bill is around $60 a month. I haven’t recently done a price comparison, it’s possible that it might be cheaper to bite the bullet and pay for the full year vice month to month. I’ll have to revisit this before I restore service this Spring.
I think the offshore plan is pushing 110.00 a month.
Here in socal we have fishdope. I pay for it, not a plug. It gives me that info and additional info such a plane Intel, other boat reports, ect. I also don't need to listen to music while fishing. I like pease and calm while offshore. The clicker ripping 1000 clicks per second is the best music money can buy!
I just looked and see the Sirius “Fish Mapping” plan at $110. I don’t have that plan. Zero experience on that data from me, sorry for the confusion. It was just ignorance on my part not intentional bull$hit
.
I'm with you on the music. Once I'm 15 miles plus offshore, cell service is sketchy and can't access the other SST / wind apps. My only reason for considering GXM.
I just looked and see the Sirius “Fish Mapping” plan at $110. I don’t have that plan. Zero experience on that data from me, sorry for the confusion. It was just ignorance on my part not intentional bull$hit
The Sirius fish finder hasn’t been very helpful at all for me in the two years I’ve been using it. RipCharts is way better for temp breaks.
How do you use Ripcharts on the water? Download the info before you go? Have cell service?
We are probably getting a starlink to solve that issue.
cybodden
Member
I had the Sirius Off shore plan but it got pricey. This year moving those funds to a starlink service and purchasing a Starmount conversion kit. can use all my online services offshore and have cell service on top of that 100 miles offshore is a better benefit. star mount link
I use Loran instead of gps. I pull up the two or three temp breaks I want to look at that trip on my phone on RipCharts before leaving the dock, touch the screen to get the Loran intersecting points, then plot them nearest to furthest in my Garmin then go.
