Navionics of Raymarine LightHouse?

[TiggerToo]

At some point this year, I will buy a new chartplotter.

What do you think about charts: should I go for Navionics or Raymarine LightHouse charts?

I currently use Navionics App, and I like their charts....

 

[KompetentKrew]

I slightly prefer C-Map over Navionics, I decided.

 

[ashtead]

Forgive my ignorance but I thought the Raymarine plotters took Navionics chips which to update seem very pricey but are the Lighthouse versions any cheaper ?

 

[Refueler]

Surely if you are happy with Navionics - why change and introduce a different format in your boating ?

Navionics has been around for many years ... survived various take-overs / ownerships ..... and generally regarded (in the boating community) to be one of the best.

Many Plotters accept Navionics as well anyway.

 

[jlavery]

It's really up to your preference I think. I have an Axiom with Lighthouse charts, and I'm happy with it.

The shore detail is sometimes lacking - town/village names for example. But navigationally relevant shore features are good.

I have Navionics on an old iPad, and find using the two in parallel is useful, with their different presentations.

 

[Refueler]

It's really up to your preference I think. I have an Axiom with Lighthouse charts, and I'm happy with it.

The shore detail is sometimes lacking - town/village names for example. But navigationally relevant shore features are good.

I have Navionics on an old iPad, and find using the two in parallel is useful, with their different presentations.

I have to say that rough planning - I do on Seaclear with BSB files .... its so easy to use. I then convert / transfer to plotter. So far with my limited boating this year due fracturing spine, and breaking big toe - its not been a bind.
But with the change from Lowrance to Onwa - I have to think about conversion protocol ...

Pal of mine is pushing me to install Navionics on my tablets ... I have free trials loaded on a number of my pads - but being older Android, limited in rom .... the map downloads are restricted or not happening. I have ordered a new tablet to improve this.

I have to say though ... I don't mind the 40 euro Baltic Area map subscription for the Android App .... but I am certainly not going to pay out the SD card prices they ask to have on PC or Plotter !! My Onwa Plotter with K chart is more than enough for the job ....

 

[jlavery]

That reminds me - for rough planning, I find that Navionics on the ipad is much quicker and easier than the Axiom. But I use Lighthouse on the latter for main navigation.

As mentioned above, Axioms will take Navionics too (think the OP mentions it). But Navionics price on Axiom is similar to Lighthouse I think.

 

[FWB]

A pity that iSailor and orca charts can’t be used on chartplotters. They are superb on tablets

 

[yoda]

Navionics any day. 3 weeks cruising with Lighthouse completely put me off the charts.

 

[jlavery]

Navionics any day. 3 weeks cruising with Lighthouse completely put me off the charts.

That's interesting - what didn't you like?

 

[tillergirl]

Which is the most accurate?

 

[Refueler]

Which is the most accurate?

May I suggest that accuracy is not a word suitable ? You can go an area and find one chart is visually correct while another not ... go to another area and find its swapped over ...

If I use CM93 vs BSB as example in Swedish Archipelago ... I have one showing waypoints on islands, while other mid channel. But its not one in error all time ... I move up through the islands and then its other way round ..
Its part of the reason I have so many chart formats. Plus of course my Company's work involves ship to ship and use of of charting

 

[Ian_Rob]

At the moment Lighthouse charts are known to run rather more slowly than Navionics charts on Axiom displays. Raymarine are aware of the problem and supposedly addressing it but I am not sure whether the Lighthouse release that was issued a couple of weeks ago has improved matters or not?

 

[tillergirl]

May I suggest that accuracy is not a word suitable ? You can go an area and find one chart is visually correct while another not ... go to another area and find its swapped over ...

If I use CM93 vs BSB as example in Swedish Archipelago ... I have one showing waypoints on islands, while other mid channel. But its not one in error all time ... I move up through the islands and then its other way round ..
Its part of the reason I have so many chart formats. Plus of course my Company's work involves ship to ship and use of of charting

I am not sure what is wrong asking which is the most accurate when the OP is asking advice about which to use. There can be issues such as obvious poor editing - e.g. a buoy that in reality has been in the same place for years but is shown in the wrong place, the delay in updating changes and the inaccuracy of georeferencing (not sure that is the right expression). Of course plotters can be inaccurate but that isn't the fault of the chart makers. I just find it rather odd that nobody asks which is the most accuracy electronic chart - that is if any one can answer that question.

 

[jlavery]

At the moment Lighthouse charts are known to run rather more slowly than Navionics charts on Axiom displays. Raymarine are aware of the problem and supposedly addressing it but I am not sure whether the Lighthouse release that was issued a couple of weeks ago has improved matters or not?

I haven't seen slowness with Lighthouse on my Axiom - but then again, I haven't seen any of the other problems some users have experienced with Lighthouse. These may be installation environment-specific. By this, I don't mean it's the fault of the installation environment, but a feature of the installation which is triggering the problem.

 

[jlavery]

I am not sure what is wrong asking which is the most accurate when the OP is asking advice about which to use. There can be issues such as obvious poor editing - e.g. a buoy that in reality has been in the same place for years but is shown in the wrong place, the delay in updating changes and the inaccuracy of georeferencing (not sure that is the right expression). Of course plotters can be inaccurate but that isn't the fault of the chart makers. I just find it rather odd that nobody asks which is the most accuracy electronic chart - that is if any one can answer that question.

Good point. This comes down to the provenance of the chart data.

One thing to bear in mind is that most electronic charts are based on the original national authority paper charts. Lack of detail or inaccuracy on the source chart are reproduced on the electronic chart.

So it comes down to the regularity and reliability of updates for the two types of electronic chart.

 

[Ian_Rob]

I haven't seen slowness with Lighthouse on my Axiom - but then again, I haven't seen any of the other problems some users have experienced with Lighthouse. These may be installation environment-specific. By this, I don't mean it's the fault of the installation environment, but a feature of the installation which is triggering the problem.

It was flagged up in one of Raymarine’s online seminars in the Spring at which time a solution was going to be made available ‘within a month or so’ . I have got an Axiom + and when moving from an one area to another it does tend to take several seconds to go from an abstract of the new area to the full detail. Not a huge problem but noticeable.