Topic: Navionics Charts

[jc111903]

I have just purchased copies of Navionics Charts for Australia and also the Pacific with my new 898 unit.

Before I started the unit, I backed up the Navionics charts (which came on an sd card) to my computer as a backup in case the sd card got wet during use.  I then found the sd cards would not work in the unit, and to my horror on reading the very fine print on the back of the sd disk cover discovered a notice that said that if they were used in a card reader that the disk would be damaged, and would not be replaced.  Has anyone else had thisa problem, and if so, were you able to resolve it? 

I can understand the company trying to stop piracy, but this was an honest mistake and one which will cost me around $700 to replace.

Thanks
 

[stillbear]

Sorry to hear your misfortune . I would contact your vendor you bought the cards from an plead ignorance
and hope they sympathize with you.  Gary

[George]

I agree with Stillbear, your only recourse is to contact Navionics customer service and tell them that the card is not working.  They might replace the card.

Self destruction of these cards when messing with them has been discussed many times on this sight, it almost makes us afraid to even use the cards.  I keep my card so it can not be written to. 

Maybe someday we will have a friendlier manufacturer, this is all we have right now.  Personally I think they are a little greedy, when they do updates on their cards, they post minimal information and many times purchasers find that the updates are of little value.

George

[lolar3288]

I suggest you take it to the dealer and tell them it doesn't work.....keep details to yourself and see what happens.

In the past I would recommend navionics to my customers (consulted on electronics) but not now.  Their pricing is rediculous considering they sell abbs for phones for a fraction of the cost.  Navionics is now making garmin charts look reasonable!!!!!!

I don't know what is going on with some of these companies.  At one time Lowrance was good now you are way ahead with Humminbird.  Good for Humminbird for keeping the customer at the  forefront!

Maybe it's time for Humminbird to  look to accepting more chart systems...........or come up with their own!

[George]

I agree with lolar3288 about keeping the details to yourself, contact the place you purchased the map an let them know you have not been able to get their map to work.  Press for a resolution. 

In regards to purchasing something other then Navionics, unfortunately we do not have a lot of choices, competition brings improvements. 

Now we can use "LAKEMASTER MAPS" which has extended it service to Texas/Oklahoma, there offerings are very limited and since I do not use them I do not know how they compare to Navionics.

George

[kwelklin]

I live in Michigan and use the Lakemaster information.  The up side to Lakemaster is that you can buy it on a cd then it installs on your computer  you then transfer it to your  own card.  Big upside is you can look at lakes on your computers larger screen before hitting a lake and transfer waypoints before even getting the boat wet!

[nicknight]

Yeah...plead ignorance.

The first thing I did when I got my card was put the "lock" on the SD card.  Putting it in the PC and looking at it is such an easy and natural thing to do, the chip goes against what the rest of the software market does and they should have a sticker on the chip itself clearly outlining how the card needs to be handled.

so...in other words: I feel your pain.


PS: I live in a province with hundreds of thousands  of lakes (yep, more than a quarter million) so YES I want to put my own lakes on there because there is no way Navionics covers them all on their chip...they don't even cover all the popular ones.

[Roddy]

Down load a Garmin set to sd then to HB unit? Garmin charts look better and have more info. Half the time NavT 3D won't load! Roddy

[nicknight]

Down load a Garmin set to sd then to HB unit? Garmin charts look better and have more info. Half the time NavT 3D won't load! Roddy

???I can use my Garmin Charts on my Humminbird???
How?

[Humminbird_Greg]

Yeah, I would like to know how you did this too Roddy.  As far as I know; this is not possible as the maps have to be in either the LakeMaster-Humminbird or Navionics format.

[Roddy]

This is an idea I have in the work. Will get on it ASAP.

[jc111903]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.  Did approach the retailer, who contacted Navionics, and the best they could do was tp offer to replace the cards for $100 each.  How tight is that??  Great customer service - reinforces everything that is being said here I suppose.  If anyone knows how to install the Garmin charts please let me  know.

On a more positive note - have been using the unit to try to relocated wrecks in a zero vis shallow river - getting good results that contrast well with previous side scan survey of the area, but having adevil of a time actually physically relocating them underwater!   

Thanks again for all the responses.