Navionics plus versus Navionics Gold XL

[Alan N Crichton]

As I am planning to sail from Cape town to the Caribbean I purchased a Navionics chart for my Raymarine C127. As I have used Navionics gold XL Africa for the past 8 years I asked for the same but for South America and Caribbean - unfortunately Navionics discontinued the Gold XL and even when I want to upgrade there is no option other than Navionics plus. Having read that one must download all the chart I asked for the preloaded version. This was delivered and when tested in the chart plotter it reported "freshest updates available " so I plugged it into my laptop and using the Chart updater was shocked to see almost 8Gb of updates were required !! As I use a metered 3G/LTE wireless connection this would flatten my monthly data allocation so I walked to the club and used the free WiFi - after a number of beers my update was complete - so just to verify I reinserted the SD card and voila it still required 8Gb of data updates. I then took the SD back to the dealer who after several days reported it was now updated. Collected the SD and immediatley placed it in my laptop and guess what ? another 8Gb of data required. I then logged a technical inquiry with Navionics direct asking why do I keep getting the 8Gb update report. They issued a very prompt response stating that the "plus" version after any changes - albeit minor chart , sonar or otherwise - will require a full rewrite of the SD card !!!!! they also stated I should update the card on a monthly basis !!! I could not believe that an update system which worked well on XL Gold has been replaced with sledge hammer massive data update system. The local dealer called me, as I asked for C map or any other charts that do not have such a cumbersome data intensive update system, and told me I never need to update my SD card as it is fully functional - so why on earth did I pay for 1 years free updates !!! I am now an Ex Navionics customer - will now buy another chart that works in my C127 Raymarine. My advice don't buy Navionics Plus unless you have free WiFi, a few hours spare every month and someone else is buying the beers !!~~

[Larry Florida]

What would be the best alternative? Particularly for use on a samsung S2 tablet. There are several navionics apps. I read somewhere (ICW Waterway guide) the navionics charts for East coast USA plus Caribbean was $25. If true this would be all I would need at this time

[Alan N Crichton]

Larry Florida - I still use the navionics apps on my iPad, iPhone and an Acer (android) notepad - these are around $30 but they require prior downloading of the area you intend visiting or if you are coastal you can download enroute - the apps work well. The issue is with a chart plotter SD card.

[jtulls]

Yeah the new Platinum+ requires you to load the charts before you plug into the chartplotter. In the US, they just came out with some (Navionics+ Regions) that come pre-loaded but that doesn't help for Africa-Caribbean.

Navionics does publish updates frequently but I thought you should be able to use the chart without updating. Was there not an option to just accept the notification that updates were available but continue using the 'un-updated' charts that are on the card?

[groundtackle]

And if you download and use the sonar charts be careful there are certain zoom levels that show less colour detail than the standard non-fish-n-chips version. The close spaced and un labelled depth contour lines can look like a deep hole when in reality it's a drying rock. Surprisingly when you change to the less detailed regular view the same geographic feature is very clear even at lower zoom levels.

[Alan N Crichton]

Hi jtuls - there is an option to ignore the update and use the sd card but the problem is with navigational updates - one never knows what has been changed and after all that is why I purchased it. The sonar updates are huge and continual so I have not even attempted to update. I did have a positive response from Navionics where they acknowledge the problem with Gb updates and have requested their development group to see if we can have sequential updates as the XL Gold used to be.