i-Boating App and Charts

PaulRainbow

PaulRainbow

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Been looking at the i-boating App and its charts. The charts can be seen here : http://fishing-app.gpsnauticalchart...e-charts-navigation.html#12.27/51.9368/1.3087

The App is here : http://www.gpsnauticalcharts.com/main/natuical-charts-app-software

It looked useful, particularly as charts for all of the UK are only £20 and it can show AIS from onboard transceiver or receiver via wifi. Thing is, i think the chart detail is lacking. The online one linked to above seems to have some detail missing, the in App one doesn't even have names for the buoys.

Did consider iSailor, but the charts are not cheap and as i'm right on the border of their East and South coast packages i'd have to spend £70 odd quid and get both.

What does the panel think, in particular the i-boating App/Charts ?
 
The level of detail does not look too bad, but the application looks a bit primitive. I use the Navionics Boating application which is only about £5 more expensive and has excellent mapping.
 
I think they are poor as well. Many names have been missed out in my locality that are on Memorymap and my paper charts. Sea loch names for example, would be quite helpful.
Having to consult a secondary source for information, whilst not the end of the world, can be a bit of a pain.
 
I have been using iSailor for the past 18 months plus and find it very good. During that time the charts have been updated twice so they seem to be pretty on the ball in that respect. Granted it may not be the cheapest but one pays for what one gets (or not).
 
For the money it looks ok, AIS is a bargain. I use iSailor which is more expensive, but is a very good product. I suspect we will see many chart packages as the market matures, then consolidation. THey are so cheap that you can carry more than one, perhaps a vector chart package and a raster package.
 
I've also got the MX Mariner App with VMH Raster charts. There is a lot more information on those charts, but the app does not support AIS.

The more i look at the i-Boating charts the more i see missing. No bridges or marinas are identified. The precautionary areas and restricted zones on the East coast and in particular the Thames Estuary are not clearly shown. Try finding the dangerous wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery in the mouth of the Thames, especially using the app, with no buoy names. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Richard_Montgomery
 
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