Garmin Active Captain app - anyone using it?

[fredrussell]

Just installed a Garmin Echomap plotter in boat. Tried to install the Active Captain app on my fairly ancient iPad, but not enough processing power apparently. So will have to buy a newer tablet to use the app. The question is, is the app any good? Am I right in saying it will mirror the plotter screen onto the tablet? Any other useful features?

 

[Tranona]

Exactly that. I had it installed using a Hudl. Worked most of the time, but to be honest in my type of sailing I found little use for it, so when I upgraded my software and switched from a Hudl to a Lenovo tablet, did not bother to reinstall it.

 

[LiftyK]

I used to do route planning on an iPad and squirt it into my Garmin plotter over Wi-fi. The iPad used app Bluechart Mobile to do this. It worked well..

A while after Garmin purchased Active Captain, they knobbled the Bluechart Mobile software on the iPad so it could no longer see maps. This was to help persuade users move to Active Captain. For me, Active Captain became the new way to do route planning. My plotter is middle-aged and doesn’t work seamlessly with Active Captain but it does work. It seems to lose route names so I have to rename the route after squirting it into the plotter.

Is the app any good? I would say it is ok. It’s a bit clunky but it works for route planning.

Does it mirror the plotter screen? I used to run the Garmin Helm app But can’t remember what it did. I will try next time I am at my boat. The iPad should mirror the chart but there seems to be an incompatibility with my middle-aged plotter and the current location does not update.

Other useful features? Active Captain is supposed to offer comprehensive functionality but I think I’d need a current model plotter to do more. I hope plotters don’t go the way of phones and other electronics that need regular updates.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Just installed a Garmin Echomap plotter in boat. Tried to install the Active Captain app on my fairly ancient iPad, but not enough processing power apparently. So will have to buy a newer tablet to use the app. The question is, is the app any good? Am I right in saying it will mirror the plotter screen onto the tablet? Any other useful features?

It's OK, but it will mirror GPSMap plotters, but not mirror the Echomap. It will work fine as a stand alone plotter, using the charts that are registered to you (so no need to buy additional charts). You caan use it for passage planning too and upload the routes via Wi-Fi. No need for an expensive iPAd, it works OK on a cheaper Samsung Galaxy tablet or a Lenovo.

 

[Daydream believer]

Will not work on my computer, or my Ipad. As for using it on a phone- forget it. Waste of time as far as I can see

 

[fredrussell]

Thanks folks. Not the most glowing reviews but as a new tablet is on the cards anyway, I’ll try it out. I’ll keep the old iPad (with Navionics) as a backup.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Will not work on my computer, or my Ipad. As for using it on a phone- forget it. Waste of time as far as I can see

It won't work on a computer, it is only for iOS or Android devices. It will work on iPads, but only if the are equipped with GPS and are not pre-historic. It will work on suitable iPhones and Android phones, but if they have very small screens........

I have it on a 10" Samsung Galaxy, where can you buy a brand new, stand alone, 10" plotter for about £120 ? The App' costs nothing and the charts cost nothing (if you already have them for your plotter).

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks folks. Not the most glowing reviews but as a new tablet is on the cards anyway, I’ll try it out. I’ll keep the old iPad (with Navionics) as a backup.

If you want to see it working you can always call it at Shotley and i'll show it to you.