ActiveCaptain Companion

This app doesn't seem to be working nearly as well as it used to. It's been a few months since I've used it and now the charts are now a crude map and the database file will not download.Very sad.

The map behind the application will not zoom. So when you Tunnel down to see what items are available you can't tell where you are on the map. The map is just a fuzzy blob. As a result, even if you manage to find a Marina, there's no way to tell you where that Marina is. Not useful at all. Even worse assume you're looking for you. You have to click on each symbol, check if it has gas, click Next, check for gas, and several it could take days to find gas, and then because the map is useless you have no idea where that gas is.

REVISED 1/28/16 - An update of Adobe Air is conflicting with this app and caused the loss of the zoom buttons. Currently the only fix is to uninstall the current version of AIR and reinstall Version 19. You will need to change settings to prevent the auto updating of AIR. To get V19 google "Adobe AIR SDK versions". It is my understanding through communication with the developer this problem is not going to be fixed as all of Companion's functionally will soon be incorporated in to the new "ActiveCaptian Locations" app available on the Play Store. This app was never intended to provide more than basic mapping to provide rough locations for its POIs. But the new Locations will offer a choice of Bing, OpenStreet, NOAA, Aqua and Satellite mapping. PLUS a much more user friendly user interface. But until Locations is complete the older version of AIR will allow Companion to function as before. This app's purpose is to provide crowd sourced information (not quality mapping) about marinas, anchorages, hazards, boat ramps and other data both important and useful to boaters. FOR THIS IT IS SECOND TO NONE and a must for cruisers.

While I appreciate the work Active Captain puts into their services, this app does not match the quality of those services. The biggest problem is the UI. It's awkward to use and seriously misses Android UI specs. The most glaring error is using a star icon (usually used to mark a favorite item) to open a menu. The maps, even with map tiles installed (another flawed process), aren't sufficiently detailed. Truthfully, there is little to like about the app. 2 stars added for the AC services.

I am a systems engineer. I love AC but this app doesn't make me happy.

This app was great a couple of years ago, I guess it just does pay enough of the bills anymore.

Useless without zoom buttons, and the map tiles now have less detail than previously. On the bright side, when I uninstall, I can also get rid of Adobe Air (a lazy dev's choice of platform)

Map is useless. Can't even zoom in or out any more. Worked better last month but still no useful base map. Cumbersome.

Can't get it to do anything. Uninstalled and reinstalled. Didn't help.

Works great use all the time.

Continuously get error trying to download the database. Seems to be a poorly written app without much support or dedication behind it

Great app been a user for years

Standard android back button exits app rather than navigating to previous page. Text entry cancelled if you tilt phone between portrait and landscape. More than two lines of review text cannot be entered because keyboard obscures text field, with no scrolling.

In bad need of going back to nauticharts Lite which uses marine charts. Why did you change?

I have no clue how to use this app

I like AC but this is awful

I wish these guys would abandon Adobe Air and build a decent front end. Until then it's just too painful to use.

Charting does not work on android phones or iphone even with Adobe Air installed. The Active Captain data is excellent but without good charts it's rendered useless at usable zoom levels.

Unable to see anywhere except my proximity. Difficult to use.Please bring back the old version

Why won't it work?

Seriously, I love the Activecaptain service, and a companion app with offline DB support is a great idea. But Adobe Air? I'm embarrassed for the sucker who got duped into going that route! This app is trivial and implementing it properly (natively) would take a competent developer a couple weeks. Probably cheaper, too. Hope it's in the plans!

Developers have great intentions, but I've never been able to get it to work for me on several phones and my tablet. I hope they get it working.

I like and use Active Captain online, but the map resolution in the Companion app is terrible!. Unusable. A time waster to download and install. What were they thinking???

Great app for sailors to gather marina and anchorage info. On my Samsung tab 4 I get the fuzzy land masses, but the item numbers are clear. I hope this is something they fix because I'm an ICW cruiser and refer to this all the time. The feature I like most about this app is the ability to comment on anchorages the I often frequent and reading comments from knowledgeable locals who spend most of their time on the water.

. Local knowledge. Was an app .that was in the maps bundle from google. Then it vanished along with the blue arrow navigation. Got blue arrow back after a long search.,on chrome. Found local knowledge on a tive captain. Searched the net for 6 months. Best thing to have if you move around. Know what is there any place. The only use I have for this app. I am not a marina rat.

I have this app on my Samsung tablet. The maps only appear when I zoom out. Then the quotes disappear! Then I tried to install it on my Samsung Galaxy S4. Wouldn't install! So, I would give a 0 stars, but that's not an option!

Requires Adobe Air. Uninstalling

This app is the only app I know of that gprovides easy access to hazard and marina information while offline. We font cruise without it. Great planning tool.

This is a MUST for cruising boaters. It is apparent from many of the reviews a lot of users don't understand what this app is meant to do. It is NOT a navigation app. It is NOT a chart or chartplotter substitute. What it IS is an offline database providing important and helpful cruising information to supplement your other systems - hence the name COMPANION. Want to know what services the marinas on your route offer - its got it. Want to know the docking fees at various marinas - check. Want to know about fuel prices - its there too. How about anchoring out tonight. Want some suggestions on where to and not to along your path - just check the map for comments. Even more important, want to know about hazards ahead and get warnings as you approach them - get this app. What makes this extremely functional is all the information is crowd sourced and as a result is current and meaningful. And yes the background map is a low resolution road map but again it is not meant for navigation - it just gives you an approximate location.reference of the POIs. The databases are downloaded to your device so NO internet connection is needed to use them and tracks with the device GPS. SWEET!

The active captain portion of this app works ok, but the charts are terrible and you can't zoom at all. So you can read all about that lovely anchorage in the Keys but you just can't see exactly where it is. This app needs real charts. It's been done before with rasker charts and active captain. Do it again.

Will not zoom nor give any info. LG G2

It wont accept any of my email accounts for log in... help?

Worked at first, then maps quit showing. Uninstalled and reinstalled and that did not help. Would be wonderful if it actually worked. ( Update: one month later) I uninstalled again and tried to reinstall. Get unknown error 505 every time. (Nexus 4 & Lollipop)

Did not find it very detailed and when updating it freezes app and crashes at 133 buffers

It works

When I zoom in on my new droid Maxx phone the map is so blurry you cant even see the edges of the shore much less any detail . You have to be able to at least read the labels . I would pay good money for this app if they would just use better maps as a back drop. I understand the function is not for navigation never the less I still prefer to be able to at lease distinguish some shore line features. while viewing the map.

Beware, requires Adobe Air to be installed. User interface does take full advantage of the current Android user experience so you may find yourself looking for standard Android user interface elements that aren't supported. Maps/charts are of poor resolution. The infornation provided is pretty limited based on your region. If you don't have a lot of ActiveCaptain contributors in your cruising area then you may find the gaps in the database's information limit the usefulness of the application.

Can't get the account to validate any of my email addresses. Ok, discovered you have to register first on the website. This isn't mentioned in the app itself. Still have to download eboatcards.

Very disappointing, graphics are very poor and unusable, also very slow and cludgy.

Using the in app feedback tool to give actual feedback got me banned. Map resolution is so terrible the app is useless. Don't bother. Not to mention the adobe spyware required to even run it.