Navionics vs C-Map

Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
Was wondering if anyone has experience between these two charting software? I will need to choose one or the other for my new Raymarine chart plotter and I know that Navionics seems to be more popular but C-Map has active captain which i find useful. Is there that much difference in the charts themselves or are they both based upon NOAA charts? My sailing area will be SE US like FL, GA, Bahamas (where i already have explorer charts on aqua map). TIA...
bob
 
Nov 18, 2010
2,441
Catalina 310 Hingham, MA
There is a difference between these and NOAA charts. Personally I like Navionics Sonar in all places except the Bahamas. In the Bahamas only Explorer Charts basemaps will do and I'm not sure who has them electronically. You can always manually add the waypoints.
 
Mar 20, 2004
1,729
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
I've used both, and they are pretty comparable; the Navionics charts now have active captain, too.
If you join club cmap you get an annual update for about $100; the Navionics subscription is also $100/yr (but on sale for Feb for $50) and that gives you daily updates downloadable for a year! they also have user inputs and hi-res sonar charts that are really good in the US. The CMap PC planner is so-so, the navionics program much better, and the navionics app for the iphone works really well
 
Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
I've used both, and they are pretty comparable; the Navionics charts now have active captain, too.
If you join club cmap you get an annual update for about $100; the Navionics subscription is also $100/yr (but on sale for Feb for $50) and that gives you daily updates downloadable for a year! they also have user inputs and hi-res sonar charts that are really good in the US. The CMap PC planner is so-so, the navionics program much better, and the navionics app for the iphone works really well
Thanks for some good information. However, i do not think Navionics charts have activecaptain, do they? The app does for sure but not the charts. That is what i was told by the raymarine dealer and have confirmed it online. Seems like it should get there soon since garmin owns both...
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,882
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
I just had an extensive online "chat" with a Navionic + rep yesterday about this. At least right now he said Navionic does not support Active Captain on their Charplotter based charts (ie Raymarine, etc). Garmin has it and even though Garmin now owns Navionics, they do not support Active Captain on the charts available for the Charplotter. Navionics does have Active Captain on their mobile app that you load and pay for separately. I was disappointed in this since I was told the new active Navionics would support Active Captain but that is only true for the mobile app, not the charts for chartplotters.

If someone has other specific experience (not heresay) on accessing Active Captain on a Raymarine Chartplotter running Navionics + please let me know how to do it!
 
Mar 20, 2004
1,729
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
Sorry - I misstated...it's winter here ;-) supposedly it's coming for the plotters, too, but right now it only works on the app
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I have Navionics on a older Raymarine C-80 and so I also have Navionics on my tablet and phone so I like the dock to dock on Navionics also.
Been using Navionics for a few years and love that Active Captain and Dock to Dock
features on my tablet on a mount at my helm next to my chartplotter.
I just had my C-80 repaired and so not interested in any new Chartplotter and love my setup.
Nick
 
Jan 17, 2013
439
Catalina 310 St. Simons Island, GA
Am leaning toward C-Map on the Raymarine chartplotter which supports active captain. Used C-Map on the Plan 2 Nav app on my tablet and the charts were always excellent.