Garmin aquired ActiveCaptain

I am using BlueChart Mobile on my iPad and it has Active Captain included. How has this been discontinued? Am I missing something?
 
According to the Garmin site BlueChart Mobil has been discontinued. Also it is no longer in the AppStore. There is a new app for Active Captain in the AppStore however it looks like one needs WiFi on their chart plotter to use it. In my case that will cost over $1000 to upgrade my chart plotter. BlueChart Mobil had very nice features using it as a backup GPS, Active Captain data and tide data, etc. The price of progress.
 
Blue Chart Mobile has been removed from the App Store and will not longer be updated. If you already have it you can continue to use it but you will not be able to update the chart. You can continue to use the chart you have already purchased.
The new Active Captain app replaces BCM and the Garmin Helm app. The app is free and it supports Active Captain database. However, charts are based on what you have in your Garmin chartplotter. You do not not need to use a WiFi connection, if your Garmin is registered you can use your Garmin web login credentials and the new app will allow you to access charts. There is a a 2012 cutoff, my 5212 was registered in 2011 and I am unable to load a chart into the app.

From the Garmin FAQ: "If a Garmin customer uses cartography (2012 or newer) in his/her chartplotter, he/she can use that same cartography in ActiveCaptain for free."

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/marin ... ain-users/

Howard
 
It took two days on the phone with Garman to load the software . It took another day to load the South Florida region’s after the software was loaded. It took only a short time in addition to load ActiveCaptain database. Unfortunately much of the ActiveCaptain database day that cannot be accessed under the new ActiveCaptain application.

The heart just isn’t in it. I’m sure to work eventually. I’m looking for an alternate application especially looking for recommendations
 
I was able to register my 2010 5212 with Jason help from Garmin. Took a while.He also registered my charts for me. Loading is impossibly slow and AC only partially works. No need for WiFi on chart plotter.
 
Thanks for the update. I was aware that Garmin bought Active Captain, but I haven’t kept up with changes since then. Bummer, BlueChart Mobile was my favorite app for my iPad. Extremely handy for planning cruises. I downloaded the Active Captain app, what a mess, no thanks. Looks like Garmin is targeting the fishermen, not the cruisers. Not sure what I will do now.
 
Tut,

An option would be to go back in time. When I learned how to navigate in the 1950s I was given for planning my route paper charts, parallel rules, protractor, dividers, pencil, paper and a pencil sharpener. Once I got out on the water I was given a watch, compass and speed indicator. These tools worked for me without running aground, getting lost or killing myself up until someone invented the GPS. Since that time I would not like to guess how many $$ I have wasted on technology.

I may go back to my roots it was fun and I had a better sense of accomplishment.

Good luck,

Richard
 
There are a lot of changes all at once. Give it a chance to shake out. Now that Garmin also owns Navionics, there's a whole additional brunch of app capabilities being considered. This is all very new and will take time to turn into the full suite of products.

If you purchased BlueChart Mobile, it will continue to work. ActiveCaptain will continue to update and everything should be OK. You can even download additional charts from whatever region you previously purchased. There is an issue if you delete the app and reload it, or if you acquire an additional device. So just be careful and don't delete it.

If you own recent Garmin chartplotter(s), the new app is a no-brainer - just get it.

Garmin is doing something very unique - making a very close connection between their hardware MFD's and the app world. There are some huge advantages if you have Garmin MFD's. It's a unique strategy for supporting customers. It'll take some time to figure out how it all works and what, if any, changes are needed. Even before my association with Garmin, I loved their products and switched to them in my boat (in 2012).

I can't provide direct product support on these products - go to support.garmin.com for help.
 
I suspect Garmin will mess up Navionics just like they did ActiveCaptain.
 
Jeff,

Don’t worry I have not given up on Garmin & Active Captain in fact I am looking at replacing my 740S with a 742XS. Adding WiFi to my chart plotter brings in many additional features that will make life easier. My only problem is convincing the Admiral. She has been with me so long she knows I don’t really need the technology.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Richard
 
ActiveCaptain":1t09ppo8 said:
There are a lot of changes all at once. Give it a chance to shake out. Now that Garmin also owns Navionics, there's a whole additional brunch of app capabilities being considered. This is all very new and will take time to turn into the full suite of products.

If you purchased BlueChart Mobile, it will continue to work. ActiveCaptain will continue to update and everything should be OK. You can even download additional charts from whatever region you previously purchased. There is an issue if you delete the app and reload it, or if you acquire an additional device. So just be careful and don't delete it.

If you own recent Garmin chartplotter(s), the new app is a no-brainer - just get it.

Garmin is doing something very unique - making a very close connection between their hardware MFD's and the app world. There are some huge advantages if you have Garmin MFD's. It's a unique strategy for supporting customers. It'll take some time to figure out how it all works and what, if any, changes are needed. Even before my association with Garmin, I loved their products and switched to them in my boat (in 2012).

I can't provide direct product support on these products - go to support.garmin.com for help.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your post. There is so much information or lack of good information that is posted on different sites it is hard to tell what is going on. With just about all Ranger and Cutwater boats having Garmin equipment. I was told Ranger/Cutwater are one of Garmin biggest customers ( True or false ). I can only speak for myself, it is a bit overwhelming with all the changes. I am just now getting accustom to the features of Blue chart app/active captain, home port and it may or may not be going away. Is there a chance that you or someone from Garmin could out-line what the changes are and what actions are needed to done to update our Garmin equipment and mobile devises? Also what options will be available in the near future. I feel that Garmin customer service is good but it is hard to get to talk to a technician at times because of long phone waits. There is some information on the internet but for me most of the instructions are hard to follow or understand. Installation and downloading programs on devises does not come easy to me. There has been so much negativity and negative speculation written about Garmin acquisitions Active captain , Navionics ,we as users of the product line would most likely benefit from a Garmin tutorial post on Tugnuts about changes, active captain, Blue charts and Navionics.
Brian Brown
Cutwater 26
PORT-A-GEE
 
Hey, all I wanted was a great data base that gave me all the information I wanted for cruising and I got that from Active Captain. I wanted a good platform for navigation to get me where I wanted to go and got that from Garmin. I never wanted the two melded and saw no need for it. I did not want e-card either and now it seems like they are forcing that down our throat. Sometimes these tech companies create a need for something you never needed in the first place. Now poor Stu was lost at sea for several days with the great improvements! :lol: I wonder what the statistics are of accidents and groundings because people had their eye on the electronics rather than outside the boat?
 
Well I tried to download my map to the new Garmin Active Captain iPhone/iPad app. Since I don’t have a chart plotter with WiFi I used the other option to register my chart plotter. Registration seemed to go ok however when I go to chart in the app no chart is displayed, just the general outline of water bodies. Has anyone out there successfully downloaded their chart using this approach?
 
dclagett":wqtyt928 said:
Well I tried to download my map to the new Garmin Active Captain iPhone/iPad app. Since I don’t have a chart plotter with WiFi I used the other option to register my chart plotter. Registration seemed to go ok however when I go to chart in the app no chart is displayed, just the general outline of water bodies. Has anyone out there successfully downloaded their chart using this approach?
Click to expand...

Yes.... I went down this 'rabbit hole' and find I cannot download my already purchased maps. When I select OneChart -> "Download My Charts" all I get is the opportunity to buy 2 maps; one for $84.99 and the other for $48.99.

The OneChart page states "Download content from the built-in charts and supplemental map cards you own." and under this "Download My Charts".

All a bit of a mystery for me at this time.

BTW.... My Garmin BlueChart is fully functional and displays my purchased maps without issues.
 
I think at this time I will let Garmin work out the issues with those that are still boating and revisit in late winter. My Garmin chart plotter that I have had for one year is also no longer supported although I was told I can still purchase updated charts. How long that will last I don’t know.

My Garmin Bluechart Mobil app (the best marine navigation app in my opinion) is still working on my iPhone, so hopefully I will not need to reload the iPhone due to a problem. I still use Waterway Guide Nav Alerts and if traveling south Cruisers Net, but I hate to loose the Active Captain data. Given the excellent quality of the BlueChart Mobil app I think Garmin will eventually provide a quality product for us.
 
Polar Navy, one of the better navigation packages, just announced that Garmin has withdrawn support for Active Captain integration in their product.

The end of the group source navigation, I guess. Now if you can wade thru the Garmin instructions to add an entry to Active Captain, your friends using Polar Navy won't see it - and if they see an obstruction, they won't add it to Active Captain.

Nice! Garmin continues the tradition of working for Garmin even if it doesn't benefit the sport.

"We received the following notice from Garmin wrt. ActiveCaptain data availability:

"As permitted by our existing agreement, the current product will be discontinued on May 23, 2018 and will no longer be available. Due to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements we are unable to keep this product. This letter is providing you notice of termination of that product and our existing agreement."

Based on this notice, ActiveCaptain data will no longer be available for download after May 23, 2018.
Your existing downloaded data will continue to be available in the PolarView.

--
Polar Navy Support
"
http://support.polarnavy.com/forum/read.php?6,2378
 
As I said in an earlier post on this issue, I remain skeptical about Garmin's takeover of Active Captain. Now what I suspect will continue is a winnowing out of programs that rely on Active Captain updates but are not owned or controlled by Garmin. I suppose it is the Darwinian approach to technology. Innovation followed by diversification followed by consolidation and homogenization. Sigh. I may be the only one that doesn't like Garmin's app and interface. It is unpleasant to look at. Sorry Active Captain was sold.

I think I will go Google new apps, review it on the Apple app store, then send myself a trinket for the boat from Amazon Prime to feel better about this.
 
I didn’t know about Active Captain’s demise however in looking at other apps I found iNavX to be very good. In addition INavX now has an option for $35/year to overlay weather on your charts.

For those of us on the East Coast I would recommend Waterway Guide for marina and hazard information. I have always used Waterway Guide as my primary waterway information with Active Captain as a supplement. The WG marina app is very good.

I am so glad I waited to update my Garmin equipment so I could input Active Captain data. Now my only problem is what to spend all those $$$$ on.
 
I too am confused by all of this. I have Garmin Homeport installed on my Windows 10 laptop. If I go to the Google Play Store, the Active Captain app is still available there, but tells me I already have it installed. Is it finding Homeport?
I have purchased 2 of the BlueChart g2 Vision HD chips for BC and Alaska. If I plug the SD card (or a copy) into my laptop, I can read them in Homeport. There seems to be no way to register the charts to use the OneChart feature and have Homeport recognize that I own the charts. I have my 5212 registered with Garmin Express, but it wants me to buy charts. Is there any way to register the charts I have purchased?.
Is there any way to use a GPS with Homeport? My understanding is, no, it won't do that. I thought Active Captain did allow you to plug in and use a GPS puck; am I wrong on that?
I'm just looking for a backup option for redundancy to my 5212. It would be nice to stick with Garmin products and the charts I have already purchased.
Any suggestions?
 
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