David Carter
Guru
I traveled from Va. Using my iPad and Garmins blue chart mobile. I thought for the $30 it was the best option out there as far as navigational tools. I found it after reading a review on Active Captain that it was coming and what to expect. As I've said it lived up to the review at first. I had no issues that were to big to really cause a problem. The heads up was a nuisance when you touched the screen it would flip around and that black circle also a nuisance whenever you touched the screen it popped up.
I had a Garmin 2006c. I only had the chip for the Chesapeake bay. So to start traveling I needed new chips, plotter or navigational software. Garmin no longer supports its older plotters. I would have to find chips on eBay ....I should have took this has hint to Garmins support. Others had told me Garmin didn't play well with others as far being compatible.
I found that with the iPad or mobile software there are limitations as to the amount of tracks. I reached 50 tracks and got an error message that I needed to delete tracks in order to continue. I called Garmins marine support and got a response from Jim E. he stated that the software is not intended to be used as a chartploter. There is no way to save your tracks from the iPad or phone. So the tracks that I created from Va. To Marathon key, Fl can't be saved. Unless I buy a new plotter with Bluetooth then I can save them to that plotter.. I was ready to buy another iPad for back up I thought that this was the way to go. $30 for all the charts I needed to do the loop wow. I wonder if Navionics has this limitation.
Now I'm in the market for new electronics. I like the Garmin 740. I gotta say I'm a little concerned with the support in a few years from Garmin. I understand having a plotter that works with the radar and sonar is really great. I really don't want to spend $6000 to $8000 for the system. I would like to buy something that I can add the other items as I can afford them.
I had a Garmin 2006c. I only had the chip for the Chesapeake bay. So to start traveling I needed new chips, plotter or navigational software. Garmin no longer supports its older plotters. I would have to find chips on eBay ....I should have took this has hint to Garmins support. Others had told me Garmin didn't play well with others as far being compatible.
I found that with the iPad or mobile software there are limitations as to the amount of tracks. I reached 50 tracks and got an error message that I needed to delete tracks in order to continue. I called Garmins marine support and got a response from Jim E. he stated that the software is not intended to be used as a chartploter. There is no way to save your tracks from the iPad or phone. So the tracks that I created from Va. To Marathon key, Fl can't be saved. Unless I buy a new plotter with Bluetooth then I can save them to that plotter.. I was ready to buy another iPad for back up I thought that this was the way to go. $30 for all the charts I needed to do the loop wow. I wonder if Navionics has this limitation.
Now I'm in the market for new electronics. I like the Garmin 740. I gotta say I'm a little concerned with the support in a few years from Garmin. I understand having a plotter that works with the radar and sonar is really great. I really don't want to spend $6000 to $8000 for the system. I would like to buy something that I can add the other items as I can afford them.
