charts and chartplotter for Android tablet

[lcook]

I want to use a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 as a chartplotter for sailing west coast of BC. Any advice for software? WARNING! I am not completely computer literate!

 

[heritage]

I am happy with MX Mariner on my android smartphone. Very intuitive software and accepts the NOAA map downloads.

 

[Stu Jackson]

The question was WEST COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, as I read the OP.

NOAA charts only go far, like the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Anybody know if Canadian charts are available for tablets would be the question it seems.

 

[Azzarac]

I use and love Navionics. I have never tried it in your area but it is supposed to cover all of Canada also.

 

[Tsatzsue]

Navionics is what I use. It is as good as a full blown chart plotter. Absolutely awsome. I use it on my Droid Razr HD. It cost about $10. Amazing. I would check that out and Nuticharts Lite which uses NOAA Rasta charts and overlays Active Captain data. The data is the best available for marinas and local information, hazards reviews etc... Since we are on the topic the last app that I have for boating is My Anchor Watch Pro. I think it was $6.00 Also amazing. I have it set up where when we go into town I leave my phone on the boat. If it moves out of the designated area it will send a text to my wifes phone. Eveytime I show somebody the app. she calls me telling me that the Boat Is Moving. Hahaha. Tough when it is next to the garage. I believe the coordinates are also part of the message. I haven't had the oportunity to use it more than once.

 

[ehudm]

Navionics covering BC too by their add and charge $15 but I didn't try it
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.navionics.singleAppUsaCanada&hl=en

 

[kbuckley]

I use Navionics on the south coast of BC and am very happy with it. $15 to put it on my android tablet, covers all of Canada.

 

[Catketch]

I use MX Mariner for my Asus Transformer tablet and absolutely love it. It is every bit as good as the stand-alone plotters that West Marine sells for BIG $$$ (and can play a movie or a game of Angry Birds with you as well) Not sure if it supports charts for your waters, but for a $7 investment, I'd recommend giving it a try.

One note on smartphone / tablet chartplotters...they are only as good as your GPS capability, the accuracy of which can vary wildly from device to device. Most devices do not even include a GPS receiver (they get their location information through the cell phone signal using some technological magic I don’t pretend to understand). If you get out of range of a cell tower with one of these, you lose your GPS capability, and your chartplotter, altogether.

One way around this is buy a separate Bluetooth GPS receiver that you can sync to your device for a very accurate position fix in any location. I bought one through Amazon for about $70 and, although I specifically chose my tablet because it has a built-in GPS receiver, I keep it aboard as a backup.

Best,
Dan Resch
Sailorguides.com

 

[Fred]

I use Navionics on an iPAD and a DUAL Bluetooth GPS. The HD version of the App is about $50 and it seems to include all the Canadian charts including the area around Vancouver and into the strait of Juan de Fuca.

 

[Kestle]

I use Navionics on an iPAD and a DUAL Bluetooth GPS. The HD version of the App is about $50 and it seems to include all the Canadian charts including the area around Vancouver and into the strait of Juan de Fuca.

Please tells us more about the dual bluetooth gps...i.e. model, battery life, accuracy, etc.

Many thanks -Jeff

 

[Robspan]

NOAA has just come out with an android charting app that lets you download their charts. The app and the apps are free.
They want feedback.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20130520_charts.html

If you can store and use waypoints and routes, as well as import them, easier than the Navionics app, this would be very helpful.

Spoiler alert: I installed the app and downloaded charts of the entire Gulf Coast - 714 megs. The app doesn't let you put its data on external storage - sd cards - so that's going to limit its use.

 

[finding41]

I use Navionics on an iPAD and a DUAL Bluetooth GPS. The HD version of the App is about $50 and it seems to include all the Canadian charts including the area around Vancouver and into the strait of Juan de Fuca.

Does it have the Great Lakes?

 

[Erieau]

Does it have the Great Lakes?

Yes it does. Very high resolution, too. I'm shown in my slip at Erieau with perfect depth contours, even in the yacht basin. My iNavx (run on iTelephone) uses the Navionics 2XG chart package. To quote Tony the Tiger, "They're grrrreat!"
Fanshawe Lake, however, is not represented.

 

[Doc_holiday]

I have the iSailor app for my iPad and iPhone which is free for the app but the maps have a cost. I think I paid 4.99 for the Chesapeake and Delaware bays including all the rivers an it does pretty well. Any iPhone GPS program will suck the battery down quickly tho. My iPad doesn't have GPS so it's sort of worthless but I could use an external Bluetooth GPS I would guess. I tried it with my MiFi but it still doesn't work

I initially thought the old Lorance C technology is what they use today for cell phone GPS but since the mifi doesnt work i guess not. but I can tell you my iPhone GPS is pretty accurate. I use it now for Geocaching and leave my handheld GPS at home.

I am hoping my new Garmin 441s does all this for me (sans Geocaching). I have installed it on my mount but have yet to power it or put the transducer in place. It seems to me it would be simple for the Garmin folks to simply have maps on an SD card for a regular car GPS but that would cut into sales real quick of new devices I am sure.

All I know is I am way past due splashing this Mac this year.

 

[Fred]

Here is the link for the DUAL GPS that I use. Apparently it is the choice of many small plane pilots as well. http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-product/xgps150a/

 

[Fred]

In response to question about the Great Lakes, here is a screen shot of area around Toronto (Lake Ontario)