Using an Ipad as a plotter

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Paddingtonbear

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I have been given an Ipad 2 and have downloaded an Imray chart as a test as I think that it would make a good plotter. Any thoughts? I would only initially want to use the boat on the East Coast and the Thames Estury and very possibly to venture over to the very near coast of France.
 
iPad 2 is what I have. Chart plotting with the Navionics App, that is about £35 incl all UK and Holland, I think. Brilliant performer!

I have paper Imray charts as backup, they cover a big area and include harbour plans, so can get into shelter if electronics fail. All the paper charts recommended for my trips this year would cost more than £1000, iPad definintley cheaper. Spent another £50 for MemoryMap app with 800 Uk Admiralty charts

You must have the higher spec model iPad to get the internal gps receiver. That also let's you put in a sim card, then get mobile broadband from the 3 network. Brilliant, that gives me internet connection, almost every port and lots of anchorages from Hamble to Skye.

Points to ponder. You need to keep it dry. Waterproof case, (or just get an HR Rasmus 35 like mine with hardtop over front of cockpit and upstairs nav table.)

And you need to charge the iPad. Mine does at least 12 hours trip on a full battery, plotting all the time but lid closed until I want to see the chart. I found that 12v charger was not quick enough at recharging the iPad. Bought a small inverter to get 240v for charging, that does it well.

Can you tell I am an iPad fan? Go for it.
 
You'll need to adopt the manner of a victorian photographer when using it on deck.

photographer.gif
 
What anchor is best suited to navigation with an iPod and who is stand on vessel

iPod use discussion has reached the great devide I suspect
 
Ipad is well known for being useless in bright conditions. Also, the standard wifi ipad doesnt have a gps so you will need the more expensive 3G model.

Also, touchscreens dont work with damp fingers as the water left on the screen confuses the touch - it thinks the water is your finger.

Damp is not good for ipad though u could put it in a case.

battery life is probably ok for a short trip out but you will need to charge it on the go as using screen and gps drains battery alot.

As an aid to navigation, it's a fun toy but I wouldn't use it as a sole means of navigation.
 
Hurricane over on MoBoChat posted something on this recently.. only half read it, but I think he was saying that the accuracy of the positioning was pretty weak.. like maybe you wouldnt want to navigate by it !
 
I use mine with the Navionics app, mainly for distance run as my old Navcenter 600 plotter isn't very accurate or user friendly. Also, the iPad plotter has much more detail for approach planning etc.
 
I've been playing with the IPad 2 with the Imray app, and have found it to be very reliable, I have a 12v charger (e-bay) which charges it as quickly as the mains charger.

I have not had any problems with the gps and it has consistently given me the same readout as my built in plotters.

Waterproof bag for it with some extra foam for protection.

Only problem is bright day light viewing, but it's fine at the chart table.

I tend not to be at sea for more than 12 hours for which the battery life is more than adequate.

I wouldn't buy one to use primarily as a plotter, but have found that with all of it's other capabilities it makes life on board more pleasant and beats the old netbook with dongles assorted hands down.
 
I have recently bought a wifi iPad and was regretting going for the 3G model when I learnt the cost of the Bluetooth gps receivers. However I have just discovered an app called Idisplay. This turns the iPad into a PC screen repeater with touch screen control, this is the perfect solution for me. I can have SeaClear or Opencpn running on my notepad below with all display and control routed to iPad on deck
Unfortunately the app is buggy and I haven't been able to get it to work successfully with win7 64-bit o/s but I see they have today released an update, so maybe it will work now.
The demos are might impressive so I live in hope!
 
But why an Apple Ipod

Look at the cheap chinese ripoffs at Chinagrabber runing on Android. Not the quality of Apple but look at the price.
Biggest disadvantage is that they are banned from downloading 'paid for' apps, you just have to get creative!
 
Well I have used iPad 1 with 3G for several trips and found it to be an excellent second navigation aid. I do agree that screen brightness makes it difficult to read on the flybridge but otherwise it is every bit as accurate as my old Raymarine C-Series chartplotter.

For those of you that already have iPads, you may like to know the latest Navionics application (‘Marine Europe HD’ – Navionics, Version 2.0 http://store.navionics.com) is available now, great for me as it now shows a more up to date chart layout of our marina in Sant Carles, whereas before it only showed the old layout.

Here are some images, you can also overlay the Satellite image which is fun:

IMG_1531.jpg


IMG_1530.jpg


IMG_1529.jpg


IMG_1532.jpg


I have used it now on several trips to include 500NM from Gib to Sant Carles in Feb/Mar and on a recent 50NM local trip. Both with no external GPS.

The App only costs £35 and it includes the latest charts, is easy to install and operate. If only I could output NMEA to my Auto-Pilot.....

A good backup IMHO.
 
Thanks to everyone for their very helpful replies. I shall take your advice and use the Ipad when I move my new boat on 03.10, from Lowestoft to Walton on the Naze. I will, of course, carry a paper chart. I will report back.
 
Further to this I have looked into buying both the Imray charts and/or the
Navionics charts via the App. store. The reviews of the Navionic sets are appalling, apparently crashes are almost automatic and support very poor and you are charged for a new download to put things right. I have down loaded an Imray trial to my PC and it appears that it does not have the ability to show detail of harbour approaches etc. - it just seems to replicate a fairly standard size paper chart with limited ability to zoom in. I have also come across NUNO Navigator charts which seem to be the business. Their only drawback appears to be that you have to buy the whole of the UK for £120 and I only want the North Sea in the short term. They are so confident that allow you short term use of a fully funtioning set on a trial basis. I think they look marvellous but I am sure that you will all know different :)
 
I have recently downloaded the Imray app to my Touch to see what it was like before getting an iPad (which I will soon need for work ;)).

The trail comes with two charts, Eastern Channel & Western Channel. These are quite large scale so zooming into a harbour is a bit restricted. However, as I understand the (as as been said) poor instructions, with the full package you can select a chart for the area that you require as the program automatically displays the relevant ones. The ones that are available for the harbours replicate Imray's paper charts but it has been a while since I have looked at one of their charts so can't remember the detail displayed.

Can't see that the NUNO Navigator works on the iPad though.
 
Paddingtonbear said:
Further to this I have looked into buying both the Imray charts and/or the
Navionics charts via the App. store. The reviews of the Navionic sets are appalling, apparently crashes are almost automatic and support very poor and you are charged for a new download to put things right. I have down loaded an Imray trial to my PC and it appears that it does not have the ability to show detail of harbour approaches etc. - it just seems to replicate a fairly standard size paper chart with limited ability to zoom in. I have also come across NUNO Navigator charts which seem to be the business. Their only drawback appears to be that you have to buy the whole of the UK for £120 and I only want the North Sea in the short term. They are so confident that allow you short term use of a fully funtioning set on a trial basis. I think they look marvellous but I am sure that you will all know different :)
Click to expand...


How much detail do you need?
c6e1ffaa.jpg


If that's not enough Imray aint for you.

The reviews on Navionics app are pretty dire but don't seem to mirror reality.
 
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