Laptop/Ipad chartplotter. Advice.

[ashtead]

In terms of charging iPad it's always useful to have a few power bank blocs to plug in as a back up. How large you go down to preference but 3 or 4 kept topped up gives freedom from sitting up top with cables trailing from iPad etc . For what it's worth newer iPad Pro seem quicker and large screen for plotting if budget permits compared to iPad 2 .

 

[karl.e]

For laptops there are several free/freemium options available now:

• 
  opencpn: Free application, charts need to be purchased. Support for S-63 charts is free.
  

• 
  qtvtlm : Free application, charts need to be purchased. Support for S-63 charts is available upon purchase.

• 
  i-Boating: Free application. Charts are included during the trial period. Supports USB, Serial/COM, Bluetooth, TCP/IP interfaces for GPS and AIS.

 

[yoda]

A slightly different approach from NV charts. Buy the paper ones and get an App to use on multiple platforms for free. See the link below. Not for everybody but I like both the charts and the App.

https://eu.nvcharts.com/index.php?page=product&info=100698

The detail about the App is at this link:

https://nvcharts.com/app/eu/

My paper charts came with 2 registrations for BSB charts and the App can also be used on upto 5 mobile devices.

Just putting it out there.

Yoda

 

[KompetentKrew]

Not strictly true. I've used navionics on my (wifi only) iPad with a garmin glo bluetooth gps. They're about £80 (although I'm sure other bluetooth GNSS units can be had for less) which was less than the difference between the wifi only and the cellular iPads new (plus I can use the garmin with other devices) but obviously the economics are rather different for refurb units and doubtless you've made a sensible choice.

VMH have bluetooth GPS receivers for £40 at the moment: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm//223477696085

You can easily get them secondhand off eBay for less than £10 if you're patient. These were a somewhat-popular accessory for smartphones in the pre-iPhone pre-Android days.

 

[oldgit]

Finally getting to grips with the Ipad/Navionics App.

Thoughts.
If you are an absolute total technophobe with no patience but capable of putting your fingers on a touchscreen and following some simple instructions, then Navionics is probably the system to go for.
Pay, then sit back and watch the App (and the charts)mysteriously load onto your Tablet without further effort on your part.
You are then able to spend the rest of your life working out how to use it and then discover a considerable number of neat useful things in the App you had no idea you actually wanted.

The other option available,CPN etc really does need a certain amount of tech ability, way above my paygrade to install software then go and find plus then install maps.............simply a non starter.
Although perhaps simpler to operate,far more difficult to install and to set up for the non technical.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Not strictly true. I've used navionics on my (wifi only) iPad with a garmin glo bluetooth gps. They're about £80 (although I'm sure other bluetooth GNSS units can be had for less) which was less than the difference between the wifi only and the cellular iPads new (plus I can use the garmin with other devices) but obviously the economics are rather different for refurb units and doubtless you've made a sensible choice.

I think you find once your well away from land the wifi only iPad won't work , it's picking up it signel from towers while you close to land .
I know this at my own cost .

 

[duncan99210]

I think you find once your well away from land the wifi only iPad won't work , it's picking up it signel from towers while you close to land .
I know this at my own cost .

That’s so if you’re using “location services” only on a Wi-fi iPad. It’ll sort of figure out where it is from any local Wi-fi signals. However, if you’re using a GPS source for a proper position, the iPad will happily latch onto that and display your position accurately. I’ve got a Yakker to link the output from my AIS to my Wi-fi iPad: it has the secondary benefit of producing all the position and course data for Navionics as well as the AIS data.

 

[sailaboutvic]

That’s so if you’re using “location services” only on a Wi-fi iPad. It’ll sort of figure out where it is from any local Wi-fi signals. However, if you’re using a GPS source for a proper position, the iPad will happily latch onto that and display your position accurately. I’ve got a Yakker to link the output from my AIS to my Wi-fi iPad: it has the secondary benefit of producing all the position and course data for Navionics as well as the AIS data.

Correct Duncan , Laika was referring th wifi only in his posting , you need an iPad that takes a SIM card for gps use .

 

[GHA]

Correct Duncan , Laika was referring th wifi only in his posting , you need an iPad that takes a SIM card for gps use .

Laiki was actually pointing out that you can have NMEA position over wifi onboard, then the tablet can get to it. I don't bother with internal GPS on the tablet, but get gps/ais from a better GPS receiver over wifi from a better receiver down below.