I pad Navionics v chart plotter

Sneds

Sneds

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I have been looking at a Garmin 9" chart plotter for our new, to us, F36
Cost of the above c£900

I have also looked at an Apple refurbished 16gb 9" I-pad, a Navionics app and a Force 4 mounting bracket all in for less than half the chart plotter price

My question is simple, why wouldn't I take the cheaper option?

Our cruising ground is the Bristol Channel from Portishead to Cardiff, Swansea and the other way up to Gloucester with the option of Milford Haven, Padstow and around Lands End, on a nice day!
 
The Ipad is really difficult to use in the sunlight, even harder if you stick it in a waterproof case and if you are doing a long passage it needs to be on constabtly with high brightness it will use battery very quickly.

I have the navionics app and I use the iPad on the boat for planning and more as a sense check but I wouldn't replace my fixed nav gear with it. Fine as a back up/planning tool but in my options not very practical as a primary screen.

Why not pick up a C70/80 classic from eBay for £3-400 as a compromise? Still very good units, daylight viewable and weather proof plus will network to your pilot/vhf and could take a radar if you wanted one
 
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Iain, we have the Raymarine A70 on Rafiki, and I do what Jez says. I download the route on the iPad, then transfer it to the Chartplotter. I check the iPad route regularly, as it has more data than the plotter, but don't need it on all the time. I have a 12v socket on the fly if I need to top up the plotter, and also a back up battery device that I have not had to use yet, even on our long trips kart summer.
 
Also do not overlook the fact if you do wish to go the iPad route, you either have to buy a 'Wifi and Cellular' version which has an onboard GPS chip ( you do not have to insert a SIM card nor do you need a data plan for the GPS functionality). If you go for the Wifi only you will need an external GPS device such as Badelf or Garmin to plug in to the iPad.
 
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The communications from an iPad to other devices will be more complicated. The common one is from GPS to DSC VHF so the radio has your position. With a iPad you would need to do this via WiFi which means buying a WiFi router and wiring the router to the plotter. Complicated! Also, AIS is becoming a common piece of safety kit. With a plotter this is an easy connection. I am not sure how you would do do it with an iPad because the AIS baud rate is the high one.
 
I have a tablet (not an ipad) which needs no sim card and no internet connection in order for the gps to work . It has some simple navigation software. It also links to my Raymarine mfd via blutetooth. Usung the free Raycontrol app the mfd on the flybridge is controlled by the tablet at the lower helm. The tablet cost £140 but I bet they are less now. I bought a suction mount but it was no good. Double sided self adhesive velcro fixes the tablet to the dash.

However the tablet screen looks blank if outside in daylight . It needs to be plugged into the 12v socket as the gps is power hungry but that's not an issue for me.

If money was no object I would have a second mfd . But for now the tablet does the job as back up. i would not want to be without the fixed mfd but I would not ditch the tablet even if I get another mfd.

My daughter has an ipad and iphone .Nice quality things but no need for that expense in my opinion.
 
7 inch is usable but the larger the better. If you are not going to connect in loads of extras to the plotter try to avoid paying up for that capability. Also I think you will find navionics charts are alot cheaper than garmin. I d have a look at raymarine and simrad stripped down..ie fishing..plotters and see if it really needs to be 900 ..... The newer devices really are miles better than the older gear..albeit, more expensive.
 
Having previously had the Garmin 750 found it highly competent at plotting and had ability to display AIS . Found it easier to use than our current larger Raymarine ES but Then it did lack ability to pair with iPad .i think an iPad is great for plotting below and when paired reading The chartplotter but given lack of AIS capability on iPad Navionics plus lack of waterproofing requiring cover and poor readability in bright light I would have thought a chartplotter with Bluetooth would be way to go on basis you can then always pair with an iPad in future or one of the other cheaper tablet devices to show the chartplotter screen as has been said If going for iPad would try to have the largest memory you can plus both wifi and cellular but I don't think if I didn't have one I would go out and buy specifically for on board use and would apply the cash to a Garmin or raymarine depending on your existing system maybe and get that say cheap Tesco device as backup.
 
Waterproof sunlight viewable marine grade chart plotter every time. iPad great as backup and planning tool, but for me anyway no way as primary nav aid.
 
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