Active Captain and iPads

[Chris Patterson]

Hesitate to even ask this here, but here goes. In short, wife buys me this iPad Air, to keep me quiet because she bought two of them, his and hers. I like this silly little thing for a few reasons, navigating the Horn with it inna Ziplock bag, critical boat communications and ship to shore things basically.
I threw that sarcasm out there because I just FEEL this going into the nay nays about the dangers and obvious perils of having these delicate instruments on board along with a phone. But the gist of it is Active Captain will barely work on the pad. On the P.C. it's wonderful, but on the pad the larger I make the display, the more blurry it gets.
A.C. Tells me to download the 'tiles', like I'm too simple to figure out THAT one, but still, nothing relevant when I search closer.

Any ideas on this one?

 

[woodster]

Hesitate to even ask this here, but here goes. In short, wife buys me this iPad Air, to keep me quiet because she bought two of them, his and hers. I like this silly little thing for a few reasons, navigating the Horn with it inna Ziplock bag, critical boat communications and ship to shore things basically.
I threw that sarcasm out there because I just FEEL this going into the nay nays about the dangers and obvious perils of having these delicate instruments on board along with a phone. But the gist of it is Active Captain will barely work on the pad. On the P.C. it's wonderful, but on the pad the larger I make the display, the more blurry it gets.
A.C. Tells me to download the 'tiles', like I'm too simple to figure out THAT one, but still, nothing relevant when I search closer.

Any ideas on this one?

don't know about your problem with the I Pad Air but i can tell you that when i read there news letter i have found that they are very long winded in there writing to the point of either click or falling asleep ....i will say they instill some interest about technology in a marine sort of way....food for thought if you will.......

 

[Jackdaw]

Re: Active Captain and iPads..

Active Captain's interactive cruising guide uses Adobe Flash technology to draw the maps and the guide. This technology is infamously NOT supported by Apple on iOS devices. Active Captain suggests that you use one of the many navigation apps that fully integrate AC functionality into them... Works the same guide-wise and you get the maps without needing an internet connection.

 

[Ward H]

Hey Chris,
I too use an iPad Air and like you find the Active Captain app lacking. While usable, my guess is they didn't put much into the chart side of the app because they mainly want to partner with navigation app builders who do have the good clear charts at the closest zoom.

I tried several navigation apps and settled on Navionics USA HD which does not have Active Captain but my second choice is Skipper which does. Garmin Blue Charts Mobile, another sweet app, also has AC.

BTW, I keep both Navionics and Skipper loaded on my iPad Air. I use Navionics because I like the data report which I email to my Evernote program as a log of my trips. Neither Skipper or Blue Chart do that to my satisfaction.
I use Skipper when I want to use AC but my sailing grounds aren't that big that I really need it.

Chris, I don't think your a note/log keeper but for others who may read this, check out Evernote for notes and PDF manuals. Great app. The usual disclaimer that I'm just a happy user of EN.

And on the zip lock bag idea, I tried the commercial version which is supposed to keep it completely dry but limited use for other things. I went with an Otterbox case. Drop protection and does protect from light splashes but very usable on and off the boat. If it gets too wet I put it in the cabin and use my old Garmin GPS.

Just saw Jackdaw's post. The lack of Flash makes sense.

 

[BayMan]

Active Captain suggests that you use one of the many navigation apps that fully integrate AC functionality into them...

This is the best way to use AC in my opinion. I use polar navy for navigation and the AC data is right there.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Chris, I don't think your a note/log keeper but for others who may read this, check out Evernote for notes and PDF manuals. Great app. The usual disclaimer that I'm just a happy user of EN.

Some additional observations on Evernote:

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,8274.0.html

 

[ActiveCaptain]

On the P.C. it's wonderful, but on the pad the larger I make the display, the more blurry it gets.
A.C. Tells me to download the 'tiles', like I'm too simple to figure out THAT one, but still, nothing relevant when I search closer.

I can probably help since I'm the author of ActiveCaptain and the iOS app.

The free app for iOS isn't a chartplotter app. It's something new and different - it's a companion meant to sit in the background and assist you with things that no chartplotters do. Right now, it mainly speaks to you when you're approaching a hazard. It keeps all of the ActiveCaptain data offline so you don't need an internet connection to view any of the details or reviews so there's also a pretty good use of it through that. You can also write a review or hazard comment on it that gets submitted to the website.

There are a lot of things coming with the Companion. It'll warn you about upcoming bridges, perhaps miles away, and give you ETA and speed needed to make the restricted opening. It ties to eBoatCards where you can define your mast height so it'll even know which bridges need to be opened for you. The Companion will also be the first thing that shows where your friends are currently located and allows you to find people in groups you're a member of (like other Catalina owners).

Viewing charts on the iPad and using it as a navigation tool is a wonderful thing. And while the Companion isn't the right tool for that job, there are a dozen of other apps that use ActiveCaptain offline within them for the iPad that you'll like a lot better. Others have mentioned them - Skipper, Charts & Tides, and others. No one mentioned Garmin's BlueChart Mobile. That is an extremely nice app using Garmin's real charts with worldwide support. The app is free - you purchase charts for the areas you want. The entire US + Bahamas is something like $25. All of North America including the Caribbean is about $44.

The Navionics app does not have ActiveCaptain embedded. They asked for a license but they're the only company we ever turned down. It's a long story.

The iPad is a great device - probably the best electronic thing you can add to your boat for safety and enjoyment. Make sure to get a variety of weather apps too - many of them are free - MagicSeaWeed, SwellInfo, WindFinder, Weather Underground, etc.

 

[Brian D]

...

The iPad is a great device - probably the best electronic thing you can add to your boat for safety and enjoyment. ...

I happen to use and Android tablet for my eChart needs. So, with that...

Just as a courtesy for our user on SBO, there is a post recently about a boat going aground due to an Apple device wanting to do updates and not allowing the user to bypass the updates.

(Thanks JohnShannon for the link)
http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2014-05-23#.VGP0Hb79NvA

Do a "find" and enter ipad. It will lead you to the story.

Not bashing iPads, but just an FYI.

 

[Tim R.]

AC is really not very good on the ipad. I use Garmin Bluechart Mobile. This is a full featured charting app with AC integrated. The app is free to download and a chart for all US and Caribbean is about $45. I use it to plan routes and then download via wifi to my Garmin 820 chartplotter. Garmin also offers the Helm app that allows complete control of the 820 via wifi. Helm is also free.

Here is a screenshot of our current location at Solomon's Island, MD.

 

[quadrille38]

Consider Inavx it's a great app.

Lots of threads on here so do a search. You will get lots and lots of opinions

 

[ActiveCaptain]

I happen to use and Android tablet for my eChart needs. So, with that...
...
Not bashing iPads, but just an FYI.

I developed 3 apps in the Google Play store for Android too (including the ActiveCaptain one). I have multiple Android tablets and I keep one at my helm for use while underway whenever we're moving. I honestly have nothing for or against either "camp". In fact, I prefer to develop for Android because it's easier.

That said, there's just significantly more quality apps for the iOS world for boating today than Android. It's not really debatable - it's just not even close in terms of numbers. I scratch my head about it to understand why and have come to the conclusion that in general, Android users don't download/buy apps like iOS users do. So what happens is that developers who are doing development for income choose iOS first, and often, only.

Taking my own DragQueen anchor alarm as an example (free for both iOS and Android), the downloads of iOS to Android were 10:1 for the first year. It's currently about 6:1 so there has been Android improvement but it's still not even close. The apps are identical. And to make it worse, there are more Android devices deployed today and iOS ones. 6:1 is a huge difference.

I'm the person who interfaces with all the companies that license ActiveCaptain for their own products today - there are 40 of them with about 25 involved with iOS or Android. For those companies with both iOS and Android products, their sales ratios are identical - between 5:1 and 10:1. I don't understand why it happens but I've been shocked by the number of our users who write to me and can't figure out how to download my Android apps. That absolutely never happens in iOS and as a result, there are many more users and many more apps available.

I also think that Android users, in general, aren't willing to pay for apps. That ends up slitting their own throats when the really good developers end up ignoring the platform because it isn't worth it.

 

[Ward H]

I happen to use and Android tablet for my eChart needs. So, with that...

Just as a courtesy for our user on SBO, there is a post recently about a boat going aground due to an Apple device wanting to do updates and not allowing the user to bypass the updates.

(Thanks JohnShannon for the link)
http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2014-05-23#.VGP0Hb79NvA

Do a "find" and enter ipad. It will lead you to the story.

Not bashing iPads, but just an FYI.

Brian makes a good point. iOS 7 or 8, forget which one exactly, has a default setting of doing updates in the background.
This can be turned off so it won't do an update, or even ask.
You also have to be careful what apps you allow to notify you of events, which also can be turned off in the Settings section.

 

[Brian D]

Re: Active Captain and iPads..

Back to Chris' original question. I think NOAA makes the best charts at the best resolution for the best price. (note: if you sail in lakes you may not find a NOAA chart for that lake.) I would look for an app that is FREE and uses NOAA Raster Charts, which are also FREE. Although not free, I use Marine Navigator by Ronald Koenig, which uses NOAA Raster Charts and the resolution is excellent, even on my Moto G phone.

 

[gettinthere]

I still cannot get into my active captain account, locked out.

 

[fox islander]

...I've been using an ipad with iNavX using Navionics charts for two seasons....no problems.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

OT:

if you are considering an ipad or iphone on the boat, you should check out lifeproof cases.

-lifeproof waterproof case > otterbox case

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Something to remember with the Garmin Bluechart app. While the Active Captain integration is great - it a typical Garmin product that will continually ask for $40 map upgrades. Navionics (which runs faster and has better weather/tide integration) is a one time purchase. So for the same I initial price as the Garmin app you never pay for upgrades. I have absolutely no idea how Garmin stays in business....

Chris

 

[ActiveCaptain]

Navionics has made everyone repurchase the basic app. Garmin stays in business because their charts are much better and, well, they have ActiveCaptain integration.

 

[stollo770]

Down load the MX Mariner mobile application. It has up to date navigational charts, real time GPS location, and everything is over-layed with Active Captain information. I use it all the time for my boat, and because it is a mobile application; as soon as the info for the charts or Active Captain is updated, you get the updates instantly.

Here is a link to their site: http://mxmariner.com/

 

[BayMan]

Navionics has made everyone repurchase the basic app. Garmin stays in business because their charts are much better and, well, they have ActiveCaptain integration.

Is Garmin a true navigation product? Yes it shows your location on a chart but can you activate a route (and get your VMG for example )?