A chartplotter is a marine navigation display that uses GPS to show your boat's position on an electronic nautical chart in real time. It lets you plan routes, mark waypoints, and see your position relative to hazards, depths, and other vessels, all from one screen at the helm. 

If you spend time on the water, a chartplotter gives you a level of confidence and safety that paper charts and handheld GPS units can't easily match. It shows your exact position, course, and speed against detailed, up-to-date charts, so you can navigate unfamiliar waters, avoid hazards, and find your way back to harbour, even in poor visibility. 

Here are some use cases where a chartplotter is useful: 

• Everyday cruising – confirming your position, tides, and route, find points of interest and marina information directly for your charts. 
• Fishing – especially on combined chartplotter/fishfinder units that help locate and identify fish, while also displaying water depth, seabed structure, contours and underwater features. 
• Sailing – optimising performance with laylines, polars, target wind angles, race timers and boat speed data, while tracking course, wind and tides through connected instruments and autopilot systems 
• Safety – quickly identify your position for a distress call or plotting a route around approaching weather or obstacles.  

A chartplotter shows your position on an electronic chart using GPS, helping you navigate, plan routes, and mark waypoints. A fishfinder uses sonar to show what's beneath the boat, such as water depth, bottom structure, and fish. 

Many anglers use a chartplotter/fishfinder combo, which combines navigation and sonar on a single display. Raymarine's current Axiom 2 range, along with legacy Element models, offers this functionality. Element HV models feature HyperVision and RealVision 3D sonar for ultra-high-resolution imaging in shallow water, while Axiom units support a broader range of sonar technologies, including RealVision MAX, RealVision 3D and traditional CHIRP sonar for versatility across different fishing environments and depths. This delivers both chartplotter navigation and advanced fish-finding capabilities from a single screen. 

It depends on how and where you use your chartplotter. 

Touchscreen control, available across the Axiom 2 range, feels intuitive and is fast for zooming, panning and switching between chart and sonar views, much like using a smartphone or tablet. It's designed to perform reliably in wet and challenging marine conditions, while physical controls can provide additional confidence and precision in rough seas or extreme weather. 

Keypad (button) control, keep working reliably in wet conditions, with gloves on, or when the boat is pitching in rough water, situations where a touchscreen can be harder to use accurately. 

Raymarine's Axiom 2 Pro models offer HybridTouch, combining a touchscreen with a physical keypad, so you get fast touch input plus reliable button control when conditions get rough. The best choice ultimately comes down to your boat type, typical conditions, and personal preference.