The information is still quite useful. As to reviews, I treat them like I do all reviews and look beyond the points given to the actual content. Often very helpful but then sometimes you have to wade through information. Yes, there are old reviews, but also more recent ones. I still find very few marinas not on AC and the information on inlets, shoaling, anchorages useful.
Interestingly, I just quickly ran through some reviews. First on marinas I know well in the US. Found them balanced with usual things. Complaints about $3.50 a foot being high when it's a prime location with beach right behind it in Fort Lauderdale so information to be ignored. But comments on pump out useful and then on restrooms and showers negative as I'd expect with beachgoers sneaking in but good advice to use the hotel restroom. Fuel prices high. Yes, they are ridiculously so when you can go right next door to a fuel boat for $1.00-$1.50 less. I looked at others and couldn't argue with any of the facts and yes, reviews from 10 years old to present. Draft and size information useful although not all have it.
Then I checked the marina in Portugal where we are and compared to Navily, which is a great European site. Navily had only a small percentage of US marinas. Sadly, even in Europe, AC has marinas, Navily doesn't. But then let's look at the reviews of the Marina where we are. Navily has 32 reviews to only 7 for AC and many more recent reviews so points to Navily. Now, reading the reviews, I find little difference in substance. But then there is information. Navily says 25 meters in length. Active Captain under dockage says LOA Max 145 meters, Beam max 32 meters. Rather huge discrepancy. Go to Marina's website. "In the protected outer basin, Cascais Marina has a Mega Yacht Quay, exclusively for yachts measuring over 36 metres. This Pontoon is only available by prior reservation." Kudos to AC.
So, what do we use? Everything. Our European experiences are much like our US East Coast. Waterway Guide is great but also limited. Limited by region and completeness. AC is still king in showing every marina and in not being limited to a region. However, I always use both WG and AC when cruising the WG area and combine the information. In Europe, Navily is great but as noted above, we use AC as well and it still has information Navily doesn't. One other thing I praise about AC is the link to the marina website. Navily, like many other marina websites is after your direct booking, not maximum information.
My answer. Use every tool possible.
We plan weeks, nights, and hours before so that's when we use these tools. By the time we cruise the area, we already know what they say and only look at them to refresh ourselves or pick up a phone number or channel or approach information. Approach is another way AC is solid.
I used AC all along, even as Jeff threatened me in various ways. I always praised it although not the plagiarism with no credit due, but as a resource. I wasn't going to penalize myself for his behavior on this forum. Similarly, don't penalize yourself from using a resource because of Garmin.
As to the rewrite of the AC software at the time of sale, that had to take place for multiple reasons and had been put off too long. There were EU security issues to face and the outdated use of Flash. Imagine with Flash no longer supported had that not taken place.
Banning members from AC over forum comments was arrogance at it's peak. However, I chose not to deprive myself from using a resource I liked.
