Navigation apps

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Denek

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Hi all
We have purchased a sailing boat which is berthed at shotley marina and we are returning to sailing after a long break.
Back in the day I only had traditional navigation methods to get from a to b but I am now spoilt for choice when it comes to navigation aids.
The boat has a gps but I would like to get a plotter and it seems that an I pad would be a good option.
I have read the reviews in yachting press but am undecided which system to go for. I have a friend who uses navionics and swears by it but I have also looked at the imray charts and I am sure there are others.
Can anyone give any advice or just an opinion.
How do you allow for tidal stream with these bits of kit?
I will still be using paper charts as I actually enjoy this.

Thanks

Dennis.
 
The Navionics app on the iPad (you need a 3G version) is very good and it means your chart plotter doubles up as a personal computer when you're ashore. Get yourself a good waterproof cover for it though.
 
For android/smart phone:
GPS Nautical Charts on Google Play-it costs £15 but includes full set of UK RNC derived charts.They also offer European,US,West Indies etc.Make sure you download the charts you need either when you have 3g access or wifi access.Navionics version costs about £28 ish but includes UK and Europe.
Only other issue is its a big drain on phone battery so you probably need to be plugged in to charger if permanently in use.
 
I am on the Orwell (SYH) and have both Navionics and Imray on my I Pad.The Navionics UK and Holland covers a much greater area than the Imray North Sea ID10 folio.I like Imray charts as that is what I use on my Yeoman plotter.On Imray in the Navigation options you can have real time currents shown by putting the cursor on an arrow and it shows tide speed and direction,but there are not that many arrows on the chart.
With Navionics you put the cursor on the C Box dotted about on the chart and a separate page comes up showing the details for differing times.
As I had the Imray charts first I bought the cheaper I phone version of the Navionics charts which are about half the price of the I Pad HD version.I found these perfectly acceptable.
I have Navionics charts on my plotter and use the I Pad as back up but find it is often easier to use the I Pad for a quick check and it works fine down below in my boat (Moody 31).
I also have a Media Devil matte clear screen protector from Amazon and it cuts out reflections and glare.Many of the cheap ones do not.I use a ziplock bag as a protector but I am not using my I Pad for navigation full time.
I recently went on a cruise (big ship) and took my I pad and monitored the passages (Channel Islands and Belgium) on Navionics and it performed flawlessly.
Hope this helps.
 
I've just bought an ipad and downloaded the Navionics app. There's going to a learning curve but initially, homing in my area of the Menai Strait, I cant see any bouyage (can see a lighthouse)? The coastline outline is also rather 'vague' in that its straight lines that dont really reflect the shoreline in any detail. I'm sure this is just me, can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong please.
I've purchased the Europe maps as I'm hoping to wander away at some point. The opening screen showed a square with my current position in the center. I downloaded that, is this where I've gone wrong?
 
winfarthing said:
I've just bought an ipad and downloaded the Navionics app. There's going to a learning curve but initially, homing in my area of the Menai Strait, I cant see any bouyage (can see a lighthouse)? The coastline outline is also rather 'vague' in that its straight lines that dont really reflect the shoreline in any detail. I'm sure this is just me, can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong please.
I've purchased the Europe maps as I'm hoping to wander away at some point. The opening screen showed a square with my current position in the center. I downloaded that, is this where I've gone wrong?
Click to expand...

You have downloaded the wrong maps. If you wanted the UK you should have downloaded "UK and Holland". If you read the reviews many have done the same.
 
You will need to download the maps.. highlight the area you want in the box and download. . If you have a lot of storage space on your tablet download it all, if not just the area you really need. The charts of the UK on the Europe area will be low resolution base maps with precious little info. If you want UK charts you will need to pay for them. I think the "Europe" title is a bit misleading. I tried navionics for a while but prefer Jeppesen's Plan2Nav.
 
Slipstream 34 said:
You will need to download the maps.. highlight the area you want in the box and download. . If you have a lot of storage space on your tablet download it all, if not just the area you really need. The charts of the UK on the Europe area will be low resolution base maps with precious little info. If you want UK charts you will need to pay for them. I think the "Europe" title is a bit misleading. I tried navionics for a while but prefer Jeppesen's Plan2Nav.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I've tried download map but it tells me there are no additional maps for this area. I think I made an expensive mistake here! I even tried to buy the UK and Holland but it wont let me purchase and tells me to contact itunes. Thought I was reasonably IT savvy but definitely in the dunces class on this one!
 
winfarthing said:
Thanks. I've tried download map but it tells me there are no additional maps for this area. I think I made an expensive mistake here! I even tried to buy the UK and Holland but it wont let me purchase and tells me to contact itunes. Thought I was reasonably IT savvy but definitely in the dunces class on this one!
Click to expand...

Sorry can't help with iTunes. Android for me :).
 
winfarthing said:
Thanks. I've tried download map but it tells me there are no additional maps for this area. I think I made an expensive mistake here! I even tried to buy the UK and Holland but it wont let me purchase and tells me to contact itunes. Thought I was reasonably IT savvy but definitely in the dunces class on this one!
Click to expand...

Sorry if I'm teaching granny to suck eggs but there are two versions of Navionics UK and Holland in iTunes - standard and HD. The 'HD' version is specifically for the iPad and doesn't run on the iPhone and vice versa. The one you need to buy for your iPad is Marine UK&Holland HD at £39 odd, the £19.99 iPhone version does not work on the larger device. This is the one you need and as a user, once you've bought the app and downloaded the segments of chart you need (on my device I've downloaded them all) it's got all the detail of a paper chart and then some. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/marine-uk-holland-hd/id409826214?mt=8
 
Sorry you are wrong.The Navionics I Phone version works fine on the I Pad.I and several of my friends have it.I decided it was not worth the extra paying for the HD version as I have the Imray charts on my I Pad as well.Surely you must know that I Phone apps work on the I Pad as well.With the Navionics I Phone app you just press the x2 button to get the bigger screen.
 
ditchcrawler said:
Sorry you are wrong.The Navionics I Phone version works fine on the I Pad.I and several of my friends have it.I decided it was not worth the extra paying for the HD version as I have the Imray charts on my I Pad as well.Surely you must know that I Phone apps work on the I Pad as well.With the Navionics I Phone app you just press the x2 button to get the bigger screen.
Click to expand...

Yes the iPhone apps work on the iPad but the HD iPad version is much better and worth the extra money.
 
Apologies if that's the case but my HD version does not load onto my iPhone 4S when I sync it with iTunes and it won't allow me to copy it across even manually. It's the only app I own that behaves in that way. Perhaps it's only allowed on a single device?

Does anyone else have a single Navionics app on two devices at the same time?
 
Highndry said:
Apologies if that's the case but my HD version does not load onto my iPhone 4S when I sync it with iTunes and it won't allow me to copy it across even manually. It's the only app I own that behaves in that way. Perhaps it's only allowed on a single device?
Click to expand...

The HD iPad app is designed for the iPad, it will not run on the iPhone.
 
Many of the available apps are raster rather than vector and their use as true plotters is limited. Navionics is the best know true vector plotter app and it works well.

You can use this on an IPad but to do so you have to buy the expensive Ipad with 3g capability - the cheaper wifi only IPads dont have GPS. Personally I would go for the Google Nexus 7 android tablet which is far cheaper than the IPad, works as well and takes Navionics. After all, a tablet used on deck will have to suffer the odd splash / drop etc so you really dont want to take expensive options. Nor do you really want a big 10 inch tablet
 
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