Garmin Bluechart Mobile Functions

[Genesis V]

Can anyone help me with a question re. the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App. I am looking to purchase the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App & charts on my iPad air which has an internal GPS (as a backup to Navionics).
Am I correct in assuming that the Garmin app does not show and follow your boat on the ipad as you go unless you have wifi sharing the GPS location from a Garmin marine network (ie. a Garmin chart plotter). Is it a fully functioning stand alone app. or just great for planning.
Also I've read several posts that there are several chart updates per year for which you have to pay each time and they do not tell you what the update covers so there is no way of telling if it affects your specific sailing area.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

I have the app on my ipad. I do not have the SIM card in it and it works fine. It seems as accurate as any other gps. It follows the boat.
I have had it since it first came out and have not had to pay for any update yet. The only other Garmin product we have on board is an older Map76 handheld unit. Our gps at the helm is a Raymarine. I have the weather radar on the app as well and like it very much. I think it is well worth the cost.
Bob

I just fired it up after posting this and it indicated a chart update was available, it downloaded no charge.

 

[Genesis V]

Thanks Bob, good to hear you're happy with it. I will go ahead and install the app & charts.
I also look forward to following your post on your solar install. I'm also have a 356 and looking to install panels.

 

[Genesis V]

Further to the initial post do you know if the North Am. Charts on garmin bluechart mobile covers the area of Georgian Bay & the North Chanel in detail, the Canadian side of Lake Huron. That's my sailing area mainly on the eastern side.

And once again I am coming across posts like this:

"WAIT A SEC. It's only planning software.
You can't activate a route. Only plan them and follow them.... Even if you spend the money on the charts."

I guess l'll find out !!!

 

[Randylb]

Further to the initial post do you know if the North Am. Charts on garmin bluechart mobile covers the area of Georgian Bay & the North Chanel in detail, the Canadian side of Lake Huron. That's my sailing area mainly on the eastern side. And once again I am coming across posts like this: "WAIT A SEC. It's only planning software. You can't activate a route. Only plan them and follow them.... Even if you spend the money on the charts." I guess l'll find out !!!

Yes they cover the North Channel.

 

[Ward H]

Can anyone help me with a question re. the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App. I am looking to purchase the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App & charts on my iPad air which has an internal GPS (as a backup to Navionics).
Am I correct in assuming that the Garmin app does not show and follow your boat on the ipad as you go unless you have wifi sharing the GPS location from a Garmin marine network.

That is not correct. The Garmin Mobile App works fine on an iPad Air, as does Navionics app, without a WiFi signal and shows your current location as well as recording your track if you turn on tracking. Others have said the iPad GPS works without a cellular plan but I have not tried that myself. I have used both Navionics and Garmin Blue Chart Mobile on an iPad 4 and now have both installed on an iPad Air but the water has been too hard since I got the iPad Air play with it out in the bay.
I don't have a need to do any trip planning but I use the apps to track my day sails just for fun. Also them to avoid thinner water.
When you say "as a backup to Navionics" do you mean the app?

 

[Kite Runner]

Can anyone help me with a question re. the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App. I am looking to purchase the Garmin Bluechart Mobile App & charts on my iPad air which has an internal GPS (as a backup to Navionics).
Am I correct in assuming that the Garmin app does not show and follow your boat on the ipad as you go unless you have wifi sharing the GPS location from a Garmin marine network (ie. a Garmin chart plotter). Is it a fully functioning stand alone app. or just great for planning.
Also I've read several posts that there are several chart updates per year for which you have to pay each time and they do not tell you what the update covers so there is no way of telling if it affects your specific sailing area.

I have an iPad with the Garmin Bluechart mobile app. I purchased a Garmin GLO bluetooth GPS...go to internet address below for more info. Simply, the GLO receives both WAAS and GLONASS signals and using bluetooth to transmit the signals to my iPad. It is fast and accurate! The iPad does *NOT* track. My Bluechart app also has 'Active Captain' which is integrated into the Garmin app as an extra.

I have a Garmin 720 CP with AIS up at the helm. What I wanted was something down at the nav station and the iPad / GLO combination is great! I don't have to rely on data or wifi...two signals that can be easily lost or just aren't transmitted in some areas of the Northwest waters. It's sufficient information and it's nice to have that retinal display quality for pinpointing. It's a great way to put an iPad to work on the water.

Cheers!

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/oem/sensors-and-boards/glo-/prod109827.html

 

[Genesis V]

I wanted the Garmin as a backup "APP" to my Navionics "APP" on my iPad Air, 4G with GPS (although it would be great to be able to transfer routes est. between both apps.)
As my chart-plotter is an older Raymarine (no Garmin electronics on board) the main thing that seem to be in question is the ability of the Garmin app on its own without a Garmin network to preform active navigation. displaying as Navionics do:

Course, distance & time to waypoint,
Bearing, distance & time to destination,
Boat heading vector line from boat's bow
Waypoint numbers displayed
North up & Heads up
Reverse routing
Bold line on current leg.
Off track error
Tracking

 

[Bob 04 H260]

The Garmin app will show chart, waypoints, the boats position and a route you input, it will record your track and you could take pictures that are geo referenced, if you have cell service you can overlay the weather with current radar. I would not consider it a backup. The active captain stuff is very handy when looking for an anchorage or marina while moving. I use a Garmin Map76 as my backup gps.
I like the active captain Dragqueen app and the Companion app, very usefull and the price is right !

Regards, Bob

 

[Ward H]

Based on an above comment that "the iPad does not track", I tried tracking a shopping trip last night on the Garmin App on my iPad Air. It tracked my movements and showed I traveled 4.6nm, even though I was on public roads.
The thing I noticed was that it gave no other data on my track.
The Navionics app shows Start, End, Distance, Total Time, Average Speed and Max Speed. I could not find anyway to display that data in the Garmin App.

 

[Genesis V]

I think it is pretty obvious that Garmin is using their mobile app. to push the sales of their chartplotters and accessories that's pretty sad, if they continue to do this I think it will come back to bite them in the end.

 

[Bill1565]

Suggest you put garmin with active captain on your phone . That way you won't have to tune out your primary nav app.

 

[Kite Runner]

I think it is pretty obvious that Garmin is using their mobile app. to push the sales of their chartplotters and accessories that's pretty sad, if they continue to do this I think it will come back to bite them in the end.

Genesis V,

Garmin is pushing Bluechart G2 Vision SD cards for their chartplotters. Their app Bluechart mobile is exactly that...for mobile use. If you go to the internet location supplied you will see it represents the "accessory" for use with iPhone, iPad, MacAirs and some android devices.

I can read my charts down below with my iPad, and up on the bow with my iPhone using the GLO GPS bluetooth capabilities. Again, at the helm I have *all* the information required coming from my 720 CP with G2 Vision SD cards and it's own internal antenna receiving sat info. There's nothing "sad" onboard. I do have Garmin loyalty overtones, but, it took me close to a year to discover the GLO. Maybe Garmin are not pushing hard enough.

Cheers!