Garmin 7215

[shane]

Can anyone tell me if you are able to download Navionic software onto the Garmin 7215. I am located on Great Slave Lake in Northwest Territories, Canada and Garmin has no maps for this area. Thanks
Shane

 

[BaseCampAnne]

Sam who is our guide on the Waggoner Cruise to Alaska, says you can only use Garmin cartography on Garmin systems. It is completely closed, apparently. I now have an iPad and run Navionics on it next to the Garmin 7215.

 

[shane]

Thanks, just bought the iPad
Shane

 

[glthomas]

How do you load software on the IPad? Does it have a card slot?
Is Garmin Blue Chart still in good use, or is it outdated?

 

[walldog]

As Anne has found out, you need to download the charts for the area you will be traveling while you have high speed internet connection for the Navionics App on the iPad. That would be before you need them and do not have suitable connections.

The same can be said for the Garmin. Make sure the chip you have installed will give you coverage along your route. Garmin's web site has detailed maps with this coverage. You can also install the chip and search for a location along your projected route and see the detail of that area while you are still at the dock in Seattle, Anacortes or New Your City.

While the Garmin Blue Chart app has some great features, it has been so buggy and unreliable that is it not my app of choice for the iPad.

 

[Osprey]

I find the Navionics navigation program works great on an iPad. During navigation, I use a Dual Model XGPS150 A to send GPS data to the iPad via Bluetooth. I cannot confirm the quality of data available in the NVT. The Apple store has a free Dual 150 app to display the GPS data status. While my iPad has cellular capability, this capability is not necessary for use of a Bluetooth GPS. Other brands of Bluetooth GPS are also available. I also have the Garmin iPad navigation app and have had no issues with bugs. However, I believe the Garmin app fails when the search feature is attempted.

 

[shane]

I bought the iPad with the phone capability but did not buy a chip to connect the phone. I then downloaded Canadian Lakes from Navionics for $59. Tried it out and it works like the old C-map chip that cannot be bought for Great Slave Lake anymore. I have not found a way to over-lay it on to the 7215. Best I could do.

 

[knotflying]

How do you load software on the IPad? Does it have a card slot?
Is Garmin Blue Chart still in good use, or is it outdated?

Software has to be loaded wirelessly. Garmin Blue Charts Mobil had a glitch after the last iOS update, however after 2 months they finally fixed it and it is up and running again.