Raymarine C-80 vs iPad for navigation

[skippermalolo]

We got a 2008 raymarine c-80 on our boat when we purchased it last year as well as a navronics program for the Bahamas. We're planning an extended cruise to the Exumas this winter with the possibility of extending to the north coast of Cuba in April - June. My wife has a new iPad aire which has a gps and I understand that it can be used along with a vector chart and nav program to stand in the place of the chart plotter for navigation. I have to admit confusion. Can anyone give me some guidance ? I've considered getting an updated Navronics chart for the area to use with the Raymarine. I've also seen NV charts at Landfall Navigation,which offers kits with paper charts, digital charts and nav program for iOS?

[a64pilot]

Get the Garmin app, It's better in my opinion than the maps in my B&G Zeus


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Vasco]

Get the Garmin charts for the iPaD Air. Under $30 and better than the $300 Navionics crap charts of the Bahamas. I have both only because the boat came with a Raymarine.

[Wench'sCaptain]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Get the Garmin charts for the iPaD Air. Under $30 and better than the $300 Navionics crap charts of the Bahamas. I have both only because the boat came with a Raymarine.

Complete agreement here.

[travellerw]

Unless... The chart card in you C80 is from 2004 or earlier. If so, it will have explorer charts and they are highly regarded.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by travellerw

Unless... The chart card in you C80 is from 2004 or earlier. If so, it will have explorer charts and they are highly regarded.

I have one of these chips. My new Raymarine takes microSD so the old charts (CF format, 2004)didn't work. If anyone wants it, it's for sale. However it still has many geo-referencing errors. Better than the later Navionics but not as good as Explorer. If you want the whole story do a search. I've been ranting about Navionics electronic charts of the Bahamas since 2005.

By the way, the 2004 Navionics weren't Explorer charts. Navionics "borrowed" Explorer data. They had to remove it from later charts.

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by Vasco

I have one of these chips. My new Raymarine takes microSD so the old charts (CF format, 2004)didn't work. If anyone wants it, it's for sale. However it still has many geo-referencing errors. Better than the later Navionics but not as good as Explorer. If you want the whole story do a search. I've been ranting about Navionics electronic charts of the Bahamas since 2005.

By the way, the 2004 Navionics weren't Explorer charts. Navionics "borrowed" Explorer data. They had to remove it from later charts.

Correct me if I wrong.. But there are now modern Navionics chart cards with Explorer (licensed) charts in them. I'm pretty sure it was an option when I was looking for cards for my B&G Zeus2.

And yes "borrowed"!

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Get the Garmin charts for the iPaD Air. Under $30 and better than the $300 Navionics crap charts of the Bahamas. I have both only because the boat came with a Raymarine.

To which Garmin app for the iPad are you referring?

Thanks,
Lee (who is planning a honeymoon trip from Annapolis to NYC and Martha's Vineyard for next July, with our new -to us- boat and a spouse with limited experience!)

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by travellerw

Correct me if I wrong.. But there are now modern Navionics chart cards with Explorer (licensed) charts in them. I'm pretty sure it was an option when I was looking for cards for my B&G Zeus2.

And yes "borrowed"!

I got the latest Navionics for the Bahamas last year. It's crap! Much worse than the bad 2004 chip. No Explorer Chart data on it. AFAIK C-Maps are your best bet for Explorer Charts.

[wcapital]

For the Bahamas also get the Explorer Chart BOOKS - which I find indispensable there. And, in the shallow waters there I find the satellite views of Google Maps / Earth quite valuable to have running on a tablet or smartphone (you can create offline versions so they're available when out of cellular coverage)

[Capecoder]

Garmin blue charts for iPad

Works great and even has Active Captain

[travellerw]

Originally Posted by Vasco

I got the latest Navionics for the Bahamas last year. It's crap! Much worse than the bad 2004 chip. No Explorer Chart data on it. AFAIK C-Maps are your best bet for Explorer Charts.

Sorry.. I might have been confused.. The Zeus2 can use both Navionics and CMAP charts.. I may have been thinking of CMAP chart cards..

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Capecoder

Garmin blue charts for iPad

Works great and even has Active Captain

Yes and it's somewhat shameful that my Ipad is a better navigator than my thousands of dollars plotter, but it's true.
I think but may be mistaken that the App is free but you pay for the maps, but they are much less expensive than they are for a plotter

[Ocean Girl]

We've been cruising the exumas for 6 months now. I have iPad Air 2 and use garmin blue charts with active captain. I read a lot of complaints about navionics on active captain when I research an anchorage we are about to hit. Our garmin blue charts, which are explorers, are dead accurate. BUT, I do not trust my iPad as a complete chart plotter. We use garmin chart plotter, iPad blue charts, and the explorer paper charts to navigate approaches. My iPad had done some funky stuff, once placing me on the other side of an island. So I only use it as another reference when navigating skinny waters.
Below is an example of blue charts on my iPad, it had the coral head just where we spotted it and steered around it. But, these waters are visual navigation waters, never completely trust a chart, no matter the brand.
Cheers
E

[LByers]

I navigated from Panama to NYC through the Bahamas and the ICW using my iPad, iNavX, and Active Captain without problems.