Navionics app experience

[stevenk2]

For strictly seasonal (i.e. summertime, fair weather) recreational boating, what are your opinions of the Navionics app? I'm wanting to use it with a small (7") Android tablet on my AR195, and was wondering about real-world accuracy and ease of use. We typically visit the same bodies of water each season, but I felt like having the app might give us additional info to help us explore a bit more as well as giving us some tracking info like miles travelled, routes and such.

The other question would be about the new pricing for the app - my understanding is that Garmin recently acquired Navionics, and started bumping the prices up from what they used to be for it. Granted, it's not the typical 99-cent download you find in the app store, but from what I've heard online, folks are saying that even for the yearly subscription fee, it's still a bargain given the quality and accuracy of the maps. I'm just going off of the bits and pieces I get off a Google search, not sure what your opinions are about all of that are though...…..

 

[Beachbummer]

I bought the subscription last year, so my info is not be the latest. I was impressed with it, and it was nicer and better than the devices I could purchase for $400+, while providing better function. I payed $30 or so for a subscription to Caribbean, which included all of what I needed in the Houston area, and I could also use it while on a cruise, which was pretty neat. You could try for some time for free, so that could be an option to check for yourself before you pay for it.

 

[stevenk2]

Yeah, I saw that about the 2-week free trial too - I'm thinking of downloading and starting that on our vacation next month to see how well it works.

Any thoughts about the functionality and usefulness of the app? Is it as good as the reviews online say it is?

 

[Weeb]

Last I knew it was $50 then $25 a year to renew. I used it a couple of days ago and it seemed to be a couple of feet deeper than my depth finder on the boat. My lake is changing depths a little right now so that might be why. Over all I like it though if I chart a course I would never be worried about depth or bouys with it.

 

[Weeb]

Plus now you can have it on two devices so you can put it on your phone too.

 

[Beachbummer]

I would say it's as useful as it can be. Shows charts,course and speed. For the money it was well worth it. I have been looking for a waterproof tablet to host it, but my G6 is waterproof and is the right size also, so after looking at the options I figured I'd keep it on my LG G6 for this season.

 

[stevenk2]

Thanks for the input - based on what I'm hearing so far from you all, it's probably something that will be worth it. We're planning a trip later in the season to Lake Powell (first time there), so I'm thinking it will come in handy down there.

 

[Dixie Highway]

I decided to use it as a main plotter on my 210 FSH. Here was my thinking...a 10” plotter/sonar combo is over $1000 no matter how you slice it. Usually, they include a map, upgradeable for a fee (either online or new SD cards). I bought a cheap $140 Samsung 9.6” tablet, a $150 Raymarine WiFish for sonar (integrates with Navionics app), and a $60 Ram mount setup. Basically, for $400 plus Navionics at $35 per year, I have daily updated maps, with tide and current weather info (while using my phone hotspot) and very good routing, I don’t think I can go wrong for the price. If the tablet gets damaged it’s covered by my Best Buy $20 warranty. I pick up the boat in a couple weeks so I won’t know how it works until the season starts, but so far using the app on land it works beautifully.

 

[stevenk2]

Pretty much my thoughts exactly - for the cost, it sounds like you can't really go wrong, just as long as you're not expecting too much from it. I mean, I'm sure there's a reason units like the Garmins and Raymarines cost so much more, you can't expect a web app on a cheap tablet to perform the same. But it sounds like for recreational use like I'll be using it, it should perform adequately for my needs.

 

[Dixie Highway]

Well, you certainly aren’t going to get great sonar performance if you are into fishing, that’s for sure. But honestly for mapping and navigation, I think the Navionics app is better than the built in units I’ve used.

 

[Bluewater272]

The Navionics app works very, very well - however if you have a true need for a plotter I would recommend getting one. Phones can be difficult to use underway, overheat (iPhones especially), lose data, etc. I mostly use the mobile app for researching stuff from my couch.

 

[Dean P]

The Navionics app works very, very well - however if you have a true need for a plotter I would recommend getting one. Phones can be difficult to use underway, overheat (iPhones especially), lose data, etc. I mostly use the mobile app for researching stuff from my couch.

I agree. Not to mention, if you do one of these trips to the Bahamas, cellular range offshore is limited.

 

[Gunner]

Navionics doesn't require cell or wi-fi service it uses the ph
one/tablets internal GPS to connect. Just make sure your device has internal GPS.

 

[stevenk2]

Navionics doesn't require cell or wi-fi service it uses the ph
one/tablets internal GPS to connect. Just make sure your device has internal GPS.

Yeah, I was noticing that as well...…...surprisingly, not all tablets come with GPS, so I've had to be careful in my selection. Some of the ones without it have location services via WiFi or cell, but coverage can be spotty with those, especially if you're in remote or hilly locations. GPS seems to be the better choice overall, plus I'm unsure if the Navionics app works with anything but GPS. I mean, I'm sure you could still use the maps and such, but getting accurate boat position would require an active/live service 100% of the time.

 

[Gunner]

Just my brief experience using it last summer on a Wave Runner it worked very well. If the winter ever ends I plan on trying it on the new boat, see how it goes and go from there. If it doesn't work out I will go with a dedicated chartplotter. Good luck

 

[Julian]

I decided to use it as a main plotter on my 210 FSH. Here was my thinking...a 10” plotter/sonar combo is over $1000 no matter how you slice it. Usually, they include a map, upgradeable for a fee (either online or new SD cards). I bought a cheap $140 Samsung 9.6” tablet, a $150 Raymarine WiFish for sonar (integrates with Navionics app), and a $60 Ram mount setup. Basically, for $400 plus Navionics at $35 per year, I have daily updated maps, with tide and current weather info (while using my phone hotspot) and very good routing, I don’t think I can go wrong for the price. If the tablet gets damaged it’s covered by my Best Buy $20 warranty. I pick up the boat in a couple weeks so I won’t know how it works until the season starts, but so far using the app on land it works beautifully.

I'll be curious to hear how the Raymarine WiFish works out.....please keep us posted!

 

[AJack]

You can download the maps onto your phone, thus, it'll only use the GPS to plot your location. Cell phone service or wifi is not needed. Thus, on an off-shore trip, with the maps downloaded, Navionics will still work. I have the phone mounted off the side window, plugged into the USB port. On the dash is a Garmin Echomap 64CV. Out of those two, I prefer the phone (it's an iPhone 7, not a really large screen), especially with its dock-to-dock navigation feature.

 

[stevenk2]

I have a tablet and mount on the way, I'll try the app out and see how well it does. I'm in it for around $100 bucks so far, and I can reuse the tablet for other stuff if it just doesn't work out well, so no big loss if that ends up being the case. Given what you all are saying here though, it sounds like it'll fill my needs. Thanks for all of the input!

 

[tabbibus]

I have a tablet and mount on the way, I'll try the app out and see how well it does. I'm in it for around $100 bucks so far, and I can reuse the tablet for other stuff if it just doesn't work out well, so no big loss if that ends up being the case. Given what you all are saying here though, it sounds like it'll fill my needs. Thanks for all of the input!

What tablet did you get?

 

[swatski]

You can download the maps onto your phone, thus, it'll only use the GPS to plot your location. Cell phone service or wifi is not needed. Thus, on an off-shore trip, with the maps downloaded, Navionics will still work. I have the phone mounted off the side window, plugged into the USB port. On the dash is a Garmin Echomap 64CV. Out of those two, I prefer the phone (it's an iPhone 7, not a really large screen), especially with its dock-to-dock navigation feature.

Just keep in mind, at least during some more adventurous trips, if caught in a storm w/driving rain, pounding waves etc. that iPhone may or may not feel completely up to the task.

Edit - sorry, just reread about your Garmin!
Pardon my idiot post, lol.

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