Raster charts on an iPad?

[oilybilge]

Most of the time I use Navionics on my iPad and it works very well. But when it comes to getting in and out of the Ore and the Deben, I use print-outs of the chartlets that the excellent East Coast Pilot guys publish on their website. They survey the river entrances every year, and their chartlets differ quite markedly from what you see on Navionics. The drawback is that you can't see your own position on a nervously crumpled sheet of A4.

So I was wondering if there's some IOS app that would let me upload the ECP chartlet onto my iPad and then use it in the same way as Navionics. Essentially using it like a raster chart. I did a bit of googling but no joy, so I thought I'd come and consult the real experts ...

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Most of the time I use Navionics on my iPad and it works very well. But when it comes to getting in and out of the Ore and the Deben, I use print-outs of the chartlets that the excellent East Coast Pilot guys publish on their website. They survey the river entrances every year, and their chartlets differ quite markedly from what you see on Navionics. The drawback is that you can't see your own position on a nervously crumpled sheet of A4.

So I was wondering if there's some IOS app that would let me upload the ECP chartlet onto my iPad and then use it in the same way as Navionics. Essentially using it like a raster chart. I did a bit of googling but no joy, so I thought I'd come and consult the real experts ...

I just checked, and the problem is going to be registering the chartlets with lat/long positions. It's possible, but not simple as the charts only have ticks on the margin rather than a graticule.. However, I don't know of an app that would do it; I'd use GIS software, but that might be a bit of a steep learning curve for most people; I did it professionally! I'm afraid I can't help with software, but OpenCPN could probably do it.

 

[dunedin]

I think you would need the chartlets to be supplied in a suitable format with the geoposition reference points - something like a .kap or .kml format.
This would allow the chartlets to be used in something like MemoryMap or Google Earth.

Bob at Antares Charts would certainly know about this sort of stuff, if you asked nicely

 

[KompetentKrew]

VisitMyHarbour web edition, perhaps? Only works if you have internet access, but if you only want it for in and out of harbour…

 

[AntarcticPilot]

VisitMyHarbour web edition, perhaps? Only works if you have internet access, but if you only want it for in and out of harbour…

The East Coast Pilot chartlets aren't in the VisitMyHarbour data.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Most of the time I use Navionics on my iPad and it works very well. But when it comes to getting in and out of the Ore and the Deben, I use print-outs of the chartlets that the excellent East Coast Pilot guys publish on their website. They survey the river entrances every year, and their chartlets differ quite markedly from what you see on Navionics. The drawback is that you can't see your own position on a nervously crumpled sheet of A4.

So I was wondering if there's some IOS app that would let me upload the ECP chartlet onto my iPad and then use it in the same way as Navionics. Essentially using it like a raster chart. I did a bit of googling but no joy, so I thought I'd come and consult the real experts ...

It would be nice to have them.
I find things are often happening too fast on those entrances and rely heavily on a hand bearing compass. You could also put the buoys Lat and Long into the gps and use the bearings supplied by the chartlets. Particulary in poor vis/night.

 

[oilybilge]

Thanks guys. Nice to learn a new word -- 'graticule'. If you'd asked me yesterday I'd probably have said it's a toasted breadcrumb

I have played around with OpenCPN on my laptop but unfortunately it doesn't work on an iPad, otherwise I'd be all over it.

You could also put the buoys Lat and Long into the gps and use the bearings supplied by the chartlets. Particulary in poor vis/night.

In fairness to Navionics they usually show the buoys in their new position each year. It's just the shoals that aren't very up to date. ?

For want of an easy solution I'll probably just chug along with the paper chartlet. Cheers!

 

[bignick]

which version of Navionics are you using? Have you tried the “sonar charts” that incorporate user data. They have quite a bit more detail than the hydrographic ones.