Saving Active Captain data on a laptop for offline use?

[Jarel Design]

Hi There.

I've been researching for weeks on how to save ActiveCaptain data for use in Homeport with our Garmin chips. (Searched ActiveCaptain site, Garmin site, the internet in general and here at CF.

Here's the goal:
Planning a trip to the San Juans this summer. We have a Garmin 640 and love it. Also the Garmin Vision card for the area. There is a LOT of data/information in ActiveCapatin for the area that we'd like to have access to while planning our next day's trip each night while NOT depending on internet access. We hope to be able to use Homeport with our chip on our laptop (no problems), but we'd also like to be able to access Active Captain data on our laptop as we review our paper charts and guide books to decide where we'll go the next day. I've been able to use our Garmin card in homeport AND include the Active Captain data, BUT only while online. We'd like to be able to do this when we don't have internet access.

We do not have a smart phone (found apps that are "supposed to" provide this ability). Also, I'd consider myself very computer "literate". LOL!

Anyone have experience doing this? Suggestions for a computer "illiterate"?

Thanks!
Richard & Tresa

[Jarel Design]

Anyone have any ideas?
Maybe i should post this over in the electronics forum?
Thanks!
Richard

[admiralslater]

I use active captain on my I pad in conjunction with the garmin blue charts ( 60 bucks 1 time ) and it is always used off line .In fact it has been my plotter this year as my built in one pooched .

[four winds]

In don't think you will be able to access Active Captain data directly in any Garmin device. I have one of thier plotters. But I do planning on my laptop with PolarView from PolarNavy, which does integrate AC data. Updating the data when near WiFi and it is available offline.

Reviewing charts and planning on a 32" flat screen connected by HDMI cable is very much better than on the dedicated plotter. Much easier and faster to "flyover" the proposed route while still zoomed in for max detail.

Homeport can be useful here, too. Plan and create routes on the laptop and use Homeport to convert it to the proprietary format for Garmin.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by admiralslater

I use active captain on my I pad in conjunction with the garmin blue charts ( 60 bucks 1 time ) and it is always used off line .In fact it has been my plotter this year as my built in one pooched .

Ditto, although I just use the generic background chart that comes free with Bluechart. I have other electronic charts (including a couple of Garmin plotters) so didn’t want to buy the same charts AGAIN. But I can use the ActiveCaptain database with Bluechart offline once the database has been loaded to my iPad. I simply update it when I’m in wifi zone.

[Jarel Design]

Thanks to you both!
We don't have a smart phone and Polar view (as I recall), was kind of pricey... I'll have to go back and check.

I did find a free download for a program that would allow me to download a navigation program onto my laptop that would save Active Captain...

We're using our Garmin GPS for navigation... Wanted to use the laptop for evening in the cabin to help plan our next day of sailing... The more I think about it,with the guide books we have and will get, this may not be an important thing to have... Just thought it would add more convenience to our evening's planning research.

Thank you!

Richard

[four winds]

Upon rereading your post, I see you are doing something similar as me with A.C. and Homeport. But only while online in see.

Are you seeing AC data on the Garmin charts using Homeport?

If so, then maybe there is a setting in Homeport to save AC data offline. Certainly should be but I don't know.

[Jarel Design]

Yes, I've been able to get AC on Home-Port, but couldn't save it... Both are new to me, and I haven't spent much time trying, so I need to experiment and learn more.

I want to make a copy of our chip just in case I screw something up... I don't want to loose the data on the chip.

My computer friends won't let me touch anything on my computer as I've often made problems worse! LOL! They tell me to call them to save me from myself! LOL!

Truly computer illiterate! LOL!

Working on some tight client deadlines right now, so I'll have to wait a while before I dive in... I too, would think that if I can bring AC into home-port, there should be a way to save it (maybe into the chip?).

[four winds]

Best case, when you have time, is to check on offline AC data in homeport. Configuration,,, settings,,,something like that. Don't be shy to poke around.

Looked at the PolarView site and can't find a price. It was 20-30 bucks when I bought it years ago. It, to me, is the most graphically readable chart program out there.

And it seems it may be free now. Not sure about that though.

Polar Navy - Marine Navigation Software

Polar Navy - Marine Navigation Software

[Jarel Design]

Wow! This is not what I was thinking of!
Polar View looks like a great program... Couldn't find the price though. Looks like subscription is $20, but I could be confused with people who already had it...

Saved the link and will research further after I get my work done.
Thanks!

[jcapo]

I've used PolarView for years for ICW and coastal navigation. You can view Active Captain data offline. It is subscription based now rather than a one time purchase. Well worth it IMO.

[Jarel Design]

any idea what the annual subscription cost is?

It does look like a great program!
Thanks!
Richard

[jcapo]

Originally Posted by Jarel Design

any idea what the annual subscription cost is?

It does look like a great program!
Thanks!
Richard

$19.99 a year according to this blog post.

I'm still in my grandfathered year since the licensing change to annual subscription.

[CaptTom]

I used Polar View today. Never heard anything about switching to subscription-based.

Sad. I'll be looking at other options. That was a good program.

[jcapo]

I'll gladly pay $20/year 'cuz I want them to stay in business. Compared to $250/year for boat registration, $20 is lost in the noise.

OpenCPN is a free option but no Active Captain.

OpenPlotter is another free option but no Active Captain.

The subscription requirement is due to something about the licenses for charts that are available through PolarNavy. I didn't pay much attention to the details.

A clever person can avoid the subscription fee but again, I want the fellow behind PolarNavy to stay in business.