Leave a Review ActiveCaptain®
Great product after figuring everything out.
This app is a great tool for updating Garmin chartplotters. It also is great at planning when not sitting in your boat.
There is some delay and lag in getting the app to recognize the equipment (typically two attempts needed) but once connected, everything works fine. I doubt if this is a problem with the gear and more the Bluetooth/wifi connection between units.
Also, Garmin support is outstanding as I have used them for an unrelated but ongoing problem with a piece of equipment that has been glitchy since purchase. The team is professional, courteous and accurate.Show lessSystem Scan Error Message keeps popping up.
I purchased a boat May 2023 with twin Garmin 1243XSV chart plotters. After updating the software and downloading what I thought was a chart, I am extremely underwhelmed. My previous Garmin echo map had so much more. also, when I got through updating my software on my Garmins, The software gave me trouble message for my twin Yamaha engines. it told me I needed to finish scanning. It said that I needed to take my boat to the Yamaha dealer. Interesting. I did the first 20 hour scheduled maintenance. Nothing was wrong. Now I get a trouble message when I open my chart plotters telling me I need to take my boat back to the Yamaha dealer. very disappointing and very frustrating. One other thing – my Auto pilot, which is connected with the Garmins does not seem to be operating the same anymore.
May 2024: Now, back to the dealer for the 100 hr. They removed “System Scan” error message three times, but it kept coming back. If my phone automatically sees the Garmin Wi-Fi network it will connect, then the “System Scan” error comes back without opening Active Captain. The dealer told me to delete Active Captain app and update my charts via the SD card with my computer. This app is too buggy to use. The error message pops up every time I turn on the ignition key and has to be acknowledged before using my Garmins.Show lessActive Captain App
In general, the app works and does what’s supposed to sometimes better than the chart plotter However, the business of connecting to the boat Wi-Fi and then connect to the local Wi-Fi that has an Internet connection is very clumsy. I don’t understand why the boat cannot connect to the local network and the app be designed to also discover the boat that is on the local network, that way we can download software updates, chart updates and not fiddle back-and-forth connecting to the local network and then to the boat network. I understand that you would like to make sure the software is completely downloaded to the phone in case the network stops working or some other glitch. That way you can control the download from the phone to the chart plotterShow less