Chart plotter and iPad

[Nicko9981]

Apologies, nothing to add to the thread. But may I throw in a question that is relevant?

If one assumes a tablet is useful, what is the better nav package - Navionics or iNavX? Or maybe there is something better than both?

 

[franksingleton]

Apologies, nothing to add to the thread. But may I throw in a question that is relevant?

If one assumes a tablet is useful, what is the better nav package - Navionics or iNavX? Or maybe there is something better than both?

The choice is wider than that - unless you are committed by what electronic charts you have. See #12. I did not mention that the iSailor app is free. You pay a little more for charts but always get free updates. Cheaper in the long run.There are other packages but I have no experience of them. You can download the app and look at the available chart folios and prices.

 

[Nicko9981]

The choice is wider than that - unless you are committed by what electronic charts you have. See #12. I did not mention that the iSailor app is free. You pay a little more for charts but always get free updates. Cheaper in the long run.There are other packages but I have no experience of them. You can download the app and look at the available chart folios and prices.

 

[Nicko9981]

Many thanks! Sort of what I thought.
I am returning to sailing after quite a spell doing other things. I still have my 2B pencils and air navigation tables! So all this electronic 'stuff' is quite a mystery. (As is this way of communicating).

I am not committed to any particular set of electronic charts - yet, so I guess I am a free agent, for now.

Thanks for the response.
Nicko

 

[Topcat47]

Sure -- at the nav table, all the disadvantages of non-marine non-chart plotters, more or less, fall away. A tablet works fine there.

But at the nav table, wouldn't you like to be able to do real chart work? No more expensive than an IPlod is a mini DC powered media computer and a large monitor. You can run OpenCPN, a fantastically powerful and flexible open-source nav system, and you can use raster charts. The deal of the century in cartography is the whole UK and Northern European Atlantic coasts from VisitMyHarbour -- in official "for navigation" raster charts, for less than 100 squids, annual updates for less than 50. It's almost like working with paper, the next best thing, and orders of magnitude cheaper and much more convenient.

I've recently bought the iPad and installed iSailor. I have yet to use it in anger on board but I DO have an old tough book that' served for a few years as a chart plotter. The tough book required an extension to my nav station which effectively blocked a quarter berth. While this is no big deal as I mostly sail with one other as crew, it does make accessing the under berth locker a pain. The tough book isn't quite as tough as its reputation suggests and I needed a replacement anyway. I also suffer from Trigger finger. My old Mk1 iPad has a cracked screen from dropping it on a slate floor. as a consequence I have a rugged iPad case and a cover on the screen. It's no longer feather-light or slim but it does grip on the non-slip mat when I put it on the chart table and if not exactly water proof to 30' is certainly splash and rain proof. Time will tell........

 

[DoubleEnder]

I have an iPad Air 2 in a good waterproof case, that allows charging without removing it. When the screen cover gets really wet it can fail to respond to touches as expected, but otherwise it’s great. I recharge from the 12v and also carry a hefty backup battery that’s good for 24 hours continuous operation and much more with a bit of judicious use of the standby button. Mainly it is below but quite often in the cockpit.
I use Navionics and paper charts as well.
In the cockpit I have a 12 year old Standard Horizon 180 mounted in a washboard. That and a depth sounder is all the electronics I have (plus VHF below).

I find myself relying more and more on the iPad. Last year in a really torrential downpour/ thunderstorm the SH180 died on me just as we were looking for the Looe Channel at Portland Bill. But the iPad was fine. I thought the SH was dead for good but bizarrely after leaving the boat for 10days it popped back up. Not for long, my guess and it doesn’t owe me anything.

But given the price of marine electronics and the cost of updating dedicated charts, I think I won’t get anything to replace it directly. I haven’t the space or the budget for a fancy system and don’t really want wind speed and interfacing and all that. I quite like it simple. I have a log that I can use if I need to and a compass and sounder, and paper charts. I do like having a plotter on deck as I’m only about 50% Luddite, but I think I will probably get another iPad when the day comes, or maybe a tablet from London Chart Plotters who seem to be well thought of.

 

[SimonFa]

Apologies, nothing to add to the thread. But may I throw in a question that is relevant?

If one assumes a tablet is useful, what is the better nav package - Navionics or iNavX? Or maybe there is something better than both?

I use iSailor and Navionics. iSailor has lots of useful stuff like anchor alarms and if you link it in to an AIS package (I use iAIS) it provides CPA and TPCA. I find Navionics better for passage planning, distance measurements and pilotage.

Not used iNavX.

 

[catmandoo]

I have a Yeoman Plotter using paper charts and a mouse . I find it very good and have no reason to replace it . If it fails I still have the paper chart on the chart table and if I want more detail then I have my iPad with Navionics .

can anybody tell me that thee is something better

 

[Daverw]

I have a Yeoman Plotter using paper charts and a mouse . I find it very good and have no reason to replace it . If it fails I still have the paper chart on the chart table and if I want more detail then I have my iPad with Navionics .

can anybody tell me that thee is something better

Would be great if the mouse moved on the chart as your boat moved, could also add a small pencil and leave a trace or track on the chart

But seriously each method is the best for each individual, it’s about choices.

 

[GHA]

I have a Yeoman Plotter using paper charts and a mouse . I find it very good and have no reason to replace it . If it fails I still have the paper chart on the chart table and if I want more detail then I have my iPad with Navionics .

can anybody tell me that thee is something better

Opencpn

Simple to get google satellite images as charts, great grib overlay with synpotic/satellite images on laptop, great ais display.