Active Captain for C map

[thataway]

Jeff Siegel made an announcement in his weekly blog, that Active Captain for C map is being introduced at the Miami show. There are going to be over 600 chart plotter models by include most of the chartplotters from Simrad, B&G, Lowrance, Raymarine, Sitex, Humminbird, Standard Horizon, and many others. Furuno has has support for Active Captain for about a year. Garmin has had Active Captain in Blue Chart Mobile (I OS ) There are a number of other apps which allow Active Captain on android and I OS devices.

So this will allow people with older chart plotters to have active captain on the MDF, as well as on the mobile devices. I don't know where Garmin is with this on the MDF. I had heard rumors that they were not too far away...

I suspect that one may have to purchase new map software for the legacy chart plotters.

 

[ssobol]

That's fine as long as it is just new maps. If the plotter has some secret code in it that allows AC to work (e.g. menu or display type flag), that would prevent older units from utilizing the AC feature.

I would buy a new map chip for the AC stuff, but not a new chart plotter. I'd just stick to AC on my phone or tablet then.

 

[journey on]

How about a short discussion of what Active Cpn offers? That is, why should I use it? And how?

Boris

 

[Will-C]

Active Captain is crowd sourced information and shows anchorages, marinas , available fuel all of which are rated 1 thru 5 Five being the best. They allow for boaters to mark obstructions such as shoals wrecks and other forms of navigation. It's like trip advisor for boater there is a lot more but the that's the short of it. Why should you use it. Want to know how the holding in an anchorage is, does it have current, wind protection , are there shopping opportunities near by. Wake protection all this items are rated for anchorage. Same thing for marinas do they have fuel, transient slips, and most of all ratings and reviews by other boaters. It's a free thing sign up and look around. Get on Jeff's mailing list and get the latest developments on new features as well as product reviews etc. Zoom in on an area, green marks are anchorages, blue marks are boat ramps, and the marinas are in red.
D.D.

 

[thataway]

To add slightly to Dave's excellent description. There is a team of boaters, who vet each input to be sure it seems consistent, and accurate. There are many updates each day and each of these is vetted daily.

Generally it is more up to date than local notice to Mariners, and geared to the small recreational boater.

There are other parts of Active Captain--such as "E-Boat Cards" etc. This allows you to know where your boating friends are, in real time. (If you wish).


Here is a link to a sample chart:

https://activecaptain.com/X.php

 

[hardee]

Bob, Thanks for that link. For me it opened right up to Port Harvey in the Broughtons. Without signing up for AC, I really don't get anymore info than the 1 to 5 star ratings, and the names of the "drop signs" on the map in the list.

I without having internet access, would Active Captain, on the MFD be able to update? I would think there would have to be some internet connection to get the "frequent updates", right?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Casey]

Our experience is that nice as the AC updates are, they are not critical on a day by day basis.

Yes, you need access to the Internet in order to "update," but AC data loads to your device, so you don't need Internet to access the data ... although that data may be from yesterday, last week, or even months old.

We find AC to be Extremely useful. Jeff and Karen Siegel have done "wonders" for the recreational boating community, and to think that AC is FREE is simply unbelievable. Thank You Jeff and Karen!

Best,
Casey&Mary

 

[Jake]

Our experience is that nice as the AC updates are, they are not critical on a day by day basis.

Yes, you need access to the Internet in order to "update," but AC data loads to your device, so you don't need Internet to access the data ... although that data may be from yesterday, last week, or even months old.
Best,
Casey&Mary

So all the AC data would be on the chip along with the charts? And then possibly updates could be downloaded to the chart plotter in the future?

Thanks,

Jake

 

[NewMoon]

Active Captain is another form of cruising guide, continually being updated and expanded by actual cruisers. As good as Waggoner and the "Exploring Series" guides are for the Inside Passage, AC has info on anchorages and marinas that's sometimes more detailed or more current than what's in the printed guides. I've entered markers that describe uncharted rocks, and excellent anchorages not found in the guides.

Active Captain is a great thing.

 

[ssobol]

So all the AC data would be on the chip along with the charts? And then possibly updates could be downloaded to the chart plotter in the future?

Usually if you buy a map chip (SD card) you get a period of updates. To update you usually have to manually download the updates via the internet. Most chart plotters cannot connect themselves, you need to take the chip out and put it in a computer (or other device) that has internet access.

Perhaps newer chart plotters have built in wifi that provides for direct updates.

I update the AC markers on my tablet every month or two during the cruising season. In my case, I don't feel that it is necessary to do it more often than that.

If your chart plotter does not support AC markers you can get the same functionality using a tablet or phone that has GPS (or not) and an app like MX Mariner (android). This app lets you download charts and the AC database for offline use while cruising.

http://mxmariner.com/about.html

 

[thataway]

I don't know yet how AC will be updated with the chart plotters. As noted, most all of the new MDF do have WiFi as part of the system. I suspect that a SD or similar card will be updated. Since AC is free--I would expect updates to be free.

It is generally recommended to update the tablet or other portable device when you have WiFi, rather than using the cell data, because the file sizes can be fairly large.

I hope that Active Captain updates will be totally independent of the chart chip updates.

I'll ask Jeff.

 

[thataway]

Here is Jeff Siegel's answer (minor editing) about how charts are updated with Active Captain data:

It really depends on the chartplotter. For the most part, none of these existing chartplotters have real internet access.(except Furuno) Some have Ethernet with fixed IP addressing without the ability to make an over-the-net connection. It would take some intermediate device to synchronize the data.

The data gets updated with the charts when the charts are updated - data-wise, it's part of the C-Map chart set. 90% of this happens with a new C-Map chip being inserted. There will be some special programs to provide quarterly updates at lower prices.

Most of the data will work well quarterly...fuel prices all current on the same day. We've been working with every marina to key them in on drop-dead dates to make sure all prices are correct.

We do live synchronization that today with Furuno - you can update the data every 10 minutes if you want there over WiFi/cellular through whatever internet access you have. But that's a modern, new system with real internet access. It's hard to imagine any chartplotter 5 years from now NOT having that capability.

Support with this C-Map integration works with very old devices like the Raymarine/Raytheon SL-80/RL=80's. There are still a hundred thousand of those in service. Any chart plotter which uses C -maps will get this data.

It is just the beginning.... every manufacturer is involved.

So, the answer is that you will have to have the subscription to the chart updates. On the other hand, if you use the mobile devices, you can do, as many of us, and synch before each trip--and then use that data from the tablet to supplement what is seen on the chart plotter. Most likely 95+% of data input each day, is not of importance to each of us. However, remember that Active Captain is world wide--or nearly so...I checked my Blue Charts, and one of my favorite anchorages in the Western Caribbean: @ N 15.83492* x W 083.30337* at Vivario Cay is shown on Active Captain as an anchorage.

 

[ssobol]

The AC info is supplied free (or at least available for free to users). I would not like the idea of having to buy an update or maintain a subscription for C-Maps or other map vendors just to keep the AC info updated on my chart plotter.

Right now, I only buy a new map chip every few years or if I am going to a new area I don't have coverage for. For the most part, the charts don't usually change that much and for my use frequent updates are not necessary. I feel that the AC marker info is updated much more frequently than the actual charts.

If the newer chart plotters are going to include the AC info, there needs to be a way to update the AC info separately from the charts.

 

[thataway]

I am like you. I don't update my charts all that often. I use the I pad App or computer site for my planning, and if cell phone coverage is available, I would use the phone number link to call the marina to make a reservation etc. I suspect that larger boats use this feature more than we do in the smaller/shoal draft boats.

So is this a feature, which people will expect to get free updates, regularly? Maybe the chart platter could come with "lifetime updates" like some Garmin truck and auto map devices. We know that part of the "business" of marine cartography is the cost of update chips. I suspect that the C Brats are generally in the "low spenders" grouping, and most do not update every quarter.

There those who upload the latest NOAA charts and local notice to mariners to their computers. For commercial purposes, this is essential. I have navigated with very out dated charts.. Usually you can get away with that.---at least along the US shores.

My guess is that Jeff is well aware of the feelings about having to pay $XX a year to keep the charts up to date. I will be happy to bring up this point. It may be down the line (as Jeff notes) that every chart plotter will be able to directly connect to the internet,via Wi Fi or G 6 XXX data--or in 4 years who know what we will have for communications and data intake.

In the News Letters from Active Captain, there are hints on how to get fairly in-expensive cell / data in the Bahamas--where Jeff is currently.

 

[thataway]

From this week's letter on Active Captain, some of our questions directly answered:

Should I update my charts now to get ActiveCaptain?
No. ActiveCaptain is set to be on the March chart update and then will
be updated on each C-Map update moving forward. Watch for information in
our newsletter about release specifics.

- Won't the data be old?
The ActiveCaptain data is updated at the time of the C-Map chart update
release. Because it is being put on memory media, there is no dynamic
update capability. All pricing data has a date of the price. Much of the
other data and reviews are fine if it's just a few months old. The
reality is that there is no other alternative today with most
chartplotters. So instead, obtain frequent chart updates - join the Club
C-Map and Club Jeppesen programs to receive updates automatically.

- Will you eventually be able to update chartplotters over the internet?
Most definitely - it can be done with some Furuno chartplotters now. As
more chartplotters gain better connectivity to the internet, we're ready
to provide dynamic updating just like we do with all the apps and nav
products already.

- Does this mean I don't need to use a tablet while underway?
We think a tablet is a fantastic chartplotter backup. It can also
provide another view of the path you're moving along. And since the
mobile devices all support immediate updates, they'll be the place with
the latest data. But having bridge restrictions, known hazards, marinas,
and anchorage right on your chartplotter is quite valuable too.

- Will ActiveCaptain be available on Navionics data too for
chartplotters and the Navionics app?
No. Our partner is Jeppesen/C-Map. We think they have the best charts
throughout the world and strongly suggest you start using C-Map data in
your chartplotter. It has to be said that Jeppesen/C-Map hasn't paid us
one dollar for using ActiveCaptain. We want to align our data with the
best chart providers and so we selected C-Map.

- ActiveCaptain is now everywhere. What else is there for you to do?
Plenty. We're pushing new ways to share and use the knowledge from
others in the community. Electronic boat cards, our Locations app,
community anchoring, Service groups, and more are things we're working
on right now. The benefits of electronic boat cards are bigger than all
of ActiveCaptain. You'll see...