Garmin G2 Vision card satisfaction

[BozSail]

For those using the Garmin G2 vision card, do you use the "auto-routing" function? If you do, are you satisfied with its utility?

[Copacabana]

I use the G2 vision card. I'm pretty happy with the charting detail for Brazil. Be careful with the "auto-routing" function. While it will select a route free of dangers, it tends to cut corners very close. Also, it (obviously) doesn't take into accound wind, tide and current, boat leeway etc. I've noticed it will set a course, for example, cutting very close (like 5 meters!) from a rocky headland. I often use the function just to see what it suggests and then plot my own route.

[CaptTom]

Ditto what Copacabana said.

I use it to give me a general idea, but then create my own route, or just remember where I want to deviate from the auto-generated route.

Remember, if you draw 6 feet and it brings you through an 8 foot area in 3-foot seas, you're going to be in trouble.

I've found it makes mistakes the other way too. It'll take me out and around passages with no hazards. That makes no sense, but I've seen it a few times.

[smac999]

pretty sure you can set depth and distance guildelines... also you can edit the route it makes after it makes it. IE move a waypoint further from land.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by smac999

pretty sure you can set depth and distance guildelines.

Yes, you can set your draft, air draft, and a few other parameters.

It just doesn't seem to use them consistently. Sometimes it'll route me over rocks I just barely clear, while other times it'll route me the long way around deeper rocks which really pose no threat.

If there is a "distance off" setting, I'm not sure if I'd want to use it. There are passages in protected waters which are safe even very close to shore, while outside I'd want to be much farther away from the same depth contour.

Again, the solution is to review the route closely, and edit or simply deviate from it as needed.

I would hope Garmin (and the others) are improving their algorithms all the time, and these discrepancies will become less of a problem over time. But that leads into the discussion (from another thread) on how Garmin doesn't support one-year-old "legacy" hardware with firmware upgrades.