Garmin acquires ActiveCaptain

Sounds good to me! With the founders becoming Garmin employees, there should some continuity to the transition. I look forward to syncing AC data to my chartplotter so I dont have to suffer the AC app anymore. Consolidation is good, to a degree.

Greg
 
Not surprising, since Jeff and Karen have worked very closely with Garmin from the get go. Anything from here on is speculation: This may mean that other applications which now support Active Captain, may no longer. I wonder what will happen with the many volunteers who put in many hours vetting the various changes and posts? Will they be compensated, or will they wither away when others are making money off the deal. Jeff and Karen have given a lot to the program, and its development for a long time, without active compensation--and we all knew there was a business model there somewhere. But it has been the long hours and dedication of those two, along with the volunteers which kept this as a premier application.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. A lot of the crowd sourcing came because there as no profit to anyone initially. Now that there appears to be, it may change those dynamics.
 
thataway":2d7pzvid said:
It will be interesting to see how this pans out. A lot of the crowd sourcing came because there as no profit to anyone initially. Now that there appears to be, it may change those dynamics.
Click to expand...
Yes Bob, it will be interesting. I suspect it may curb my input. Oh well.
 
little wing":he27qhu9 said:
thataway":he27qhu9 said:
It will be interesting to see how this pans out. A lot of the crowd sourcing came because there as no profit to anyone initially. Now that there appears to be, it may change those dynamics.
Click to expand...
Yes Bob, it will be interesting. I suspect it may curb my input. Oh well.
Click to expand...

Why? It's always been a great idea and it may get better now that Garmin owns it.
 
ken35216":1vot787j said:
Why? It's always been a great idea and it may get better now that Garmin owns it.
Click to expand...

I believe that one of the goals was to expand this to the entire world. So far its been a bit slow in other areas than the USA (although was picking up). One factor which give it greater appeal was that it was across many platforms. Also with just Jeff and Karen being the principles, the data and information was closely protected. As corporate decisions over-ride developer decisions, there are going to be changes. I have seen it in many small companies which sold to a larger. If Jeff and Karen can maintain control of the direction and philosophy it will bode better than if corporate controls.

We don't know, and I will continue to use it and contribute as I have done in the past. There will be more advertising internationally.

Garmin recently bought DeLorme (InReach satellite system) so their money is going into acquisitions.
 
From AC FB page on May 12

Thank you for the intense discussion, congratulations, and speculation throughout the boating community about Garmin's acquisition of ActiveCaptain. Please understand that this is a busy time and we can't respond to every question through social media. What I can say is that nothing will change for the foreseeable future except that we are now part of the Garmin team. That means you can expect the same incredible services from ActiveCaptain as you've received in the past, but now with the support of one of the world’s leading marine electronics providers.

In addition, there will be no fees for ActiveCaptain. We will continue to communicate with you through various channels. And yes, there will still be hats awarded for your contributions to the community.

Give this a chance to unfold. We'll discuss more in the next couple of newsletters. Remember that no one has more passion for this product and community than us. This isn't an end. It's an incredible beginning of many more capabilities.
 
I was not able to find a post from Jeff after May 12 on the Facebook page--but probably my lack of expertise.

Here is the most recent Active Captain News Letter from Yesterday, for those who do not subscribe:
Starting a business is like raising a child. In the beginning, you do
everything you can to give the best beginnings possible. You sacrifice
your own life to put in more time and shape the results to the best of
your abilities. But eventually, that child, and that business, are going
to have to leave. For in leaving, they become what they were meant to
be.

That is the story of ActiveCaptain. We built her to the best of our
abilities. We instilled integrity and honesty in every part of her. And
we set her on the right track. Over the last few years, there are so
many possibilities and capabilities that needed to be added. But Karen
and I were the ones holding her back - we were too busy and too swamped
with the current level of activity. ActiveCaptain would not become what
it was meant to be without making a major change.

Two changes were possible. We could stop cruising, lease office space,
build a team of 10-20+ people, and continue building the product. The
alternative was to transition the product to a company capable of
professionally managing and growing it.

We're entrepreneurs. We're terrible at managing an office of people. And
truth be told, we wanted to continue the cruising lifestyle. To us, it
was obvious that we needed a major partner. Someone capable of worldwide
reach, exceptional products, and the goal to excel.

Over the last four years, we'd been approached by many companies and
individuals interested in investing in ActiveCaptain or buying it
outright. But the timing wasn't right and in many cases, the partnership
wasn't right so we never engaged in any of those discussions.

Garmin is different.

We've had a close working relationship with Garmin since 2011. They've
been a wonderful partner. They've listened to what the community wanted
and worked with us to create an exceptional product. The results speak
for themselves. BlueChart Mobile is a big success and it is widely used
by the community. It is the only product that allows markers to be
edited, added, and deleted. Today, more people use Garmin's app than use
our own website. The heavens showed us the direction we needed to go.

Garmin has the vision of a hungry competitor. They hit everything we
believe is necessary for marine electronics - best in class technology
with the easiest-to-use products. And after seeing a glimpse of how we
fit into their plans, it made it obvious to us that ActiveCaptain would
have a bright and ongoing future with Garmin.

So right now, Garmin owns ActiveCaptain. The transaction is complete and
the plans are in place. The data is still licensed to other developers
and you'll see little change. Karen and I will build some teams of
people to take over and enhance the capabilities. Together we'll expand
social navigation into fishing and other boating activities. We'll have
an immediate worldwide presence that we previously could only dream
about.

We'll still be cruising. You'll see us at docks and anchorages. Red Head
will pop up on AIS and we'll continue to offer our insights in person
and online.

This has been an incredible ride for us. We've loved getting to know
this community of boaters and businesses. We've spent our lives building
companies and products but nothing will ever compare to the joy this
project, this child, has brought to us. Together we made something
wonderful that changed the way cruising happens.

But seriously, we're at the beginning. Wait until you see what we have
coming...
Click to expand...
 
I will continue to post my reviews of anchorages and marinas on Active Captain (through Garmin Blue Chart Mobile) because other people's reviews have been so useful to us, and to the extent I can update or correct other reviews, from a shallow draft and pet friendly perspective, I hope it will be useful to those who follow us!
 
Latest AC update in case you are not on their newsletter list

>>> FAQ's / Garmin >>>





We've received hundreds of inquiries from boaters about Garmin's


acquisition of ActiveCaptain. So we decided it was time to put together


a set of frequently asked questions.








Frequently asked questions about the acquisition:








1. Will the ActiveCaptain website continue to be free?





Absolutely. The ActiveCaptain website will continue to offer free access


to the ActiveCaptain data to boaters worldwide. Explore new


destinations, find that perfect marina or anchorage, or avoid


navigational hazards by seeing what others in the boating community have


found. Then contribute your own experiences so boaters that follow can


benefit as well. It's all free. All you need is an internet connection.








2. Are you still giving away ActiveCaptain hats to boaters with 250


points?





Definitely. Not only is the ActiveCaptain hat the best way to let


marinas know you'll be writing a review, it's a great way to meet up


with other ActiveCaptain users on the dock or at anchor. Plus it's a


stylish addition to any boater's wardrobe.








3. Are you still providing Defender 1st specials?





Defender 1st may be the one thing more popular than the ActiveCaptain


hat! We know it's the first thing you check in the weekly newsletter


but that only hurts our feelings a little bit. Garmin has invited


Defender to continue their specials. And if you haven't already, take a


quick peek at the end of the newsletter to see what's up this week.








4. Are you going to allow other apps to access the ActiveCaptain data?





It is the broad access across a variety of platforms that makes the


ActiveCaptain data so useful to the boating community. We will continue


to offer that access drawing from the large and diverse cross-section of


boaters that make up the ActiveCaptain community.








5. Will there be an Android version of Garmin's app? When?





Now you know we can't talk about future projects! Garmin is always


working on new products and features. It is an ongoing process. Just


make sure you're getting the weekly newsletter so you can be one of the


first to find out about new products.








6. Will Karen, Jeff, and the dogs still be involved in ActiveCaptain?





Look, they can't get rid of us that easily. We are here and very much


involved in bringing our amazing child to the next stage. You'll still


be getting our newsletter. We'll still be answering your questions. We


will continue to see many of you on the water. And behind the scenes


we'll be helping to guide and shape ActiveCaptain into an exciting


future. And yes, the dogs will still be involved but, honestly, they do


little to help the ActiveCaptain effort.








7. Will the Locations capability still be available?





The Locations app will continue to be available in the Apple and Android


app stores. In fact, one of our greatest frustrations was not having the


resources to give the Locations app more capabilities so we're excited


to be making plans for extending it.








8. What will happen to DragQueen?





Like Locations, there are many new capabilities Jeff has been wanting to


put into the DragQueen anchor alarm app. In fact, he's discussed many of


them with many of you dockside or over docktails. A good anchor alarm is


critical if you want to have a stress-free time on the hook and a good


night's sleep. So DragQueen's capabilities are here to stay.








We are excited about this next stage. The boating community is our


community. Just like we have in the past, we will be working hard to


make your time on the water (and ours) safer and more enjoyable.





Safe travels and we hope to see you along our path to Maine this summer.











>>> Defender 1st >>>





This week's Defender 1st special is the KVH TracVision Series Marine


Satellite systems. Whether at anchor or cruising offshore, this family


of (4) marine satellite systems provides a solution for every size boat.





Every unit has a user friendly interface for easy set up and operation.


They have an IP-enabled TV-HUB for Smartphone interaction and offer


ultra-fast satellite acquisition and high performance tracking. TV1 and


TV3 have been the NMEA Satellite Television Product of the Year for the


past 19 years. FREE DISH or DIRECTV U.S. receiver is included with your


purchase.





Each marine satellite system offers high performance in a compact size,


whether you stay close to shore or venture offshore on an extended


voyage. Watch all of your favorite home channels no matter where you are


out on the water.





Couple your purchase with KVH's current Mail-in Rebate offer in order to


save up to an additional $500 on top of your ActiveCaptain Savings!





Check out all the details and get the AC code at the link below.





KVH TracVision TV1: $1,975.50 (Regularly: $2,195.00)





KVH TracVision TV3: $2,965.50 (Regularly: $3,295.00)





KVH TracVision TV5: $4,045.50 (Regularly: $4,495.00)





KVH TracVision TV6: $6,295.50 (Regularly: $6,995.00)





Special ends: June 6, 2017 at 11:59 PM ET





Get the special price and learn more at:


http://www.defender.com/activecaptain.jsp





Don't miss your favorite shows or that special game when you're out on


the water. You won't find a better price!





Remember - Defender 1st: one product, one week, one incredible price.





When you're thinking about purchasing boating supplies, think of


Defender first.











Dylan and Dee Dee had a tough week. Not only were they without their dad


but there has been endless rain meaning fewer romps in the field. Oh how


they suffer. But all is back to normal now as the Red Head crew finishes


their time here in Deltaville. Make sure you are keeping up with the


canine crew by checking out their blog:


http://www.takingpaws.com








Karen and Jeffrey Siegel


Red Head


Key Largo, FL





www.activecaptain.com


sharing the experience





www.eboatcards.com


Social Navigation for Active Captains





You are receiving this email because you subscribed to receive


the ActiveCaptain newsletter to:
 
Back
Top