iPad as a primary chart plotter - why wouldn't you?

I've blogged about my take on this previously, including the issues with waterproofing it, readability and the annoying glossy screens they put on everything these days.

Wouldn't think of swapping it for a big brand chartplotter though, as they're just such a ridiculous ripoff money wise and don't let you do stuff that us computer fiddlers like to do. For the same or less money you can easily buy a ruggedized general-purpose computer that has a sunlight readable screen and is waterproof without an extra case.
 
Yngmar said:
I've blogged about my take on this previously, including the issues with waterproofing it, readability and the annoying glossy screens they put on everything these days.

Wouldn't think of swapping it for a big brand chartplotter though, as they're just such a ridiculous ripoff money wise and don't let you do stuff that us computer fiddlers like to do. For the same or less money you can easily buy a ruggedized general-purpose computer that has a sunlight readable screen and is waterproof without an extra case.
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But if you already have an ipad as your everyday device then it's hard to see why you would ever spend the money on a proper chartplotter except for the joy of a new toy. A chartplotter beats an iPad in obvious ways but are those differences worth the money?
 
davidaprice said:
I'm intrigued by the Digital Yacht AIT3000 AIS transponder: it makes true AIS data available over WiFi, which can then be received by their iPad app and displayed over Navionics chart data. My boat has a tiller so there's no good place for a fixed plotter, so an iPad in a waterproof case seems like a great fit. Pricey though.
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I went for the emtrack B330 ClassB WiFi from JG Tech quite a bit cheaper at £559 and it has an Integrated GPS antenna so you don't need to mount an additional GPS antenna, though you can if necessary (poor reception / steel boat).
 
alexincornwall said:
I'm not sure with Navionics, but iSailor supports AIS (with a subscription), and it works well. Granted you do need an active data connection, which in the middle of a TSS, when you need it most, is a rarity!
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iSailor will also support AIS from the ship's systems either by wireless or NMEA so an active data connection is not required (which is not a lot of good mid-Channel).
 
We ought to celebrate the fact that we are living at a time when we have a choice of navigation hard- and software. Since we all have different boats, cruising ranges, and technical ability, there is no need for anyone to look for a single solution or best buy. I don't want to fiddle around with computer stuff and value having my radar/plotter/AIS centralised and fixed, even if it is costing me money. I am impressed by what people can now achieve, often at little cost, and although I also use an iPad, I simply don't want a non-dedicated system but would never suggest that mine is necessarily the 'best' choice, even though I suspect that I am in a majority.
 
I use a small Garmin chart plotter under the spray hood, but also have started using an iPad with iSailor and linked Vesper AIS.. Much clearer than the plotter.
Top tip - don't leave your Apple Lightning connector plugged into the 12v socket with a loose live end as a single drop of sea water dissolved the live contacts on the iPad end connector in about 3 minutes :(
 
I have never used my indoor chart plotter after I installed my 10" Samsung tablet with iSailor, and wifi AIS from my Vesper. I also use my 12.9" iPad, but feel it is a little expensive to leave on display! However the bigger screen makes it superb for planning purposes. On the few times I need charts at hand whilst on the helm, I use my waterproof Samsung Galaxy phone which is visible even in bright sunlight.
 
I use an iPad as backup and to enable us to easily study the route while ashore in bar pub or restaurant. However even in a case its vulnerable and its touch screen works badly in gloves (unlike buttons) and it goes flat in a few hours unless plugged in, which power connection is not quite waterproof, so it has to live below deck unless needed for final approach to moorings or narrows etc. The GPS fails to get signal more often than the arch mounted chart plotter aerial.

Using Navionic charts the presentation is much poorer than our main Lowrance Chart platter as it does not have range circles or show latitude and longitude, so ok for final approaches to harbour but less good for mid passage adjustments. What's more our dedicated plotter has easy night/day button sequence.

Having said that I like it, but its not my main unit and never will be
 
oldmanofthehills said:
I use an iPad as backup and to enable us to easily study the route while ashore in bar pub or restaurant. However even in a case its vulnerable and its touch screen works badly in gloves (unlike buttons) and it goes flat in a few hours unless plugged in, which power connection is not quite waterproof, so it has to live below deck unless needed for final approach to moorings or narrows etc. The GPS fails to get signal more often than the arch mounted chart plotter aerial.

Using Navionic charts the presentation is much poorer than our main Lowrance Chart platter as it does not have range circles or show latitude and longitude, so ok for final approaches to harbour but less good for mid passage adjustments. What's more our dedicated plotter has easy night/day button sequence.

Having said that I like it, but its not my main unit and never will be
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Same here. The iPad and Navionics is nice to study the route at home or elsewhere, but for the foreseeable future it will be no more than a backup.
The big Raymarine plotter under the sprayhood remains the main instrument. I can take it down to the chart table and prepare the route at leisure the night before, or adjust navigation as necessary while in the cockpit.
 
As an ipad owner more than happy with it as a back up and for use below and at home where no plotter with either its own Navionics or via the Raymarine link app but not confident enough to expose it to the rigours of the cockpit generally unless at rest so while it has a waterproof jacket it doesn't really use it. Reason mainly is that the plotter links to autohelm and AIS etc which without additional kit doesn't work with my ipad set up plus of course the battery life on an ipad is limited so you need either the booster pack from Maplins etc or small free ones from conferences etc or to have plugged in below . What I haven't tried as yet is running the Ipad through the TV on board via HDMI which might be a feature that adds to its value though to scale up the screen

If however I didn't have one I might look at one of the cheaper devices around £165 that probably does all the ipad does for plotting purposes .
 
I'm thinking of installing iSailor on to my iPad, but I can't see find any information on how much memory space is needed on the device for App, nor for chart packs. I only have about 1.5 Gb of free space on the device, and it is not uncommon for me to be using most of that to catch up on TV programmes I have missed via iPlayer.

I'm probably going to need UK: England South Coast and France: Brest to Dunkerque, plus probably Greece too. Will I need to free up some space on it?

Also, how much do the chart packs cost? The manual seems to suggest that the cost in 2015 was about $25 per pack, but I can't see pricing for UK subscribers.

(I know I could find out all this once I have downloaded the App, but there seems little point in doing so until I know I will have enough space available).
 
GHA said:
I use a waterproof Sony experia fed with really useful AIS, gps, engine temperature, pressure history and Batt voltage from a raspberry pi over wifi. Works great. 2 downsides are bright sunlight makes it a bit harder to see though under the spray hood its fine , wet fat fingers aren't great at operating it. Big bonus of Android is you can use OpenCPN , which must have as good an ais display as there is.
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Would love to see the circuitry for this set up. any chance?? thanks
 
I have an iPad as a backup, but the screen isn’t anywhere near as bright as the main Raymarine E-series Widescreen, which restricts its use in direct sunlight. Also, no radar, no AIS, can’t control the autopilot, and the route/waypoint options are quite basic.
 
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