Garmin Active Captain

[Daydream believer]

I have just purchased a new Ipd ready for a cruise in 2 weeks . My old Ipad would not operate Active Captain
I have installed it & connected it to my Garmin 95SV chart plotter (with difficulty).
I was told that I could sit in the cabin & plot routes then transfer them to the chart plotter- which is mounted at the rear of the cockpit behind the tiller.
However, so far what I have managed to transfer to my Ipad is useless. I have a a map of the coast which consists of a series of straight lines, no contours or charts of the waters. I do see the waypoints but have no idea where they are as the sandbanks etc are not shown. If I set rout on the chart plotter I can get these to transfer to the Ipad. So far I have not gone anywhere to see if the yacht icon moves on that route, I assume it does.
However, the app seems pretty useless as there is no way I could ( as an example) plot a course from Ramsgate to Eastbourne whilst lounging in the cabin then transfer it to the chart plotter. I have to go on deck & sit & do it there which on the night before can be cold & miserable
Am i using this app correctly & do others have the same issue or is there a way to get the complete chart of an area on to my Ipad?
Thx

 

[fredrussell]

Is yours an Echomap or GPSmap plotter? I started a similar thread to yours a while back and if memory serves Paul Rainbow said that there is more connectivity between Active Captain and GPSmap plotters than with Echomap plotters. I have the latter, and haven’t found Active Captain much use really, though I love my plotter.

 

[Daydream believer]

Is yours an Echomap or GPSmap plotter? I started a similar thread to yours a while back and if memory serves Paul Rainbow said that there is more connectivity between Active Captain and GPSmap plotters than with Echomap plotters. I have the latter, and haven’t found Active Captain much use really, though I love my plotter.

Mine is an Echomap . So you have the same issue by the sound of it. Seems odd that a company like Garmin cannot produce a decent App

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Mine is an Echomap . So you have the same issue by the sound of it. Seems odd that a company like Garmin cannot produce a decent App

I've got a GPSMap, it works great with that. You get the same chart as is on the plotter. It must be a bit of functionality they’ve sawn off to keep the price down/incentivise you to pay for the more expensive plotter. Ie. It’s deliberate, not that the app doesn’t work. Perhaps the built in chart format on the echomap cannot work with the app, sounds like you are getting what us GPSMap users get if there's no card installed.

 

[Daydream believer]

That seems odd. The GPS map is a hand held unit, ( is that correct?) so there would be little point in having WIFI to an ipad as one could just take it wherever one wanted anyway. It is not fixed like an Echomap which WOULD benefit from WIFI connectivity.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That seems odd. The GPS map is a hand held unit, ( is that correct?) so there would be little point in having WIFI to an ipad as one could just take it wherever one wanted anyway. It is not fixed like an Echomap which WOULD benefit from WIFI connectivity.

Hand held, no. Mines a 12”, very definitely installed. Garmin GPSMAP 1223XSV Not my exact model, but you’d need to look at the model info on the back to tell them apart.

 

[Daydream believer]

Hand held, no. Mines a 12”, very definitely installed. Garmin GPSMAP 1223XSV Not my exact model, but you’d need to look at the model info on the back to tell them apart.

That is a totally different beast & I now understand your earlier comment better

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That is a totally different beast & I now understand your earlier comment better

I’m sure that’s what Fred was referring to as well.

 

[dankilb]

ActiveCaptain is actually very clever, in that it works with almost every plotter Garmin has produced in the last decade or so. But one cannot expect it to offer the same functionality with an older or more basic unit, as it does with a newer, multi-thousand pound, MFD.

It works beautifully with our modestly priced GPSMap 722 and 922 - but as these units are already becoming obsolete, functionality is being added that we cannot use (e.g. aerial photography or some such, apparently).

 

[Daydream believer]

ActiveCaptain is actually very clever, in that it works with almost every plotter Garmin has produced in the last decade or so.

Well it does not work with my 3 year old Garmin Echomap 95sv, so there must be a reason. That is why I posted the thread.
What am I doing wrong?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

ActiveCaptain is actually very clever, in that it works with almost every plotter Garmin has produced in the last decade or so. But one cannot expect it to offer the same functionality with an older or more basic unit, as it does with a newer, multi-thousand pound, MFD.

It works beautifully with our modestly priced GPSMap 722 and 922 - but as these units are already becoming obsolete, functionality is being added that we cannot use (e.g. aerial photography or some such, apparently).

Same generation as ours, if you want aerial photography it’s just a new chart card. Some newer models have higher resolution, and no doubt they are faster, processor wise. they’ve also added more sounder functions.
Why the OP gets such limited functionality I am not sure. From my recent experience, Garmin tech support are super helpful, above and beyond the call of duty in fact.

 

[dankilb]

Well it does not work with my 3 year old Garmin Echomap 95sv, so there must be a reason. That is why I posted the thread.
What am I doing wrong?

I think what you’re looking for is ‘mirroring’ (seeing the chart info from the plotter in full detail on ActiveCaptain) and it seems that isn’t supported for the EchoMaps (from a US bass fishing website, but I’ve used their posts recently to help work out some Garmin networking issues): Screen mirroring

 

[fredrussell]

DD, here’s the thread I started a while back - may be useful to you:

Garmin Active Captain app - anyone using it?

 

[dankilb]

I’ve never looked into this myself, so it is hypothetical…

But can’t you plot routes/waypoints in another third party app or platform - such as Navionics - and then import the files to the EchoMap with AC?

It sounds like not having the cartography on AC beyond a basemap is the issue. With Navionics for planning, you enjoy the latest cartography. It’s arguably understandable that Garmin won’t share the full cartography from any plotter to any device (otherwise it’s too easy to buy a single cheap plotter and enjoy full Garmin features from any device - not that I’d object to this! But you can see why Garmin might limit it).

 

[creeks]

Am i using this app correctly & do others have the same issue or is there a way to get the complete chart of an area on to my Ipad?
Thx

I have a 2018 Garmin Echomap Plus 65sv and I have Active Captain on my Ipad. I have the full chart for the area I need(the English Channel), I can plot a route and wifi it to the plotter.
In Active Captain you need to click on My Charts and download the chart for the area or areas that you need.
You need to have registered your device (the plotter) on the Garmin website.
PS I found Garmin support incredibly helpful.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have a 2018 Garmin Echomap Plus 65sv and I have Active Captain on my Ipad. I have the full chart for the area I need(the English Channel), I can plot a route and wifi it to the plotter.
In Active Captain you need to click on My Charts and download the chart for the area or areas that you need.
You need to have registered your device (the plotter) on the Garmin website.
PS I found Garmin support incredibly helpful.

Down load from where? Does one have to buy another set of charts from Garmin, or can on use the chart that comes with the plotter & somehow download that one ---which covers europe inc the UK etc. not just the English Channel?

I have registered the plotter

I have not found Garmin "support", although I have not looked for it as such, other than play a couple of pointless videos. As you can gather, I was not impressed with those.

 

[creeks]

Down load from where? Does one have to buy another set of charts from Garmin, or can on use the chart that comes with the plotter & somehow download that one ---which covers europe inc the UK etc. not just the English Channel?

I have registered the plotter

I have not found Garmin "support", although I have not looked for it as such, other than play a couple of pointless videos. As you can gather, I was not impressed with those.

Sorry I should have said click on the Download Charts menu item from within Active Captain and select the area within the UK etc that you need. You don't have to buy another set but you have to pay for updates.
This is the link for the relevant Garmin support page which gives their phone no.
Garmin | United Kingdom | Marine Support

 

[Keith-i]

As creeks says, within AC you should have the option to download a copy of the charts that are already on/registered to your plotter. It might be worth logging into your Garmin account on a PC where it’s easier to see what you’ve got registered and what’s available to you.