iPhone or Blackberry Navigation Apps?

[CalmSkipper]

I sailed with someone who had managed to download an iPhone App that enabled the iPhone to be used like a hand held chart plotter. Does anyone know if there is anything similar available for a blackberry and whether or not the apps are any good?

 

[Saguday]

I have the Navionics app on my iPhone and will be trying it out over the next week (note to the old guard: yes I also have paper charts, no I won't just be relying on the iPhone). From tinkering with it looks very good and even includes a neat tide table function.

I know of nothing like this on a blackberry. I have a blackberry for work only because I'm forced to. As soon as I can I'll be ditching it.

 

[jpcarter30]

I have the colregs and Boaty for the iPhone and they are both excellent. There is also a tidetable app which is excellent. Sell the Blackberry on ebay if you can.

 

[CalmSkipper]

thanks - I'd be interested to hear your views when you've had a chance to try it kioni. Kevan

 

[spynappels]

Hi Kioni,

I may be a bit stupid, but can't seem to find the Navionics app which covers the UK and Ireland. Which one are you using?

Stef.

 

[chippysmith]

I think you will find that Navionics has withdrawn some of the charts due to a glitch with there update 3.0, this includes the UK Holland chart.. they are working on the issue and 3.01 is with apple for aproval, they were hoping to issue it by this weekend but as yet it has not been released..

This can be confirmed on their Facebook site.

It is a fantastic piece of kit, thought it a bit gimicky but at the price I just had to have a play, used it extensively on a 3 week cruise and it proved to be very useful for things like tides and currents, love the idea of sending tracks to facebook, great for keeping the guys at home updated on your progress, nice thing is, it doesn't need roaming on, chart is on the phone unlike google maps. Love it

So if you havent updated your version yet.... Don't until 3.01 is released!

 

[jpcarter30]

Thanks for that. That's when I'll buy it. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

 

[MacMan]

... love the idea of sending tracks to facebook, great for keeping the guys at home updated on your progress, nice thing is, it doesn't need roaming on, chart is on the phone unlike google maps....!

I downloaded my Azores to Holland Navonics chart last week and tried out at he weekend. the chartplotter app worked fine as did the tides and streams but although I could take photo's and send to facebook I was expecting track info to be posted. I didn't get this - am I missing something ?

 

[bitman]

iPod touch / iGPS-360 / Navionics

i have the iPod touch / iGPS-360 / Navionics combo and that works fine. tried it last week on the boat and love it.

i do have a rubber casing around if to stop moving around as the boat heels. can't beat £15 for charts. handy to have in the cockpit.

disclaimer, i still do all nav work on paper charts and have a c-map / maxsea laptop. raymarine a65 standby and not in use as to complicated.

 

[st599]

I downloaded my Azores to Holland Navonics chart last week and tried out at he weekend. the chartplotter app worked fine as did the tides and streams but although I could take photo's and send to facebook I was expecting track info to be posted. I didn't get this - am I missing something ?

If you have track switched on, click on the track and the option to share via facebook should appear.

 

[GlennG]

I've been using the Navonics application on my iPhone 3G over the summer. *Really* good piece of kit.

For longer distances, there's no question that charts are better as the constant zooming with such a small screen is a real pain. However, when you're in the mire, there's nothing quite like having a chart plotter in the pocket.

I've a couple of good examples. I was sailing to Ramsgate in July when there was all the fog. I don't have radar, but a call to the HM will confirm that there's nothing coming to which Rule 0 applies (don't hit anything that looks like a ship). The problem was that the fog was too dense to see the buoys and with a knot or so of cross-tide, it's quite difficult to keep to the channel. So, out comes the iPhone, and shows me the track. Lovely! Even if I used my charts below, the error allowance is much wider than the channel. Hardly surprisingly I don't carry port-level charts with me; just the normal Imray charts which aren't detailed enough when the chips are down. With the iPhone, buoy after buoy came up out of the fog as we approached the harbour. Simples.

The second experience was last week, which I've already posted to another thread. But for completeness..

I was motoring behind the Isle of Sheppey on a rising tide but in lower water than I should when I left the very narrow channel and hit the gloopy mud. The line between the previous and subsequent buoys was nigh-on impossible to see where the channel was as the channel/ditch was only a few feet wide.

So, consulted the phone to see that I'd strayed too far north. Pushed tiller over, gave the engine some welly, and slowly slipped off the mud back into the ditch. Simples. There's no way on earth I can get my charts to zoom in like that - not to mention plot the GPS coordinates within a couple of metres.


Yep, dead impressed with the wee iPhone beastie.

 

[moorecomp]

I sailed with someone who had managed to download an iPhone App that enabled the iPhone to be used like a hand held chart plotter. Does anyone know if there is anything similar available for a blackberry and whether or not the apps are any good?

Hello,
I just found an app called "TrackMyJourney" maybe someone else has heard of it? I installed it on my BB8310 and it is amazing! The number of screens available for navigation is stunning. Bearing, VMG, Time to waypoint, Distance, Heading; just awesome. The website allows you to enter waypoints and then have them downloaded to your BB also rastermaps can be converted to the default.tmj format and sent to your phones memory card.
I am still using the free version, and it appears to do all I need.

http://www.trackmyjourney.co.uk/tmjmobile.php

best regards,
Craig Moore
Mancelona, MI

 

[chippysmith]

Iphone update 3.01-

Apple released the update today that fixes bugs from 3.0

Updated mine and all seems fine, doesnt need to update via itunes either.

 

[Saguday]

Hi All,

Used the Navionics chart on the iPhone at times during our cruise around the East Coast this last two weeks and I have to say it was really good. The only problem I had was the 12V car adapter didn't work on the boat for some reason so I had to rely on the batteries only - ok for day trips but using the real time charting does drain the iPhone batteries quickly.

I'm going to get a waterproof case for it just so I've got a backup to all the other bits of nav gear I have on board. I did use it in anger going up to the Orwell because I'd forgotten the 12V adapter for my Raymarine RC400 and that chews batteries so when it conked out I did the rest of the trip with the iPhone (with paper back up of course) and it proved to be fine.

Didn't have the 3.1 upgrade when I was using it but will be installing that this week now I'm back ashore.

Neil