Navionics Platinum Owners: Please Help

T

timflan

New member
At the Seattle Boat Show, I asked the fellow from Navionics to walk me through the features of the Platinum map chip. Why should I upgrade?

Well, there are lots of reasons, but none are compelling enough to make me spend the ~$200 (net, after $100 rebate for upgrading) until my charts need to be updated anyway, because I feel they're geting out of date.

But that ain't the point of this post. Here's the point:

Does the "Geo-Referenced Coast Pilot Book" feature work? Using Raymarine E-series hardware, we explored the features, and we saw the Pilot Book tab on the interface. Except the Pilot Book was empty. There was no content under the Pilot Book tab.

"Well, Friday Harbor is a pretty straightforward entrance."

"What's a location that would be more challenging?" asked the Navionics guy.

"Deception Pass. It gets its own chapter in most of the cruising guides."

...but guess what. NOTHING! Whisky Tango Foxtrot?!? That cannot be right.

The poor Navionics guy didn't have an answer. I felt sorry for him, because I've been in that same situation...working trade shows is no picnic, believe me.

So my theory is that something was misconfigured in this particular installation. I really want this "story" to have a "happy ending". Could somebody with Navionics Platinum (in any hardware) let me know if you actually see Pilot Book content...anywhere?

Thanks!
 
Hi Tim,

It is in there; I show it to folks all the time. I'll be the first to admit I don't use it personally much since I'm always running in my "back yard" (I hope that changes!). I'll go play with a unit and give you some specifics...I'd like to know my self.
 
I have been wondering about the difference between the Navionics Gold vs. Platinum. If I read the literature correctly, the only difference is 3D view yes?

Tor those who have used it, are the 3D graphics good (showing topography above and below the water as I recall)?

Thanks
 
matt_unique":18tvpbx7 said:
I have been wondering about the difference between the Navionics Gold vs. Platinum. If I read the literature correctly, the only difference is 3D view yes?
Click to expand...
Oh no, not all all. In fact, for those of us with Raymarine C-series chartplotters, 3D views aren't available anyway.

Other features that Platinum has and Gold does not:
Dynamic tides and currents. Cool!
Coastal points-of-interest like banks, hotels, dining: Um...OK
Panoramic pictures: Cool!
Geo-referenced coast pilot books: I don't know about this yet :-)
Satellite photo overlay: Cool!
3D views: Yeah, whatever.

"Cool!" means I perceive this is as useful feature that increases my motivation to upgrade to Platinum.

As an aside, I was reassured yesterday to hear Jeff Hummel of Rose Point Navigation confirm my opinion that 3D is of absolutely no practical use whatsoever. He was unequivocal, and I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

I have yet to see a 3D rendering that I would be willing to have on the screen while navigating an unfamiliar channel entrance, or during fog. I want LESS information of HIGHER relevance. 3D is a toy, at least with the bathymetric data currently available. Maybe later it'll be a tool.
 
It's my impression that 3D is cool but without proper rendering of the boat, the water's surface, and the bottom. It is not going to be useful. The real question is, with the electronics to produce a precise position in relation to a chart that provides 3 dimensions, then there is no reason the same system shouldn't warn that you are about to hit a known obstacle that is closer to the surface than the draft of your boat.
 
I just posted this on another thread; But there is now a new Platinium plus chart ($499!--vs the $299)--which gives better details, photos etc. But it may not work on the current generation or many chart plotters--Some of the chart updates may not be taken care of by the soft ware updates.

It is a bit disheartening that at the boat show the factory rep couldn't get the charts to work--and it does not sound as if he had the latest Platinium plus charts.
 
Some day they will be able to use the 3D for fish finder mode. I spent some time looking at the forward arays and they would be very interesting to use while fishing. It would be great to see where and to what side of the boat the bait balls are BEFORE I get to them. They are making these units with stern mount tranducers now. The screens could be better but that seems more of a term of $ more then anything else. If that info could be displayed on the raymarines 3d image in front of the boat and under the boat at the same time I might be able to catch some dam fish!!! One day they will get where I want the systems to be but its a ways off. heres a link to the forward scanning arays.


http://www.interphase-tech.com/main.htm
 
We have discussed the Interphase and Echo pilot foreward facing phased arrays. They seem to be of some use when there is a definitative structure in a short distance in front of the boat. This has to be at a slow speed and the target needs to be fairly close. The maximum foreward range is about 6x the depth of the water. I have only used these in slopping sandy bottoms, where they are not of much use, unless there is a solid structure right ahead.

The side scan of hummingbird look great--but unfortunately they are not foreward looking. Hummingbird now has a depthsounder, side scanner, Platinum plus Navionics chart plotter in the 1197: Maybe next year they will come out with the foreward version!.
 
I bought an Interphase sea scout forward scanning sonar for my boat. The theory I had was that I could use it to find schools of herring etc and steer towards them. So far (5 years), not really. In practice, it's been marginally useful to see shallows coming up but I wish I had bought a Lowrance instead. The resolution of the seascout in normal use is not as good as a Lowrance. It works OK for fishing but for the $1k I spent on it, I could have gotten a much better sonar from Lowrance.
 
the inter phase is best for slow speed, trolling, and is not a replacement for a depth finder. As a navagation tool for finding openings in reef and passages it has been by passed by gps units. so unless you are in a unmapped area, not many of those left, you really dont need it. but as a tool for finding fish and bait it could be very useful. I also like the hummingbird side scanner and would love to cruise the local rivers looking for sturgeon with one, but they are alittle spendy. if anyone has one on there boat I would love to see it in action.
 
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