Garmin® acquires Navionics®

[basscfo]

basscfo, Can I ask what those black straps or bands are exactly across your garmin/lowrance covers? Been looking for something similar.

They are made from 1/4" shock cord and 2 plastic snaps. You can find the cord in 20 ft lengths in the Kayak section of many sporting goods stores, and sometimes you can find the snaps there. I usually go to a kayak shop to get them and they have a variety of ends that can be used for many things with the shock cord. The last ones that I bought I found on line. You can do a google search to find the snaps. See pictures below- one is the package that the snaps were in which I bought on line for less than $.50 each. To get the fittings on the cord, you take a 1 inch long piece of electrical tape, split it in half, wrap one of these pieces around the end of the cord to keep the outer cover from unraveling, slip the collar over the cord, than insert into the snap, , slide the collar forward over the end of the snap with pliers or channel locks and one end is made up. I then wrap the cord around the cover to estimate its length and try to make it where there is slight tension when the 2 snaps are connected around the cover by itself. When you have estimated the length you need, wrap a short piece of full width electrical tape around the shock cord where you want to cut it. Then cut in the middle of the the tape with a razor blade, then make the second snap up to this second end of your cord. Connect the 2 hooks and then slide the cord over your unit and cover. I slide the cords where they are riding just below the knobs of the units, and I have never lost a cover with one of these and they last forever as long as they are not exposed continuously to the sun.

[ifishinxs]

Word on the street is they may be working with motorguide to develop a tour model trolling motor with GPS anchor.

Motorguide might be the next purchase?

[Pokerbill]

Garmin is a well run corporation that has their profits hurt since good mapping is now availble on phones. Continued expansion into the marine world makes good corporate sense.

[hays47]

Successful corporations have to focus on the future. As pokerbill has pointed out what the phone mapping is doing to their hand held GPS devices. A lot of anglers use Humminbird because of the advanced trolling motor options. At this point Garmin has nothing to compete with this popular application. Just like no company has anything to compete with Panoptix.

In the not too distant past Garmin had nothing for the ice fishing fans. When they decided to compete they went whole hog. The purchase of Navionics is just a starting point. It will be very interesting to observe their following moves.

At this point how it will affect us as consumers will be up in the air.

[Bassgreg]

Word on the street is they may be working with motorguide to develop a tour model trolling motor with GPS anchor.

Now that is something I could get behind, I hope it is true.

[BBG Marine Electronics]

A few months ago the rumor was Navico was trying to buy MotorGuide. We''ll have to wait and see what the future holds..... Brian

[LikeToFish]

A few months ago the rumor was Navico was trying to buy MotorGuide. We''ll have to wait and see what the future holds..... Brian

Whoa! Now wouldn't that be something! That certainly would put Lowrance Marine products in a pickle if Garmin purchased Motorguide.

[puhlw]

How serious is this motorguide rumor? Thinking about upgrading my minnkota for the newer ipilot but I have all garmin stuff so I would wait if that is really in the works.

[TroyBoy30]

he said navico...that's lowrance. they already link with motorguide so it makes sense

[BBG Marine Electronics]

Facebook conversation with Navionics ~

Brian Leiva - So what are the plans for your competitors ? Will Navionics now only be available in Garmin units like Lakemaster is to Humminbird ?

· Reply · October 27 at 8:38pm



Navionics Brian , we have been an industry favorite because of the breadth, accuracy, and ease-of-use of Navionics’ electronic charting. Navionics charts will continue to be offered to our industry partners.

[fishin couillon]

A few months ago the rumor was Navico was trying to buy MotorGuide.

Now that would really suck......they way they do the lowrance brand, couldnt imagine them taking over MG....

[Skunked again]

[puhlw]

he said navico...that's lowrance. they already link with motorguide so it makes sense

My bad! I have Garmin on the brain.

[LikeToFish]

Whoa! Now wouldn't that be something! That certainly would put Lowrance Marine products in a pickle if Garmin purchased Motorguide.

I apologize too. When I wrote my original post I was thinking Navionics/Garmin.

[ncbass]

So, it's been over a month since the acquisition, any of our insiders have any news for the Garmin guys?

[d'Wayne]

Facebook conversation with Navionics ~

Brian Leiva - So what are the plans for your competitors ? Will Navionics now only be available in Garmin units like Lakemaster is to Humminbird ?

· Reply · October 27 at 8:38pm



Navionics Brian , we have been an industry favorite because of the breadth, accuracy, and ease-of-use of Navionics’ electronic charting. Navionics charts will continue to be offered to our industry partners.

Offered but at what cost? How much extra is the license from Garmin going to add to the consumer price. Mapping that requires an annual fee is outrageous to me, like renting software from Microsoft.

[puhlw]

Any news on this? Or are they just going to run the same as before but now Garmin owns them?

[Gettin' Jiggy]

Word on the street is they may be working with motorguide to develop a tour model trolling motor with GPS anchor.

That would make the most sense. Something to directly compete with Humminbird and iPilot.

[deepanchor]

Wow, so what happens with Lowrance Manufacturing maps? Yikes!

This is huge game changing mapping news. Users have long asked for compatibility with Navionics maps. And the release says they are going to combine the content with BlueChart and LakeVu and also support existing customers. The big question is not about supporting existing customers. The big question is when they say they are going to retain the Navionics brand is whether they are goint to offer it to Lowrance, Humminbird, etc. My guess is that they will. The price may go up for them making getting them on a Garmin a better deal.


Look at the last few years.
Acquired Fusion Electronics
GPSMAP, echoMAP and striker units
echoMAP CHIRP units
Garmin makes their own transducers
Panoptix
Quickdraw
All the new Pro Anglers added to Garmin team
Fantom radar
Ice fishing focus
Acquires Active Corporation
Acquires Navionics

Now make a list for Lowrance and Humminbird. The pressure is on.

[deepanchor]

nice for the guys who have no other mapping options but it won't match the accuracy of the hd garmin maps

Spot on but there is a bigger road map to dominating the market and this will allow Garmin to be the dominant player in freshwater fishing have this type of mapping coverage. However, Humminbird has options because they invested in LakeMaster mapping technology so they have options that Lowrance does not. Fun t speculate but let's see where this goes.