Navionics card

[PaulRainbow]

One of the main reasons for the card slots being in the back of the MFDs is waterproofing. There have been lots of card reader failures due to water ingress. I suspect that cosmetics plays a part too.

If mounted on the trunnion it isn't an issue, same with some chart table installations where rear access is easily gained. Fitting in a pod or other flush mounting methods are a different story, for these installations i would fit a remote reader, as i posted earlier. Device firmware updates are indeed possible with WIFI, as are some chart updates, but they don't always work, sometimes they have to be done using a SD card.

It's not just a Raymarine thing, Garmin have the same design with some MFDs too.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Yes, heard from another source today who is closely connected to Raymarine that the design of the MFDs differs depending on intended placement. Mine may be sub optimal but they work brilliantly so I’m going to figure out the remote card reader thing.

 

[Irish Rover]

But can you do card updates by some other means? … e.g. WiFi, in which case, that’s okay.

The chart subscription on mine had long expired when I bought the boat and apparently they can't be updated if they've been out of date for more than 5 years. You have to buy a new chart card. I never bothered. I have a mobile subscription and can still transfer routes etc from my tablet to the MFD. I did a trip from Croatia to Türkiye last year via Montenegro, Albania, Greece Ionian, Corinth Canal and the Aegean with no issues. I ran my tablet with a current Navionics subscription side by side as a check. I've cruised a good bit in the Aegean since with no issues. I have done a software update via WiFi with no issue.

 

[SC35]

The chart subscription on mine had long expired when I bought the boat and apparently they can't be updated if they've been out of date for more than 5 years. You have to buy a new chart card. I never bothered. I have a mobile subscription and can still transfer routes etc from my tablet to the MFD. I did a trip from Croatia to Türkiye last year via Montenegro, Albania, Greece Ionian, Corinth Canal and the Aegean with no issues. I ran my tablet with a current Navionics subscription side by side as a check. I've cruised a good bit in the Aegean since with no issues. I have done a software update via WiFi with no issue.

Rocks don't move much in the Med
But the sandbanks where I am can move around quite a bit, and there was even a new little island that popped up near Hurst Castle a couple of years ago.

 

[wonkywinch]

... a new little island that popped up near Hurst Castle a couple of years ago.

As mentioned in #10. I've often sailed charter boats around the Solent and Cowes Breakwater missing from the chart.

Do plotters lose any functionality, eg autorouting if the chart has expired? I know the Boating app does.

 

[PaulGooch]

As mentioned in #10. I've often sailed charter boats around the Solent and Cowes Breakwater missing from the chart.

Do plotters lose any functionality, eg autorouting if the chart has expired? I know the Boating app does.

No.

 

[Irish Rover]

Rocks don't move much in the Med
But the sandbanks where I am can move around quite a bit, and there was even a new little island that popped up near Hurst Castle a couple of years ago.

Fish farms do move and that's why I do my routing on the Navionics app and transfer to the MFD. I also run Navionics on the tablet dide by side when I'm in unfamiliar waters.

 

[dunedin]

As mentioned in #10. I've often sailed charter boats around the Solent and Cowes Breakwater missing from the chart.

Do plotters lose any functionality, eg autorouting if the chart has expired? I know the Boating app does.

Yes. They route you into new hazards like Cowes breakwater.

However, never seen any use for autorouting - but only do 2,000 or so miles of coastal pilotage a year

 

[oldgit]

No.

On my Raymarine E series Hybrid plotter loaded with 5 year old charts the autoroute function has been lost. ?
On my Andriod Tablet the plotter Navionics chart will not autoroute if the annual update is not carried out. ?
Just received message from Navionics that the Tablet update is due at end of August.

 

[PaulRainbow]

On my Raymarine E series Hybrid plotter loaded with 5 year old charts the autoroute function has been lost. ?

Not seen that. My Garmin charts are a few years old and everything still works.

On my Andriod Tablet the plotter Navionics chart will not autoroute if the annual update is not carried out. ?
Just received message from Navionics that the Tablet update is due at end of August.

Navionics on a tablet or phone are different, they do lose some features if out of date, i don't use them so don't know exactly what ceases to work.