Navionics boating app subscription

[Refueler]

I’ve been having second thoughts about my IPad and Navionics as primary plotter.

A lower end mfd with charts vs ongoing navionics subscription and at least one iPad/ tablet replacement over the next 5yrs, I don’t think there’s much in it.

Risking being shot at dawn .... you can buy a plotter that can take navionics cards ... buy a recently expired card of eBay and have good chart plotting as long as you feel comfortable with it.

My Garmin UHD92 is not cheap .. not exactly my fav plotter - but it came with the boat ... has a current subscription Swedish Waters card ... I update when I remember .. but my main use card is an end of year 2023 whole Baltic card that expired .. cost me 50 euros ...

My Old Lowrance 3500 - I could put an expired card in that .. plotters worth about 50 euros if that .. plus another 50 for card ... that is basically 2yrs subs for the charts on Navionics App.

I still think the Navionics App on tablet is worth it.

 

[dunedin]

What alternative is there to Navionics?

Depends how you use Navionics. As we have onboard MFD /chart plotters running Navionics, my backup and shore based charting tool is MemoryMap with UKHO Raster charts (circa £25 Pa for entire UK). I like this as some things are easier to spot on raster (pseudo paper) charts, and also used for Antares Charts (Scotland only).
But I lose the quick and easy Navionics dividers to measure distances.
Also i don’t want to transfer waypoints or do auto routing - in which case you need to pay annual licences to Navionics for BOTH mobile and ships devices.

 

[Irish Rover]

Also i don’t want to transfer waypoints or do auto routing - in which case you need to pay annual licences to Navionics for BOTH mobile and ships devices.

This isn't in fact the case, or at least not for me. I can do auto-routing on my mobile navionics app and transfer to the long out of date navionics charts on my axiom mfd's. Works fine.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

What alternative is there to Navionics?

I’ve been using Memory Map on an Android tablet this year. Raster charts just like paper ones. Routes, tracks and marks can all be saved to your account and synced across different devices, including desktop PC.
No problems linking to my EmTrak AIS and overlaying ais targets with CPA and Collision alerts.
Loats of other features I’m still exploring.

 

[Daverw]

This isn't in fact the case, or at least not for me. I can do auto-routing on my mobile navionics app and transfer to the long out of date navionics charts on my axiom mfd's. Works fine.

I think it’s plotter sync that you loose, which I find usefull as it updates the plotter charts each time without me taking card out and using pic to update.

 

[Irish Rover]

I think it’s plotter sync that you loose, which I find usefull as it updates the plotter charts each time without me taking card out and using pic to update.

You can do plotter sync with current mobile subscription and expired chart subscription on the plotter.

 

[MikeBz]

My Navionics subscription expired in August I still have the charts in the app (iOS). I have lost the autoroute function. I think that being out of subscription used to only lose you chart updates.

 

[Daverw]

According to Navionics help page
Advanced features including enhanced routing with our navigation module and Auto Guidance+ are available with an active subscription.

Manual routing works as normal though

 

[Daverw]

You can do plotter sync with current mobile subscription and expired chart subscription on the plotter.

Yes your correct, it’s the other way round you cannot

 

[ghostlymoron2]

I’ve been using Memory Map on an Android tablet this year. Raster charts just like paper ones. Routes, tracks and marks can all be saved to your account and synced across different devices, including desktop PC.
No problems linking to my EmTrak AIS and overlaying ais targets with CPA and Collision alerts.
Loats of other features I’m still exploring.

How does the price compare with Garmin/Navionics. I first heard of Navionics nearly 20 years ago and bought it for £12 no yearly updates then. Annual subscriptions seem to be the norm for software these days (Microsoft Office, Autocad etc) gives software giants the chance to sell you the same thing over and over.

 

[wonkywinch]

I use Navionics on an Android tablet, export the waypoints, open them with the B&G app on same tablet. Next time on the boat, it autosyncs with B&G Zeus S plotter using C Map and waypoints appear in the list.

 

[Refueler]

It may sound daft ... but as I have subs on tablet and plotter ... I don't transfer WPT's / Routes from one to other ... I actually use the auto on both and then compare the results ... its surprising the difference that can occur. I then alter one or other ... till I'm happy with results.

 

[Refueler]

And just to clear away something ....

If you sub runs out on the Tablet version - auto and other features of course stop ... why should a non-payer enjoy similar to a payer ?

But if the sub runs out on the SD card version in the plotter - it all still works except updates ........... I can still auto-route .. AIS ... etc etc.

 

[MikeBz]

And just to clear away something ....

If you sub runs out on the Tablet version - auto and other features of course stop ... why should a non-payer enjoy similar to a payer ?

Applying that argument maybe it should stop working altogether.

I would have thought that chart updates should be enough to justify the subscription.

 

[Refueler]

Applying that argument maybe it should stop working altogether.

I would have thought that chart updates should be enough to justify the subscription.

With most subscription services - that is indeed what happens - it stops. IMHO - I think the charts still working on the app after sub expires is advantage enough.

Believe me - I am no fan of Garmin ... but this tabloid app version is very good and I think the sub is good value.

 

[Seven Spades]

I'm out of subscription and I can't download the areas I originally paid for but hadn't downloaded locally. (I don't expect the latest charts, but I did expect the ones I'd paid for and historically I'm pretty sure that's what I got.)

That's quite frustrating. They've squandered any goodwill so I'll leave it as late as possible to subscribe again and make sure I locally store everything I've paid for locally on every device I use.

Hopefully there will be a decent competitor by then. (Maybe there already is.)

This is a trap. When I buy a new chart I immediatly download the whole chart on all my devices.

 

[Seven Spades]

Auto renew is a very bad idea, having downloaded all the charts inthe Baltic, Soctland, Europe and the med over the years, we only need to update the area for the season. Auto-renew would update them all. Normally I don't bother because the rocks don't move but... what I have found is that wind farms are popping up all over the place so I am going to have to pay for update. The other issue is marine conservation areas...I am not sure I want to know about those though.

 

[nevis768]

Navionics s great, very useful having it on your phone when planning away from the boat. You can work out a route length in seconds using the automatic feature

 

[Refueler]

This is a trap. When I buy a new chart I immediatly download the whole chart on all my devices.

The way this app works - the charts selected and downloaded are encoded into the app ... you cannot separate them. Its not like the Plotter SD card charts ...

But as long as the APP is maintained and not altered ... stays on same phone / tablet after sub expires - the charts will still work.

 

[fredrussell]

I’ve just turned my Navionics subscription auto-renew off as I don’t need to update charts yearly. To be fair though, £40 a year seems fair to me, certainly if you compare it to what Garmin wants from me to update the chart on my Echomap plotter. Last time I looked it was £150 or so. Outrageous!