ipad for navigation

Dec 4, 2020
15
Hunter 28.5 Wilmington Island
Thinking about picking up and ipad for navigation and chart plotting. mostly for causing waterways and around wassaw sound. Any suggestions or things to consider from personal experience?
 
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May 7, 2012
1,338
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Thinking about picking up and ipad for navigation and chart plotting. mostly for causing waterways and around wassaw sound. Any suggestions or things to consider from personal experience?
Only iPads with wi-fi + cellular have a GPS, necessary for navigation apps, built-in. The wi-fi only does not have built-in GPS. A good friend made this mistake.
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
I use one. I purchased NAVX app for $50.00. Works great. The only issue is that the ipad is not bright enough to see it in the sunlight. I have to keep it below and look it it there.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Do a search on the web. You can find a lot of ideas about iPads and navigation apps to support the use.

A warning at the start of these apps is "This program is for information and is not a legal tool for navigation". Sailor Beware.

I use my non-GPS iPad all the time as a screen for the charts. I connect it to my AIS transponder using wifi. Through the Raymarine SeatalkNG backbone it provides several instruments i.e depth, SOG, COG AIS data... to the iPad. The iNavx app displays the data.

To accommodate the need to be legal I back the iPad up with charts of the waters I am cruising.

There are a number of iOS based apps available. Panbo.com is a good resource to get reviews and boat electronic information. Practical Sailor magazine has published recent comparisons of apps.

One of the issues, in addition to the GPS in the iPad, is the need to see the screen in the bright sun or through sun glasses. Polarized Sunglasses really mess up your viewing of the iPad.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
To be a bit of a contrarian, an iPad is good backup navigation system, but not a primary system. For about the same money a B&G Vulcan can be had.

Check the boxes

Daylight visibility: MFD yes. iPad no
Waterproof: MFD yes iPad no
Multipurpose: MFD no iPad yes
Battery Life: MFD yes (hardwired) iPad no
Dedicated sailing features: MFD yes (model dependent) iPad no
Instrument integration (speed, depth, AIS, wind): MFD yes iPad probably not, will require additional equipment
Portablility: MFD no iPad yes

The iPad gets the nod on portability and multifunction, in all other areas the MFD is superior.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Only iPads with wi-fi + cellular have a GPS, necessary for navigation apps, built-in. The wi-fi only does not have built-in GPS. A good friend made this mistake.
So many threads about this....... so many.....
These should be a sticky. I can't recall how many times this same info is posted and folks still seem to not understand.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
What does this mean?
The MFD has a long battery life because it is hardwired. The iPad will require frequent recharging and as sure as Murphy is a sailor it will crap out when you most need it. iPads often require a long time to recharge (hours) and require a higher amperage charger than most phones.

Of course, a USB port could be wired in some place near the helm, that becomes an additional expense not to mention the waterproof case and some kind of mount.

I do use an iPad, but it is my back up, not my primary. It is especially handy when using the AP, I can mirror the MFD and see where I'm going and what the boat is doing.

The biggest shortcoming is daylight visibility. The time it is needed the most, entering a tricky harbor entrance or channel is the time you can't use it because of the poor daylight visibility.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Stu, are you trying to sound pretentious or were you raised that way?
As someone who is new around these parts you may not realize how often some simple questions get asked and answered repeatedly. Some questions seem to come up about once a week. For those who have been around here a while it gets tiresome to see these questions asked over and over again when a simple search on the forum would answer the question. It really doesn't take much to search the forum or the internet in general to find answers to general questions, some folks just seem too lazy or incompetent to look for themselves.

One thing for certain, the quality of the responses you get from knowledgeable and respected members of this community will decline as the number of insulting comments made to them and about them increases.
 
Dec 4, 2020
15
Hunter 28.5 Wilmington Island
I've done several searches and have read articles and other forums. However, I was interested in having as close to a real time conversation with folks who have recently had experience with the subject at hand as I could.. I was under the impression that's what forums were for.

I've been a long time member on numerous forums over the years on a variety of subjects, but I've never felt tiresome or annoyed by recycled topics, I simply scroll past and move along. Suggestion someone uses a search feature is fine, telling someone to "get on a computer" is a little rude, but I guess that's subjective.
 
Jul 8, 2005
512
Jeanneau 389 Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
I've done several searches and have read articles and other forums. However, I was interested in having as close to a real time conversation with folks who have recently had experience with the subject at hand as I could.. I was under the impression that's what forums were for.

I've been a long time member on numerous forums over the years on a variety of subjects, but I've never felt tiresome or annoyed by recycled topics, I simply scroll past and move along. Suggestion someone uses a search feature is fine, telling someone to "get on a computer" is a little rude, but I guess that's subjective.
you need to be patient. there are many people who will help you since most people are anxious to share their knowledge.

I would advise against calling people names since it won't be a good way to attract responses.

Are you all set with your questions or what else would you like to know?

I agree with the one response about using NAVX. It worked fine as long as you load the charts you need when you are on WIFI.

Chris
 
Dec 4, 2020
15
Hunter 28.5 Wilmington Island
Most of the responces have been very helpful.. I was not so appreciative of being told to "get on a computer then" while I'm at work wrapping up a 12 hour shift at the hospital.

As far as any other concerns, I'm curious as to how ipad screens have improved in sunlight over the last few years.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I've done several searches and have read articles and other forums. However, I was interested in having as close to a real time conversation with folks who have recently had experience with the subject at hand as I could.. I was under the impression that's what forums were for.

I've been a long time member on numerous forums over the years on a variety of subjects, but I've never felt tiresome or annoyed by recycled topics, I simply scroll past and move along. Suggestion someone uses a search feature is fine, telling someone to "get on a computer" is a little rude, but I guess that's subjective.
The answers one gets to a question is directly related to the quality of the question. Ask a good question and you get a good answer. That was a lesson my research profs taught me in grad school. Some questions are just not answerable, some yield poor answers. A good question yields good usable information.

For new folks on this or any forum, putting a question in context goes a long way to getting good answers.

Your question as asked was not a particularly useful question and it won't yield particularly useful answers. It is roughly akin to the ever popular "what boat should I buy" question that shows up here and on other sailing forums almost every week.

As asked, your question does not indicate that you have done any research on your own or have given it any real thought. We have no idea how you intend to use the iPad (other than for navigation) or in what waters. What are your sailing and navigation skills, and so forth.

When frequently asked poorly formulated questions are presented, inevitably someone gives an answer that might be considered snotty. A good response to that snotty response is to reflect on your own behavior and why it might have prompted that snotty response. There are any number of decent respectful responses you could have made, a simple, "I tried to find the search function on the app, but couldn't. How can I search using the app?" Would have gone a long way towards avoiding scolding responses.

Instead of a civil and respectful response, you issued a condescending and insulting remark. Would you have said that to his face? With the kind of response you made, one might raise questions about your parentage.

Be civil, be respectful, and respond to comments and questions as if the person was sitting across the table from you. Do this and your experience on this and most other forums will be pleasant and informative.

If you prefer to be rough in your language and confrontational, might I suggest you head over to Sailing Anarchy.
 
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Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Most of the responces have been very helpful.. I was not so appreciative of being told to "get on a computer then" while I'm at work wrapping up a 12 hour shift at the hospital.
Thanks you for your service in a hospital in these trying times.

Otherwise, I guess you missed the word "please" in my reply that you have denigrated.

Otherwise2, glad you found some off-time in your 12 hour shift. C'mon, man, that's your excuse? Or maybe it was at "the END" of your shift, in which case I understand how tired you could be. Again, thanks for the work that you do.
 
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