Navionics Community Layer on Your Plotter

One of may favorite writers that I follow month to month is Cruising World's Fatty Goodlander.  He inspires all of us to get out there and start cruising now, don't wait until everything is perfect.  I so enjoy his minimalist attitude towards cruising. Wow, he just bought an engine for his 38 foot boat Wildcard a few years ago.  I can pretty much bet that he does not have any fancy charts plotters or expensive navigation features on board.  Somehow he has managed to sail around the world a couple of times with his lovely wife Carolyn.

I am torn between the engineer in me who has to have the latest gadget and the sailor who just wants to sail by the stars. So do we really need all these fun electronics gadgets? No, not really, but man are they fun to tinker with.

Too many boats sit in the marina waiting until the radar, chart plotter, instruments, big screen TV, inverter, SSB, genset, radar, stereo, refrigeration, water maker and autopilot are all working perfectly.  If we wait until all that stuff is working we may never go. It is a boat, so something is always going to be broken.  Just don't let that stop you from getting out there and enjoying what the ocean has to offer.

Here is another update on the Geeky electronics we can't live without. Enjoy!

In February, the Navionics Web Store was updated which allows a greater use of their User Generated Content(UGC) and Fresh Map data.  Their is a new logo sporting the Freshest Data slogan on their website.  This will allow you to get all the updates plus the UGC data onto your chart plotter or app software. It appears that you will need to have purchased your charting software in 2011 or 2012.  If not, you are directed to purchase new charts.

This User Generated Content is provided by the users like you and me.  When you find a nice marina or seaside restaurant, add it to the chart so everyone can benefit from your local knowledge.

You can now add this UGC to your chart plotter or PC software charting app. The chart plotter models that it currently works with are the Raymarine e7, e7D, e9, e9D, e12, e12D, c9 and c12.  The Lowrance models include HDS Gen2 and Gen1.

To get it for your PC or compatible chart plotter, head over to the Navionics.com webstore.  You will first need to download the Navionics World Application to your PC.  Start the World Application program and it will ask you if you have the Chart plotter or PC charts. Follow the on screen prompts to update your chart plotter chip or your PC chart sets. Congratulations, the user generated content can now be accessed on your chart plotter or PC charts.

Navionics iOS App Updates

If you have one of the Navionics apps for the iPhone or iPad you simply select the settings gear icon in the lower right hand corner. In the settings page tap Download Map and move the four corner pins to select the area you wish to update. Then simply select Download.

The User Generated Content (UGC) Community Layer can also be turned on in the setting page. Now you are up to date and have access to the latest UGC and chart data.

Oh, how I love my electronics!

~~~Sail On~~~