Too good to be true? Tablet nav chart costs.

skyflyer

skyflyer

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I regularly listen to a sailing podcast “On the wind” and the author raves about the Seapilot app available for Android and IoS

So I downloaded it - it’s free for basic navigation then you can pay to get overlaid data and extra features etc.

Entire UK charts are about £18 a year (it’s a renewing subscription) which seems extraordinarily good value to me. I guess if you are constantly hopping over the channel and need the French charts as well, maybe less so.

They’re vector not raster though.

The US charts are free so you can explore a bit and play with the app.

I’m tempted to add this as a secondary device in the saloon (we have a chart plotter at helm, using Cmap charts at £95 a pop)

Just wondering if anyone has any experience and recommendation or warnings.
 
I am a one off £25 member of VMH and it’s ok for planning etc when you have internet. I simply cannot fathom any of their other products or interfaces. The website is a nightmare and I have the greatest difficulty believing that any tablet based “show your position” app is going to be much good!

This Seapilot, like Imray and Navionics apps gives you - it seems - a tablet based chart plotter

I have a helm chart plotter but this would be useful in the saloon as a ”repeater”
 
Skyflyer, the Android chart set from VMH, installed on a 10" Samsung Galaxy tablet, has proved a good planning tool on my sofa and as an onboard backup. Location, tracks, routes, charts etc all good especially for the paltry cost. Really like the raster charts that I miss on my Garmin c/plotter.

Agree about the website. Telephone support is very good.
 
Here you go. You need three bits:

1. An android tablet with GPS, I use a Samsung Galaxy but plenty of choice. Sony Xperia are splashproof.

2. A supported Android charting app. I use Marine Navigator which I got via the Play Store and cost about £6 one-off purchase cost
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/what-is-marine-navigator.asp
or
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.kemiro.marinenavigator2

3. The chart pack.
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/download-android-charts/

If you also want AIS support you'll need a way of getting the AIS data onto the tablet, I've not tried this.
 
Well I took the lazy route and bought the UK chart pack for £18 and downloaded the free Seapilot onto my iPad.
I have to say I am mightily impressed.
If anyone is interested you can download it for free and you get a 36 hour full trial, including any charts you wish during that period. The trial starts the moment you first open the app, so don’t waste it like I did!
Also probably worth reading the online tutorial before you activate the trial so you have a good idea how to make it work.
No connection, just a satisfied customer.
 
Scala said:
Here you go. You need three bits:

1. An android tablet with GPS, I use a Samsung Galaxy but plenty of choice. Sony Xperia are splashproof.

2. A supported Android charting app. I use Marine Navigator which I got via the Play Store and cost about £6 one-off purchase cost
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/what-is-marine-navigator.asp
or
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.kemiro.marinenavigator2

3. The chart pack.
http://www.visitmyharbour.com/download-android-charts/

If you also want AIS support you'll need a way of getting the AIS data onto the tablet, I've not tried this.
Click to expand...

+1 for VMH charts and the Marine Navigator app. I have the Marine Navigator AIS overlay too. Recommend.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
skyflyer said:
I am a one off £25 member of VMH and it’s ok for planning etc when you have internet. I simply cannot fathom any of their other products or interfaces. The website is a nightmare and I have the greatest difficulty believing that any tablet based “show your position” app is going to be much good!

This Seapilot, like Imray and Navionics apps gives you - it seems - a tablet based chart plotter

I have a helm chart plotter but this would be useful in the saloon as a ”repeater”
Click to expand...

Snap, it's a bit annoying, as I would really like to use their stuff, the idea is great, but the presentation and execution just baffles me.

I'm sure his tel support is great, but he would have a lot more free time if he made the whole interface and use much simpler :)

Honestly, I am not dumb, I build all my own sites, and have done since the days of flash, but I just can't deal with that one :)
 
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