"we have the Garmin53CV and have had great luck with it -- when loaded with the Lakes chip (add$150)"
I have the exact same setup, but the 73CV (7-inch screen vs 5)
I only use the transducer for depth and the periodic looking at the bottom before I drop (or snag) anchor.
The biggest thing I use a
LOT with this setup up and the 'chip'. I get auto guidance.
Not autopilot, more like MapQuest for boats. Just use the cursor, put in home location and tell it to auto-navigate there. Because you define in setup your height, beam, and draught it knows what bridges I can go under and it knows how shallow I can go (the chip also gives you auto lake depth). Then I have a purple line on the chart to follow.
I could be in Moultonboro at 11PM with no moon and get to Paugus or Alton with no worries. Or, I can hand the helm to my wife and say, follow the purple line, I have to hit the head
I try to keep a line on the map from where I am to home also just in case something happens and I can not navigate (bonk on the head, attacked by bears,,, ) basically just in case I have to tell anyone how to get back home.