iPad at the binnacle - genius or madness?
- Thread starter MagicalArmchair
- Start date
ashtead
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if you can have 2 iPads viewing the Raymarine plotter using the app mentioned ? Just curious as this would give the luxury of checking from below while others used under sprayhood etc? Logically you should be able to read the Raymarine from any number of paired devices ?. As mentioned u can use RayControl but you can use another app I think to just view called unoriginally RayView I believe.
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Quite obviously a yes to that, my experience with a Hudl (there are many others just as good of course, it was my choice) at the helm has in the main been very good.
It was never out in the rain, and agree difficult to read in bright sunshine, used with navionics worked very well very good graphics, and cheap and very cheerful.
I still use it as a very portable point of reference, main navigation done on a laptop below, again navionics.
[70521]
Well-Known Member
+1
It always amazes me that some people have their eyes glued in the chartplotter and not looking at the world as it goes slowly by or the wind in the sails. Perhaps I am more a natural navigator?
Until this year I was a full member of the Royal Institution of Navigation, stepping down to Associate as I am stopping full time work in January, and actually have a great interest in all sorts of navigation and GPS in particular.
XDC
Well-Known Member
Yes you can. They are well named.
RayControl does just that, the iPad app controls most functions of the MFD.
RayView is so that people can see what is going on but not control the MFD.
dolabriform
Well-Known Member
On our new ( to us ) boat we're moving the chart plotter to the helm and will use the ipad below, remote viewing the plotter. We'll also be installing a RAM mike as per Baggy's setup.
IMHO this months YM sums up the number one reason for this configuration. If you are short handed, or just 2 on watch, and there is an MOB you can hit the DSC button and hit the MOB button on the plotter without having to lose precious time going below and losing site of the MOB.
IMHO this months YM sums up the number one reason for this configuration. If you are short handed, or just 2 on watch, and there is an MOB you can hit the DSC button and hit the MOB button on the plotter without having to lose precious time going below and losing site of the MOB.
ashtead
Well-Known Member
Thanks XDC . I have only recently invested in an iPad Pro for non sailing reasons so it will be safely locked down below but regular iPad in a case is quite happy up top and lives in the halliard bag to keep safe etc.
XDC
Well-Known Member
Welcome. The RayView app was described to me as the childproof app :encouragement:
Kukri
Well-Known Member
I can see that I am going to end up with a plotter at the helm. But it’s not a priority, because it’s only useful for pilotage.
An i70 at the helm gives AIS, and the reason for putting the plotter at the chart table is that the boat has a nice dry cabin so why would I put non-duplicated nav systems out where they can get wet and be clouted by sheets, people, etc. Even the binoculars and the hand bearing compass live inside the companionway.
I’m not against it in principle; it’s just a little lower down the wish list.
An i70 at the helm gives AIS, and the reason for putting the plotter at the chart table is that the boat has a nice dry cabin so why would I put non-duplicated nav systems out where they can get wet and be clouted by sheets, people, etc. Even the binoculars and the hand bearing compass live inside the companionway.
I’m not against it in principle; it’s just a little lower down the wish list.
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MagicalArmchair
Well-Known Member
Thank you all for the responses. I will swap the e7 to the binnacle and the iPad will float (hopefully not literally!).
The iPad pro I have does have an exceptional screen that is viewable in all weather, including bright sunshine, and it can lower its brightness vastly so should work well in the pitch black. However, this does not escape the fact that it is not truly water'proof', even with a case on it, as the charging cable needs to pass through the case to the waterproof charging point the previous owner installed at the binnacle.
That said, a good friend of mine who has a Starlight 35, had an e7 at the binnacle and it lasted only three seasons before water ingress killed it. He said he was always very careful putting the screen protector on and the cover over his binnacle when away from the boat too so was furious it has lasted such a short amount of time. I spoke to a Raymarine rep at the Pirates Cave open day yesterday, and she said its a known fault with those older e7s. Water collects on the rim of the screen and works its way inside (new MFDs are flush). Raymarine refused any repair or replacement, stating it was out of warranty (worlds apart from the great service of the VHF market, where ICOM repaired my 11 year old DSC unit for free as it was a manufacturing 'fault' (that lasted 11 years! I would have happily paid for the repair)).
Any tips for protecting the MFD at the binnacle?
The iPad pro I have does have an exceptional screen that is viewable in all weather, including bright sunshine, and it can lower its brightness vastly so should work well in the pitch black. However, this does not escape the fact that it is not truly water'proof', even with a case on it, as the charging cable needs to pass through the case to the waterproof charging point the previous owner installed at the binnacle.
That said, a good friend of mine who has a Starlight 35, had an e7 at the binnacle and it lasted only three seasons before water ingress killed it. He said he was always very careful putting the screen protector on and the cover over his binnacle when away from the boat too so was furious it has lasted such a short amount of time. I spoke to a Raymarine rep at the Pirates Cave open day yesterday, and she said its a known fault with those older e7s. Water collects on the rim of the screen and works its way inside (new MFDs are flush). Raymarine refused any repair or replacement, stating it was out of warranty (worlds apart from the great service of the VHF market, where ICOM repaired my 11 year old DSC unit for free as it was a manufacturing 'fault' (that lasted 11 years! I would have happily paid for the repair)).
Any tips for protecting the MFD at the binnacle?
dolabriform
Well-Known Member
I've thought about 3D printing or making out of perspex some form of visor that can be attached around it to minimise the amount of water hitting it directly but I'm still in the planning stage
Baggywrinkle
Well-Known Member
Interesting some of the assumptions made about plotters at the helm, which are kind of understandable if you don't have one.
We "boating gamers" don't sit staring at the plotter screen all day, neglecting to look around - although it does display ETA for the next waypoint, COG and SOG ... which are as useful to know as depth, speed and wind direction. To be honest, when my autopilot is on I'm often on the foredeck where it is nice and peaceful, or sitting in my hammock strung between the mast and the forestay, enjoying a cold beer.
When the pilotage gets interesting, the combination of real-time position updates, detailed and zoomable chart, plus a pair of eyeballs and some binoculars makes life a breeze. I've done years with multiple pilot books in the cockpit and paper charts flapping in the wind, using a seafix rdf - charts and books getting wet, torn and abused - glad I don't need all that anymore. :encouragement:
We "boating gamers" don't sit staring at the plotter screen all day, neglecting to look around - although it does display ETA for the next waypoint, COG and SOG ... which are as useful to know as depth, speed and wind direction. To be honest, when my autopilot is on I'm often on the foredeck where it is nice and peaceful, or sitting in my hammock strung between the mast and the forestay, enjoying a cold beer.
When the pilotage gets interesting, the combination of real-time position updates, detailed and zoomable chart, plus a pair of eyeballs and some binoculars makes life a breeze. I've done years with multiple pilot books in the cockpit and paper charts flapping in the wind, using a seafix rdf - charts and books getting wet, torn and abused - glad I don't need all that anymore. :encouragement:
Caladh
Well-Known Member
+1 for old school !!
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LONG_KEELER
Well-Known Member
But surely that is the dilemma facing yachstman today. Just because technologies exist isn't in itself a reason for using them. And i'm just like everyone else.
You can stand at the binnacle and not have to move your head much at all. Everything is
there, including where the wind is coming from and it's strength. This does tend to make
sailing a bit boring and not having to do mental and physical checks makes you think more about how cold and wet it is.
Is technology part of the reason why sailing is on the slide ? I decided this season that I would only have the speed and depth showing. I don''t have a plotter but do have a tablet with charts below and a hh gps. Everything worked out fine. Mind you, I only have myself to please.
dolabriform
Well-Known Member
peterf
Member
I have an ipad that I mount on the binnacle using the same stand. This summer I solo sailed over 5 weeks from Tollesbury to Dartmouth and back.
For those that have a marine plotter I respect that the screen might be brighter but if it is mounted in a fixed position that brightness is definitely needed.
For the ipad, if the sun is shining on it, I simply tilt it in a different direction.
For rain I had two options
1. I put the ipad on its stand under the sprayhood
2. Put a rain cover over the ipad whilst on the binnicle - Both good options,
My set up is
1. Old gen2 ipad that has inbuilt GPS as back up, but connects over WIFI to AIS system for GPS and AIS data
2. IpadPro on chart table same GPS/Wifi system as above
3. iPhone XS (water proof) same GPS/Wifi system as above
4. I also have a small handheld garmin chartplotter if the ipads all fail - but haven't used it and really need to sell it..
With that set up I have 3 levels of power backup
4 independent GPS receivers
3 independent screen
Fully up to date charts
I also carry a bunch of independent USB power packs incase of electrical problems.
Typically the most unreliable aspect is the rubber around the usb cables, so I tend to carry spares of them
Having sailed next to 2 water spouts of ramsgate in a full deluge, i'm very confident that the ipads (with the waterproof cover) are waterproof enough for my sailing..
And having spent my summer sailing most days in July/August I can confirm that the screen brightness was never a problem..
Obviously wouldn't cope with a knock down.. But I will modify rig if/when that might be a possibility...
Oh. And my 'chartplotters/ipad' also do the following: Play music, netflix, web, weather, audiobooks etc.. Serve a purpose on/off the boat and are generally used most days of the year...
not for everyone, but for me the system works well
For those that have a marine plotter I respect that the screen might be brighter but if it is mounted in a fixed position that brightness is definitely needed.
For the ipad, if the sun is shining on it, I simply tilt it in a different direction.
For rain I had two options
1. I put the ipad on its stand under the sprayhood
2. Put a rain cover over the ipad whilst on the binnicle - Both good options,
My set up is
1. Old gen2 ipad that has inbuilt GPS as back up, but connects over WIFI to AIS system for GPS and AIS data
2. IpadPro on chart table same GPS/Wifi system as above
3. iPhone XS (water proof) same GPS/Wifi system as above
4. I also have a small handheld garmin chartplotter if the ipads all fail - but haven't used it and really need to sell it..
With that set up I have 3 levels of power backup
4 independent GPS receivers
3 independent screen
Fully up to date charts
I also carry a bunch of independent USB power packs incase of electrical problems.
Typically the most unreliable aspect is the rubber around the usb cables, so I tend to carry spares of them
Having sailed next to 2 water spouts of ramsgate in a full deluge, i'm very confident that the ipads (with the waterproof cover) are waterproof enough for my sailing..
And having spent my summer sailing most days in July/August I can confirm that the screen brightness was never a problem..
Obviously wouldn't cope with a knock down.. But I will modify rig if/when that might be a possibility...
Oh. And my 'chartplotters/ipad' also do the following: Play music, netflix, web, weather, audiobooks etc.. Serve a purpose on/off the boat and are generally used most days of the year...
not for everyone, but for me the system works well
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
I'm a Luddite who still doesn't have a chart-plotter.
A few years back we were working our way along the Intra-Coastal Waterway following the chart, when at the mouth of the Alligator River we could see a sand spit stretching across the marked channel, so shallow that seagulls were standing right in the middle. We felt our way outside the markers into deeper water and worked around, to be followed closely by Jim on another sailboat, "Voyager".
He was to tell us a sorry tale when we met that evening in Coinjock. “I just followed my chart-plotter along the marked channel, and then went hard aground there a few days ago. The local boatyard charges $3,000 for a pull off and underwater inspection, and my rudder still needs to be repaired. I wouldn’t let them do it. They are raking in money, as four or five yachts daily have to be pulled off. People would rather believe their chart-plotter than the evidence of their eyes. This time I followed you, because you seemed to know your way through and I thought you must be locals!”
A few years back we were working our way along the Intra-Coastal Waterway following the chart, when at the mouth of the Alligator River we could see a sand spit stretching across the marked channel, so shallow that seagulls were standing right in the middle. We felt our way outside the markers into deeper water and worked around, to be followed closely by Jim on another sailboat, "Voyager".
He was to tell us a sorry tale when we met that evening in Coinjock. “I just followed my chart-plotter along the marked channel, and then went hard aground there a few days ago. The local boatyard charges $3,000 for a pull off and underwater inspection, and my rudder still needs to be repaired. I wouldn’t let them do it. They are raking in money, as four or five yachts daily have to be pulled off. People would rather believe their chart-plotter than the evidence of their eyes. This time I followed you, because you seemed to know your way through and I thought you must be locals!”
pvb
Well-Known Member
On my last boat, the Raymarine plotter required a positive input for any course change. On my current boat, the Garmin plotter (with linked Garmin autopilot) will follow an entire route on its own, with no intervention needed. Naturally, one has to keep an eye on what it's doing.
MagicalArmchair
Well-Known Member
Thank you for a view from the other side of the debate. For delivery back from Poole, I won't have time to swap the devices over, so I'm interested in how you have made this work successfully. What sort of raincover do you have for the iPad whilst at the Binnacle? Surely there is a gap in the market for an iPad sprayhood! :encouragement:
peterf
Member
Whilst at Brighton marina the chandlery sold me a cut off from the clear spray hood window material. I cut it twice the width of the iPad, folded it in half and sewed Velcro down each side.
To any purist you might be shocked but it worked and is strong. In nice weather I flip the clear cover out the way. When raining I let if fall in front. I have deliberately left the bottom unvelcrod to support airflow in case a little dampness gets in, so it will dry out. I have made it over size a little to allow the usb cable to be covered.
My version was made on the boat with a hand stitcher. Next time I might try and do something a big neater, but the principle works..
To any purist you might be shocked but it worked and is strong. In nice weather I flip the clear cover out the way. When raining I let if fall in front. I have deliberately left the bottom unvelcrod to support airflow in case a little dampness gets in, so it will dry out. I have made it over size a little to allow the usb cable to be covered.
My version was made on the boat with a hand stitcher. Next time I might try and do something a big neater, but the principle works..