So now I have a new card with the freshest data, an updated E-120 with the latest firmware, and I plug it in tomorrow to see if it all works. I also downloaded sonar data for the same areas and hopefully the E-120 can display that also. So Navionics tech said that when I receive the card, I can go in a delete all the maps that are on the card that I don't need, which were about all of them, then using the downloader program pick the areas where I needed maps, the entire east coast and west coast of Florida and northern Bahamas. I could not just use the old Navionics GOLD card and put new maps on it, because the thing was so out of date, the downloader program wouldn't even find it. Then after consulting several marine electronic techs, I bought a new Navionics US & Canada Marine & Lakes CF card for $179, and although I had my own CF card reader, it came with one. Some Lowrances take the Micro size and some the standard SD. The navionics cards come as a MICRO SD card that sits inside a normal SD. You will have to pay for it and they will send you an updated card.

That was pretty easy actually, and was done using my iMAC at home and a blank 512mb CF card. To update your navionics maps you need to contact Navionics. *Your level of discount will depend upon your membership type.UPDATE: OK so what I ended up doing was first I updated the firmware to the latest, which is v5.69. Silver and Gold can take advantage of this set of features by upgrading with Navionics Updates. It copies the chart on up to three PC’s, provides simple route planning with tidal calculations, has optional weather overlay and is a handy a back-up library of all your route data. requires a Navionics+, Navionics Updates or Platinum+ card that has an active chart updates subscription and has been updated after April 2016 at or by a dealer. NavigationPLANNER - The versatile PC software compatible with Navionics charts is also available under the offer.

This applies whether you own a BlueChart card, or your cartography is embedded in their GPS plotter. Now if you are going to use Navionics, go for the Platinum, as it is now the same price as the gold chart (385) The reason it has been reduced is that a new card is going to be released shortly to take advantage of the advanced features of the HDS series.

Garmin BlueChart™ users can also take advantage of this RYA benefit - update or upgrade to the latest version of BlueChart g3 or g3 Vision. Upon activation, every updated Navionics card benefits from one year of free downloadable chart updates and advanced features including Dock to Dock autorouting, SonarChart Live and Plotter Sync. Navionics publish thousands of updates every day adding new and amended content to their worldwide database.

Navionics and the RYA have teamed up to give members a special discount on chart updates for their onboard GPS plotters - whether you use a Navionics chart or a Garmin BlueChart™.

Navionics gold card compatibility