Navigation Apps in 2022

Fire99

Fire99

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Afternoon gang,

Now I know boating apps have been somewhat done to death but technology moves on at a fair rate of knots (excuse the pun) so what are your favourite boating navigation apps for 2022?
(Notably for Android rather than iOS)
Is Navionics still the app of choice or has C-Map or SavvyNavvy etc swung the pendulum towards them?

I've a new 10(and a bit) inch tablet and fancy putting something half decent on.

Note - I've used a demo of C-Map that looks pretty user friendly and I also have qtVLM on a couple of screens, running VisitMyHarbour sourced charts which looks decent for chart following but plotting routes is a bit odd for my taste..

So what 'cha running gang?
 
I find Navionics is really only good for looking a chart and measuring distances from A to B.
You could build a route and transfer to your MFD, but with touch screen B&G I don't see much point myself.
Savvy Navvy intentionally declutters the chart so shows less details but it is a very capable passage planner, taking tides and wind into account. It proved very useful and accurate on a 36hr passage from Menorca to Sardinia last year.
I know this is posted in the motor forum so maybe wind/tide isn't so important for you.
 
I use Navionics on iPad and Android. My main use is to do my passage planning, then I just sync it with my Axiom, rather than using it for actual navigation. However, the iPad is a good back up, as would the phone, if need be.
 
I'm still running some relatively old school Raymarine (RL80C +70C etc) chart plotters for my main navigation plus an RN300 GPS backup on board which I intend to keep hold of for as long as poss but since I have the big ol tablet it'll be good to try a few apps out. My boat 'neighbour) uses Navionics and swears by it so I'll certainly give it a demo and Savvy Navvy too.

Anyone favour the C-Maps app? I thought that looked pretty intuitive..
 
Although I like savvy navvy and had subscription last year, it’s just due for renewal, it’s quite good but gets pricey for options and I will not be renewing, I use Navionics app all the time as it syncs easily with plotter and just works
 
Daverw said:
Although I like savvy navvy and had subscription last year, it’s just due for renewal, it’s quite good but gets pricey for options and I will not be renewing, I use Navionics app all the time as it syncs easily with plotter and just works
Click to expand...
That's interesting.. I'm reading it that Savvy Navvy is an annual subscription and Navionics is a one off payment?
 
Navionics also annual sub, £35 for uk and ireland, renewal only needed for update and advanced options, app is free and you choose charts needed
 
Navionics (owned by Garmin) and C-Map (owned by Brunswick) are the big chart suppliers together with Garmin.

It is a matter of personal preference though. I'm using Navionics app on Android and iPad (one license covers all), and Navionics Platinum Plus on a mem card in the plotter.
Both versions can be used without subscription (cost varies btw depending on coverage), the app has more limitations without pay.

If you plotter can't connect to the tablet there are workarounds (via a pc) to carry routes etc. over on a memory card.

New plotters (except Garmin) commonly accept both Navionics and C-Map, so if one day you replace the plotter, both maps will be reusable.
 
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Just had my renewal update from Savvy Navvy, £64.00 ? lower option needs online for charts it says, defiantly not renewing
 
You could look at OpenCPN on Android
There is a free one in the Play Store.
But for a small charge Dave Register's one is the officially supported one.

Same software as the free PC version so most of the PC charts work on Android.

Navionics is probably simpler but OpenCPN is an alternative. I use the PC one all the time on the boat. I have made my own charts from scans etc.
 
I use Navionics on the iPad and rarely end up putting routes into my Chartplotter.
I recently used the Navily app on a Med trip and found it very useful for marina information and booking berths
 
Hurricane said:
You could look at OpenCPN on Android
There is a free one in the Play Store.
But for a small charge Dave Register's one is the officially supported one.

Same software as the free PC version so most of the PC charts work on Android.

Navionics is probably simpler but OpenCPN is an alternative. I use the PC one all the time on the boat. I have made my own charts from scans etc.
Click to expand...

have you used Open CPN on an android tablet?
I’ve used it on a windows machine and been very impressed. I need a new tablet for the season and unsure whether to go for an Android tablet or to get a Win10 tablet…
 
Minerva said:
have you used Open CPN on an android tablet?
I’ve used it on a windows machine and been very impressed. I need a new tablet for the season and unsure whether to go for an Android tablet or to get a Win10 tablet…
Click to expand...
Most on here will know that I am not a fan of Windoze.
Thankfully, OpenCPN is multi platform and runs natively under Linux. Android is Linux so was the platform that the OpenCPN team chose for their mobile implementation. OpenCPN doesn't run on any iThingies.

That said, OpenCPN isn't as easy to use on an Android compared to on a PC. But all the charts except MBTILES work on all platforms.

As far as tablets go. I think you get better value from an Android over a Windows tablet. I use the Samsung Tablets but that's just my opinion.
 
I use a Garmin 276cx as my main bulletproof plotter it’ll run for 10 hours on the built in battery if need be., smallish screen though. I am now using a big iPad Pro for plotting and am in the process of trying out
  • Navionics, good charts but the controls are limited
  • C-map, charts possibly better but still limited controls
  • Imray, are about to release a new vector chart based app
  • Orca, using this navigation app stand alone on the iPad at the moment but I really like the idea of their Core, which is a GPS/compass/Wi-Fi/N2k hardware solution. I have mechanical diesels and with an analogue to digital box could get engine monitoring on the ipad
 
Thanks folks.. I've used OpenCPN and it's not bad. Perhaps not quite a polished as some of the apps but does the job..
Interesting that Imray are about to release a new app. It will be interesting if it can compete with the established apps..

I may give C-Map a decent go on a bigger screen and see how that compares. I find with apps, sometimes one just works for some people and another for others, so it'll be interesting to see which one I find works best for me..
 
Daverw said:
Just had my renewal update from Savvy Navvy, £64.00 ? lower option needs online for charts it says, defiantly not renewing
Click to expand...
They seem to offer a half price deal for black Friday. May be worth looking out for in November. As I use it mostly for pre passage planning the online only charts are not a big problem. But you also need to be online for weather?
 
If all you want is something to do some planning, you could use this:-
Navionics Web
Navionics ChartViewer

They used to have a good API interface on this website where developers could write their own custom apps.
But about 3 months ago, they stopped it and there doesn't seem to be any information about restarting it.
I registered our marina forum as a private club and they accepted us, providing us with a working API Key.
Using that, I implemented a simple planning application for our marina forum.
Without the API working, I have had to revert to an interface using links similar to the above.

My point is that Navionics might withdraw the above website as well so it might not be a long term solution.
 
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