Best substitute for Navionics route planning tool Garmin discontinued?

[HeadedToTexas]

Garmin dropped the chart viewer and route planning functionality from Navionics.com about four months ago. That was shortly after I had committed to an extensive electronics upgrade to Garmin equipment. I probably would have stayed with Garmin even knowing they discontinued the chart viewer and route planning, but the news still sucked.

I debated with Garmin and several here about whether or not ActiveCaptain offered the same chart viewing and route planning features. Everyone was pretty sure it did, but it doesn't. The ActiveCaptain app does, but the ActiveCaptain website does not. That news sucks even more.

I find route planning on the GPSMAP 943 ungainly and route planning on the Navionics iPad app only slightly less so. The big screen and more graceful interface of the computer is essential, at least for me. The old Navionics.com tool was completely seamless. Create a route, save it, and it automatically appears on the Navionics app. Sadly, that is no longer the case. So what do you guys use for route planning? There are several tools out there. I am looking for the one that offers the most efficient path from planning to chartplotter.

 

[Mambo42]

May want to try ARGO, they are also free and I am waiting for them to come to Europe. I know they have the US covered.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Have you tried Navonics on tablet? Route planning seems to work well there.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I looked at Argo, but they seem to be an alternative to Navionics. I'm fine with Navionics, but route planning on the tablet is just lacking compared to the same task on the computer.

 

[Mambo42]

Navionics on the computer was indeed good, but it is gone and won't come back. On top of that the prices of subscriptions for Navionics on the tablet have skyrocketed, they have gone completely beserk (at least in Europe).
Unfortunately ARGO is not yet in Europe, but they are in the US and you can now buy an unlimited life time offer (until 12 jan 2025) for 99.99 USD. After that the prices will be 39.99 per year of 6.99 per month.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I looked at Argo, but they seem to be an alternative to Navionics. I'm fine with Navionics, but route planning on the tablet is just lacking compared to the same task on the computer.

Tablet route planing is much improved when using a mouse or trackball vs fat fingering a touch screen. In some ways I found the tablet better. The online version in my experience was crashy.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Whoa, after owning Macs since 1986 and iOS products since the original iPad, I had not considered adding a mouse to the iPad or even that it could be done. Very cool. I can see how that would tip the balance in favor of Navionics. Thanks, Portage!

 

[Portage_Bay]

Whoa, after owning Macs since 1986 and iOS products since the original iPad, I had not considered adding a mouse to the iPad or even that it could be done. Very cool. I can see how that would tip the balance in favor of Navionics. Thanks, Portage!

I'm an Android user so can't speed to iPads. I use a Logitec bluetooth trackball. There has to be something that will work with iStuff.

 

[SteveK]

I found this app called phone link on the laptop, so set it up and viewed Navionics from phone on the laptop (note: leave phone horizontal). Too bad the new version is not full screen like the old but way better viewing on laptop than a smartphone. it does have route planning ability like the old version.

 

[Barking Sands]

Tablet route planing is much improved when using a mouse or trackball vs fat fingering a touch screen. In some ways I found the tablet better. The online version in my experience was crashy.

great..off to buy a tablet mouse..lol.
**edited** added a keyboard too.

 

[JackConnick]

I greatly prefer to use a laptop for route planning, then export .gpx files for Navionics and my Raymarine nav system onboard. You can use Airdrop to transfer the files.

You can use OpenCPN on a laptop or Android device. Its free and works pretty well with a lot of add on features as well. Some of the UI is sort of iffy however. I actually use an older program that's been re-released called MacENC with good results. Either program has Canadian charts for about $20 a year.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

What is the workflow like when exporting a .gpx file from OpenCPN into a chartplotter?

 

[JackConnick]

It depends on the chartplotter, but you just import it as a route or waypoint.

Navionics syncs wirelessly with Raymarine, or I load it onto a card to transfer. Its just a text file.

That way I have all my routes and waypoints off the chartplotter and can organize and just load the area I want to use.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Navionics used to sync wirelessly with the internet client where the route planning is easier. That is the functionality I am looking to replace. Navionics still syncs wirelessly with Garmin chartplotters, but I find route planning on tablets and chartplotters awkward and clumsy compared to route planning on a computer with the screen size, resolution, and mouse accuracy the computer delivers.

OpenCPN seems to offer one button click "sending" of routes to Garmin chartplotters. Presumably this is simply a graceful packaging of the .gpx file and routing to preconfigured addresses and accounts. Hoping so, anyway.

 

[chiropaul]

I purchased a program from a Netherlands company called Navigation Planner (www.navigationplanner.com) that is Navionics specific. Believe it was about $50. You load your Navionics card into the computer once, and then you can plan routes and save to a micro sd card to transfer as .gpx files to a Raymarine plotter. Works great for home planning. They offer a trial version on line.
It produces routes with courses in True. When installed on my Axiom plotter, it automatically converts the true headings to magnetic, as that's how I am set up on the plotter.
Hope this helps.

 

[Barking Sands]

FYI..I purchased a mouse and keyboard for the Tablet. It really does make using Navionics much better. I just need to configure the scroll wheel on the mouse to zoom in or out.

 

[ABfish]

Route planning on a tablet is just not in my wheelhouse. But now that I know you can pair a mouse with a tablet, I'll try again.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I prefer a trackball over a mouse for use on the boat or in areas where I don't have enough desktop space to run a mouse around.

 

[ABfish]

I'll check out the trackball. Didn't know that existed, either.

 

[CaptDH]

I really like Argo. Great customer service. Like it so much I bought a lifetime membership

 

[John R M]

I find that the issue with route planning on an ipad isn't the lack of a mouse, its the inability to calculate multiple waypoints, at least as compared to what could be done on the PC version. When we were planning our trip down the Rideau Canal system from Kemptville to Kingston, I had to do it in about 8 routes. I suspect the PC version could have done it in 1 or 2 routes.

 

[CaptDH]

Argo allows planning multiple destinations on a tablet fyi

 

[Breezin]

Another vote for Argo. Use the web version on your PC/Mac. (Argo) You might need the paid version to do route planning. I understand you can export routes, but I haven't done it yet.

 

[SteveK]

Another vote for Argo. Use the web version on your PC/Mac. (Argo) You might need the paid version to do route planning. I understand you can export routes, but I haven't done it yet.

would you mind looking at the border around point roberts and the gulf islands. The Noaa charts stop at the border, so the area I boat in is blobs

 

[RedRascal]

To it me it seems like Argo uses survey data for Canada and not actual chart data in the "Standard" view. The NOAA view is worthless for Canada, total blob view. The "Standard" view seems okay for high level planning, like how long will it take to get from A to B. It doesn't show rocks and reefs so I wouldn't depend on for navigation or figuring our where to anchor. Here is a view of Ganges.

 

[jimfrens]

Huh? I used Navionics on my iPad the other day to create a route. Worked fine.

 

[SteveK]

Navionics works on pads and phones.
We miss it on PC with larger screens

 

[Breezin]

would you mind looking at the border around point roberts and the gulf islands. The Noaa charts stop at the border, so the area I boat in is blobs

I think you can look for yourself here: Argo
The "standard" chart has detail. The NOAA chart detail stops at the border.
I suggest asking the Argo creator, Jeff, where he gets Canadian data. He's really good at answering. jeff@argonav.io

 

[SteveK]

I think you can look for yourself here: Argo
The "standard" chart has detail. The NOAA chart detail stops at the border.
I suggest asking the Argo creator, Jeff, where he gets Canadian data. He's really good at answering. jeff@argonav.io

Never mind. Post 25 showed you that Argo sucks in Canada. I have a paid subscription with Argo.

 

[Kit_L]

@SteveK: I wrote to Garmin a year ago, asking if there was any way Navionics could make it to Mac laptops, so Mac OS. They said they had no intention of doing that and would not consider it for the future. I had no idea it had been available on a laptop in the PC World.

Your point about larger screens is 100% on point – I have Navionics on a standard iPad, but I am thinking of getting the iPad Pro just for the screen real estate (and the much faster processor).