B&G Vulcan with Navionics

[CPD]

Thoughts please on the similarities / differences between using an iPad with navionics and perhaps the Vulcan 9 fixed in the cockpit ?. I understand the visibility issue will be better with the Vulcan, but is using the two, other than that, a similar experience ? Many thanks …..

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Sailed Greystones to Baiona on a boat fitted with B&G Zeus in the cockpit and a wi-fi linked iPad at the chart table. Excellent setup.

 

[KompetentKrew]

If you have NMEA network you can put wind / boat speed data into the Vulcan and it'll show tide and leeway etc.

In the below screenshot the red and green lines projected ahead and to port of the boat show port and starboard tack - you can use them to determine the correct moment to tack. I have a Vulcan that I used unconnected for a year, and without this data you can estimate the right time to tack by using a straight edge held up against your past track and then sliding it parallel down the chart until it lines up with the headland (or whatever). However this doesn't account for the wind changing and requires you to sail for some period on each tack so that you have a path to compare with. With data inputs the Vulcan will just show you these tracks automagically. I am currently replacing my transducers and instruments to fully network them.

I believe the blue arrow on B&G wind displays indicates tide direction.

B&G's brochure:

• Sailing Features
• SailSteer with Mark Chisnell | B&G Sailing Electronics

The Vulcan also operates as a wifi access point - you can view its screen using a tablet (iOS and Android apps available), but it can also share AIS and other NMEA data with other apps on any network connected device, including Navionics and OpenCPN.

You can also view weather GRIBs on the Vulcan, although I can't say I've used it. I don't know if that's as well integrated on the Navionics app.

• Weather | B&G Sailing Electronics
• More: PDF

 

[ChromeDome]

In general no way to integrate the routing from iPad directly with an autopilot system in real time.
Some chartplotters will allow an iPad to push routes to them. In turn the chartplotters send the route info to the autopilot.