Garmin buys ActiveCaptain
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Use the information wisely. I have found the reviews very informative. I look at the detail more than the rating. Then there's the basic information provided. I know whether to pursue further very quickly.
It's like any crowd sourced reviews. You get good and bad quality of reviews. For instance, someone rates one poorly because of the price. Well, to me the price is a fact, not a review item. It's shown elsewhere. You knew going in what the price was so don't downgrade because of it. I know restrooms and showers are important to many and enter many reviews.
I'm a fan of Active Captain, even though not of Jeffrey. I have not been let down by his recommended marinas, although often I select another marina near them. It also is very much truth in advertising as the section you reference is titled "Visit a sponsor instead" so it makes it very clear it's telling you about a sponsoring marina.
twistedtree
Guru
Wow, that really surprises me. The populations are about equal, so I would expect about equal boating populations. We have more inland territory, but our populations is heavily concentrated near the coasts, so I wouldn't expect that to make a big difference.
No, the population of Europe is more than 2.3 times that of the US.
sunchaser
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MB
You missed my point. The site hit or customer count used for goodwill calculation is an unknown to us and I'm sure negotiated between the parties. Somewhere etween the two stayed numbers. And as I stated, likely around 50% of the acquisition cost. Then add in a salary for the standstill calculation. All in all Jeffrey's new boat is paid for with a tidy sum in top.
ranger58sb
Guru
Might be hits (or clicks?) are maybe counted multiple times as separate "users?" We have AC integrated into MaxSea Time Zero on two computers, on two tablets each using two different nav apps, and on two phones, each also using those same two different nav apps. Different IPs would show up for our various AC-related activity.
OTOH, all of those are tied to the same AC account...
Another thought is that "users" isn't necessarily limited to AC posters.
-Chris
I would assume it's subscribers, not just posters, but still the numbers just don't work. Often numbers like this are tossed around rather loosely, coming from some source, but not representing what they are used to say.
Donsan
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Would not be surprised if one of the key reasons for buying AC is to obtain the forward thinking ideas (often called trade secrets) of Jeffrey and Karen.
Capt.Bill11
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Donsan
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My guess is it was to get their vegan dog food recipes.
If the guineas will buy it, all the more power to them.
twistedtree
Guru
I see it depends on how far east and north you count.
I'm sure they were given details including member lists, activity counts, installations. How many are then actually using it actively is a guess at best. However, Garmin did their due diligence and decided in their mind what it was worth and didn't decide based on the numbers being publicly tossed around.
I'm sure it had two categories of value. The first was it's actual value as it's currently operated as a business. The second was it's future value to Garmin.
I applaud Jeffrey for avoiding one mistake many entrepreneurs make. He didn't stay forever married to having it as his and his alone. In building a business you're often consumed with it every hour of every day. You make some money but you don't have time for yourself. Ultimately, unless it's sizable enough to hire others to run it for you and still make a profit, you need to sell. It allows you to truly get repaid for all your time and effort, both financially and in earning time to enjoy. If you just can't let go or over value it or for whatever reason remain consumed by it, the pleasure disappears and it becomes a job, a burden.
I'll say too, that whatever Jeffrey got out of it, he deserved. He'd developed something no one else has. It was unique and a good product. It was all the effort of him and his wife. He's like the singer who hits it big and everyone talks about how much they're making without any idea of all the lousy clubs they played, all the dumps of motels they stayed in, all they years of hard work and little return that led up to it. While his behavior here repulsed me, his accomplishment impressed me. It came at great cost to him in terms of the investment of he and his wife and their time in it. He had a better idea and made it work. That merits whatever Garmin paid him.
Bigsfish
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Best comment I've read about the sale of Active Captain and leaving personalities out.
BTW I have sold some businesses and that is where you make your money as their is always someone who feels they can run it better than you and are willing to pay to prove it.
Best comment I've read about the sale of Active Captain and leaving personalities out.
BTW I have sold some businesses and that is where you make your money as their is always someone who feels they can run it better than you and are willing to pay to prove it.
seasalt007
Guru
If you have ever met Karen you will see how true it is what you say. One first class lady.
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+1I've heard many very complimentary things about both from those who have spent time around them. Obviously, this forum and some private business communications many of us had with him brought out the worst in him. Perhaps all the more reason it's time for him to move on and enjoy his life.
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ranger58sb
Guru
Agree...
I thought of another way they could get to big numbers.
Add the numbers of all app and software users who COULD have AC integrated (TZ, PlansNav, MX Mariner, probably iNavx, iSailor, etc.)... and that'd probably be large. After all, they're candidates...
That'd be getting even a bit more adventurous with marketing, though...
-Chris
Parts of communications from Active Captain:
From Jeff on Facebook:
Contained in his newsletter:
Now understand these should all be taken with a grain of salt for a number of reasons. First, they are intended to calm the current users. Second, there are often in acquisitions multiple plans. In this case there could be the Internal Garmin Plan, which Jeff may or may not know in full. There could then be the Jeff Plan, that which has been discussed with him and his knowledge. Then there is the Public Plan, that which Active Captain then provides the public. These could all be one and the same, or could be very different. Only time will tell. Just, history says, at the time of an acquisition, all the information released may or may not be accurate.
I found one section very interesting and that was the mention of fishing and other boating activities. Garmin is into a huge range of products of which marine is a small portion. However, on the marine side, the true impetus of the product line came from fishing. It all goes back to depthfinders/fishfinders. Could there be another layer added for fishing? Then what about other boating activities. Could there be a sailing layer? Who knows, but Garmin I'm sure has a plan. Now, whether that will all come to fruition is another story yet to be written.
From Jeff on Facebook:
Thank you for the intense discussion, congratulations, and speculation throughout the boating community about Garmin's acquisition of ActiveCaptain. Please understand that this is a busy time and we can't respond to every question through social media. What I can say is that nothing will change for the foreseeable future except that we are now part of the Garmin team. That means you can expect the same incredible services from ActiveCaptain as you've received in the past, but now with the support of one of the world’s leading marine electronics providers.
In addition, there will be no fees for ActiveCaptain. We will continue to communicate with you through various channels. And yes, there will still be hats awarded for your contributions to the community.
Give this a chance to unfold. We'll discuss more in the next couple of newsletters. Remember that no one has more passion for this product and community than us. This isn't an end. It's an incredible beginning of many more capabilities.
In addition, there will be no fees for ActiveCaptain. We will continue to communicate with you through various channels. And yes, there will still be hats awarded for your contributions to the community.
Give this a chance to unfold. We'll discuss more in the next couple of newsletters. Remember that no one has more passion for this product and community than us. This isn't an end. It's an incredible beginning of many more capabilities.
Contained in his newsletter:
So right now, Garmin owns ActiveCaptain. The transaction is complete and the plans are in place. The data is still licensed to other developers and you'll see little change. Karen and I will build some teams of
people to take over and enhance the capabilities. Together we'll expand
social navigation into fishing and other boating activities. We'll have
an immediate worldwide presence that we previously could only dream
about.
people to take over and enhance the capabilities. Together we'll expand
social navigation into fishing and other boating activities. We'll have
an immediate worldwide presence that we previously could only dream
about.
Now understand these should all be taken with a grain of salt for a number of reasons. First, they are intended to calm the current users. Second, there are often in acquisitions multiple plans. In this case there could be the Internal Garmin Plan, which Jeff may or may not know in full. There could then be the Jeff Plan, that which has been discussed with him and his knowledge. Then there is the Public Plan, that which Active Captain then provides the public. These could all be one and the same, or could be very different. Only time will tell. Just, history says, at the time of an acquisition, all the information released may or may not be accurate.
I found one section very interesting and that was the mention of fishing and other boating activities. Garmin is into a huge range of products of which marine is a small portion. However, on the marine side, the true impetus of the product line came from fishing. It all goes back to depthfinders/fishfinders. Could there be another layer added for fishing? Then what about other boating activities. Could there be a sailing layer? Who knows, but Garmin I'm sure has a plan. Now, whether that will all come to fruition is another story yet to be written.
kev_rm
Senior Member
Time for a new open platform. Anyone want to help build one? (And without Bing maps or adobe flash)
No.
I understand the magnitude of that task as have been involved in such discussions. I have no desire to work that hard.
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I can't imagine too many anglers will be anxious to honestly and openly share their latest fishing hole information with other anglers. Most I know who have AIS turn it off when fishing.
Sounds like a plan for anglers by non-anglers.
Sounds like a plan for anglers by non-anglers.
Your anglers sound like the fishermen I grew up around. So, we just observed and learned.
Bigsfish
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BandB and all
Jeff sent out a report on the sale of AC to all his subscribers. Nothing much to learn for his letter. Promises more of the same with improvements and never any charge. Time will tell.
Jeff sent out a report on the sale of AC to all his subscribers. Nothing much to learn for his letter. Promises more of the same with improvements and never any charge. Time will tell.
Yes, I have received the letter.
Honestly, makes promises that he may believe, but he can't control whether they come true or not. I've seen takeovers where the President then tried to insure everyone their jobs were safe, but the President didn't even know if his job was safe. I hope it is all smooth and we notice only improvements.
One concern. Now all might go perfectly and I hope so.
This was Jeff and his wife's heart and soul. Their one and only. They were consumed with it 24/7/365. It was critical to them.
Garmin is a $3 billion a year company. This is one small piece of a small piece of their business. It's by no means critical. It's important to some within the organization. However, at a top level, it's survival or success is not by any means critical. Hopefully, Garmin's plans with it are very successful. However, if they are not, Garmin could drop it or stop supporting it in an instant and never even notice the loss.
This was Jeff and his wife's heart and soul. Their one and only. They were consumed with it 24/7/365. It was critical to them.
Garmin is a $3 billion a year company. This is one small piece of a small piece of their business. It's by no means critical. It's important to some within the organization. However, at a top level, it's survival or success is not by any means critical. Hopefully, Garmin's plans with it are very successful. However, if they are not, Garmin could drop it or stop supporting it in an instant and never even notice the loss.
Bigsfish
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BandB
I would think that if Garmin decided they didn't want to support AC in the future they would sell it to avoid any bad will they would garner if they dropped the program.
Just my SSO.
I would think that if Garmin decided they didn't want to support AC in the future they would sell it to avoid any bad will they would garner if they dropped the program.
Just my SSO.
ranger58sb
Guru
Heh.... I'm not much of a fisherman, mostly just like to drive the boat... but we do some intensive trolling every year about this time... just finished the 30-day period, 8 trips, something like 285 miles, 90 engine hours, 43 rockfish (striped bass)...
And I'll give anybody all the exact spots where we've caught fish over the last 10 years. No patterns that I can find. No consistent underlying structure, no improvements near wrecks, nada.
So we just go out the river, drop lines, start trolling... and we usually do about as well as many of the local charters (apparently better than many, this year).
-Chris
