chartplotting on an android tablet

[Bosun Higgs]

I have a google nexus 10 tablet ( excellent piece of kit) running the latest android. Have bought Gps nautical and Navionics so far in an attempt to find a chartplotter program. For the benefit of anyone thinkling of investing, neither of these programs adeqaultely fill that role in my view, with the nearest one being the Gps Nautical.

This is a raster chart program giving you what in effect are photocopies of UKHO charts. It has the problem of raster in that different charts are of different scales though it does make quite a good effort to dovetail them. It provides a menu of functions of which the most important are the routing and display of track plus it also gives you a distance and bearing tool - a bit clunky to use. It does not give you continuous data of course made good, bearing to waypoint, cross track error etc and to my mind this disqualifies it as a plotter

Navionics is twice the cost and in many ways quite pathetic. It has very limited functionality and the vector charts show far less detail than the raster ones above. Again it doesnt give you the basic data you need to use it as a plotter IMO though I do seem to remember someone posting saying there was an add on you could purchase for navionics that made it more competent. Anyone know the details?

As it stands, I cannot recommend either of these programs to someone wanting to use a tablet as a plotter. You are much better off getting the pukka marine plotter unless someone knows of and can recommend a more complete package

 

[harry potter]

Sorry - disagree. Navionics UK and Holland was a useful SUPPLEMENT to crossing Lyme Bay in a thick fog - Mew Stone off Dartmouth was exactly where we expected it to be - and anchoring in Lulworth cove - never been there before but the firing squad shooed us in there - was a doddle - or did I say Durdle? The GPS shows the depth and you can see if you are dragging. Not the total answer but an additional source of information - don't knock it.

 

[Contest1]

I,v used a couple of laptop chart plotters, a very expensive East Coast Ireland based on the raster chart and an ebay copy of Tusnami, world charts and a very detailed nav programme. Both had thier good points but even the brand new East Coast was out of date on arrival. The linked to my on board GPS and this proved to be the weakness as overtime the connection became unreliable.
I,m now useing the Navionics UK and Holland on my Galaxy tab 2 7in with its built in GPS and find it useful for the type of cruising I enjoy.
Won,t sail the boat for me but has proved very accurate in pinpointing location and heading. The charts are quite detailed and update themselves now and then.
Ofcourse its an aid to navigation, not to be overly relied on.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Yes it will tell you where you are but then a handheld gps and paper charts will do that as well or better. But the absence of some sort of TRK and BRG makes managing the autohelm that most of use use on passage that bit more difficult. And incidentally flipping back and forth between the admiralty charts of one program and navionics makes me realise how much detail is missing in navionics. Ok I suspect most of it is irrelevant to yachties but how do we know it all is?

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Stumbled across the answer. There is an upgrade giving all this info ( no doubt at extra cost) but only for apple users. So they seem mto have removed some of the functionality of the early mobile versions only to flog it back to one type of user at extra cost.

 

[Joker]

I find the C-Map for the Nexus quite good.

 

[Alfie168]

I think I suggested you look at MX Mariner which is fully functional on Android and very low cost. Equally it is only an AID to navigation and it says this every time you log in to it in very specific terms

Did you have a look a it at all?

Tim

 

[CPD]

Was using Memory map on a Samsung galaxy 10.1 last week. The dogs dangly bits.

 

[Jaramaz]

As it stands, I cannot recommend either of these programs to someone wanting to use a tablet as a plotter. You are much better off getting the pukka marine plotter unless someone knows of and can recommend a more complete package

Most likely a fair conclusion - independent of "complete packages". Tablets/pads/phones are not a replacement for a real plotter. At best they are a complement, as such can be very useful.

I have Navionics on my Android subscription, and use Navionics (Gold) on the boats plotter as well. These two are about equal in detail. They are about the same as other charts as CM93 and paper charts in the region which I sail (not UK, archipelago cluttered with islands and stones ... details are necessary!).
However, Navionics on tablet is sometimes somewhat confusing: When zooming out details disappear. In a nice overview a passage might look perfectly OK, but zooming in may reveal a lot of unpleasanties. In that way, Navionics does not have the same detail as eg paper charts.

/J

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I think I suggested you look at MX Mariner which is fully functional on Android and very low cost. Equally it is only an AID to navigation and it says this every time you log in to it in very specific terms

Did you have a look a it at all?

Tim

Yes Tim. Had a look at memory map and plan2nav, the CM93 one too. Navionics is the easiest to use / the best developed even if the raster charts give better detail. But the issue is that Navionics for android doesnt give the detail thats available on the I Pad version and it definitely isnt a deck level substitute for my C80

 

[Gelfie]

MX Mariner excellent for south of UK and Channel Islands. Works well on Samsung Note 10.1. The price is excellent with free 12 months updated on it's Raster charts.

 

[markdj]

For your tablet, using the Navionics HD will help with the layout but the navigation element is limited so best to write a strongly worded email to Navionics to see when they will be releasing the new features.

The other option is MX Mariner, which is what I have been using on my Nexus 7, the developer is excellent and is bringing out more features very quickly to bring the app more in line with OpenCPN.

 

[roblpm]

For your tablet, using the Navionics HD will help with the layout but the navigation element is limited so best to write a strongly worded email to Navionics to see when they will be releasing the new features.

The other option is MX Mariner, which is what I have been using on my Nexus 7, the developer is excellent and is bringing out more features very quickly to bring the app more in line with OpenCPN.

How much is each of the four regions of Ukho charts as there is no price on the website i can see and dont wamt to pay £4 to find out how much the in app purchase price is!!

 

[markdj]

They are £4 each area. Amazing for all the admiralty charts and the detail.

 

[2nd_apprentice]

Today's update for "Marine Navigator" really improved zooming and switching between charts. A very decent app IMHO and a bargain if you run the UKHO charts from VisitMyHarbour. Gives you BRG, SOG, ETA at WP and route. XTE and VMG not (yet?) possible though. I really liked it for passage planning and getting into harbours etc but normally don't use it at sea. Mainly because I haven't yet decided if I wanted to get a 12V adapter. Not that high on my list as I just use my h/h Magellan GPS and paper charts.
I've seen Navionics on the iPad, liked how smooth it displayed charts but not too impressed with detail. Does the Android version give you tidal currents? Found "Boatie" rather poor unfortunately.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Today's update for "Marine Navigator" really improved zooming and switching between charts. A very decent app IMHO and a bargain if you run the UKHO charts from VisitMyHarbour. Gives you BRG, SOG, ETA at WP and route. XTE and VMG not (yet?) possible though. I really liked it for passage planning and getting into harbours etc but normally don't use it at sea. Mainly because I haven't yet decided if I wanted to get a 12V adapter. Not that high on my list as I just use my h/h Magellan GPS and paper charts.
I've seen Navionics on the iPad, liked how smooth it displayed charts but not too impressed with detail. Does the Android version give you tidal currents? Found "Boatie" rather poor unfortunately.

yes it does give currents after a fashion and it also gives wind but no longer as an overlay of arrows on the screen.

 

[pathfinderstu]

Whilst on the subject can anybody advise me on a good chart app for eastern med, please? I have a new Samsung galaxy mega, phone which has gps installed and android 4.2 whatever that means.! cheers!

 

[2nd_apprentice]

I think Navionics is the only app withcharts for the med. Raster charts seem to be available here: http://www.1yachtua.com/nauticalcharts/digital_charts_mediterranean.asp if you prefer something like MemoryMap, MXmariner or Marine Navigator. Would be a bit pricey though!

 

[pathfinderstu]

Thanks for that.!