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rrranch · 30-10-2011, 07:44

I know most of you know. Better but since we left our real god at home we were stuck with it. I successfuly navigate 10 miles of the icw last night with it. Pitch black with no moon. I was using my stopwatch to judge when to turn given the 30 second refresh rate on rhe iPad chart plotter and did perfect till the last one into our marina. Missed the 20 foot wide channel by 10 feet and stuck in the mud. I'm just glad my kid was onboard. Laying a ranger 29 over to get the keel out of the mud is not easy but we did it.. there is no substitute for a real gps sometimes!

**GordMay** · 30-10-2011, 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrranch

... there is no substitute for a real gps sometimes!

Sometimes the Mark 1 eyeball can be useful, as well.

rrranch · 30-10-2011, 08:03

We couldn't see squat last night. The reflectors on the main channel markers were barely disable. There are no markers at all for our marina. There will be next week though! It sure was a great trip we had but i learned a lesson. We wenr from aransas pass to rockport then across aransas bay to the lydia Ann channel and bank down the aransas channel, undetermined the bridge and home. Lots of dolphins playing next to us. I might get some new lights too next week. Sorry for my spelling. I'm using my phone.

Svsilvergirl · 30-10-2011, 08:28

I must be missing something here ? What did your iPad have to do with this ? iPad is real gps. Mine works great. Have had it at the helm many times and it is always bang on with my Garmin chart plotter. I love the charts and tides app. Way more info than in the garmin g2 vision charts that cost $299.00.

btrayfors · 30-10-2011, 08:35

Chartplotters of any kind....dedicated, laptop-based, IPAD/other PDA, etc. -- need to be used with EXTREME CARE at night.

Why?

BECAUSE THEY DESTROY YOUR NIGHT VISION, rendering the best nav tool of all (the Mark I eyeball) much less useful.

And, most folks don't realize, it takes 30 minutes or more to fully restore your night vision.

If you sail at night, be very wary of anything which destroys your night vision.

Bill

rrranch · 30-10-2011, 08:37

It's the 30 second refresh rate that you can't change.

GPSNavX · 30-10-2011, 08:39

What app were you using on your iPad 3G that has a 30 second refresh update on the position? I can't speak for others, but iNavX typically shows at least a 1Hz update on the iPad 3G.

**David M** · 30-10-2011, 08:39

There is no way to dim the screen on an iPad? Not that I would ever trust an iPad for navigation. Usually things made for a specific purpose from the beginning are better...usually.

Do iPads have WAAS? I think they need an external antenna if you want that.

Better yet, its probably better to use a chart plotter so you don't have to worry about any of that.

familycruisers · 30-10-2011, 08:40

Silvergirl, that's my experience as well with Navionics, and EarthNC with my EVO. I do have my maps loaded, so no delay. Is that what you meant about refresh rate?

Most apps have different modes for day and night, just click.

perchance · 30-10-2011, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrranch

I know most of you know. Better but since we left our real god at home we were stuck with it. I successfuly navigate 10 miles of the icw last night with it. Pitch black with no moon. I was using my stopwatch to judge when to turn given the 30 second refresh rate on rhe iPad chart plotter and did perfect till the last one into our marina. Missed the 20 foot wide channel by 10 feet and stuck in the mud. I'm just glad my kid was onboard. Laying a ranger 29 over to get the keel out of the mud is not easy but we did it.. there is no substitute for a real gps sometimes!

A high intensity spotlight is a useful addition when navigating in close quarters in the dark.

GPSNavX · 30-10-2011, 08:43

The brightness of the iPad display can be changed by:

1) Double tap the home button

2) Slide the app task bar (at bottom) to the far left

3) Find the brightness control and adjust

4) Tap home button to return to app in use

Bash · 30-10-2011, 08:47

Let's see if I've got this straight: you leave for a night voyage without your GPS, and feel the need to blame your iPad for the fact that you went aground?

Yikes.

If you really want to trash someone/something for your navigational blunders, you may want to start with whatever app you're using to transform the iPad into a chartplotter. Just as some are significantly more expensive than others, some are more useful for coastal navigation.

zeehag · 30-10-2011, 09:02

i like the cordless cheapo spot lights for showing reflectors on buoys, and i like eyeballs to discern things that are ambiguous on chartplotters and charts and i do NOT use a puter to do it for me--my eyes are my best tool. bar none. and i ALWAYS hand steer into a harbor or marina or bay.

**David M** · 30-10-2011, 09:12

It seems to be boiling down to knowing the limitations of a pair of eyeballs vs the limitations of a chart plotter vs the limitations of an iPad with chart software.

This is the art of navigation indeed.