Ipad 2 as a Chartplotter / GPS

[dw5055]

I have the Motorola Xoom tablet are there any chartplotter apps for this tablet.

[Cormorant]

Navionics is good. Open CPN may soon be available for Android.

See these threads:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...let-64766.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oid-46257.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...way-67703.html

[dw5055]

perfect...this is a big help. thanks

[amytom]

Related question:

Which model of Ipad is recommended?

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by 57guy

I have an ipad 2 and my wife an iPad 1. Both have installed apps iNavX and plan2Nav. (my ipad has 133 apps installed) Went from Fla to all over the Bahamas last year without a problem.

Will probably never turn the permanently installed $4,000 chart plotter on that is in my boat.
We also take one or both the iPads to shore. We read books, check weather, write and read emails, etc.

We also take our ipads to bed every night. My wife listens to Coast to Coast AM every night that we have Internet and I go to sleep listening to easy listening music.

Without a doubt, the iPad is the most used and useful device on our boat.

This is exactly the style I was thinking....as a solid backp to my paper charts...and versatility. Thanks very much.

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by dw5055

I have the Motorola Xoom tablet are there any chartplotter apps for this tablet.

I have been boarded by Android pirates and they are hijacking my thread!!! HELP HELP!!

[Clipper4730]

I have the lifeproof case for both ipad and iPhone. They both work great. I would feel safe tossing it in the water and retrieving hours later. The touchscreen is a little less sensitive but overall a great product. We are only a few months ordering our boat and we plan on using the ipad as our chartplotter with an inexpensive garmin as a backup.

Cheerio

[GPSNavX]

iPad 3G is recommended as it has a built in GPS receiver.

[engele]

We love our iPad as a chart plotter. I strongly prefer the Navionics app to iNavX, most definitely if you sail outside of the USA. In the case of iNavX you will end up needing to buy charts for areas outside of the US on a service called Xtraverse. Word of warning, they call it "buying" but you can only download for a period of two years so it amounts to more of a two year "chart rental." If you have had any IOS devices, then you will know that occasionally a full restore can be necessary. If you need to do this and don't have a solid internet connection where you are, or if it is two years after your initial Xtraverse buy/rental, you will be SOL. There is no way to side load charts into iNavx, and no way to back them up from the app aside from your IOS system backups in iTunes. This wouldn't be an issue except that the charts cost money. I personally feel like the product could work great if this major issue were solved, but the developer doesn't seem to see it as an issue (sorry I saw you posted on here a few posts back). If charts could be side loaded from your laptop collection it would alleviate a lot of the problems. I also feel as though if potential buyers knew about these flaws in advance and could use them in the purchase decision there would be fewer poor reviews. iNavX either has five stars or one, and the breakdown seems to be related to chart management. For USA only I would give it a higher rating.

[57guy]

I wouldn't buy stock in Garman, Raymarine and their competitors. I predict that they are on their way out unless they develop a better product at a reasonable price.
We took our motorhome on a three Month trip up the East Coast and down thru the Mid-west.
I had a plug-in Garman portable GPS. After a week, I unpluged it and downloaded an App for my iPad. The Garman, just like Raymarine, requires you to connect to a Computer to update the info.
The ipad is updated regularly.
I got tired of being routed to a store that went out of business last year by my Garman. The iPad never once made an mistake.

I agree that my iPad is not connected to my auto-pilot. Last year, I set the heading in my Auto-Pilot (from my iPad) and made the turns manually. It turned out not to be the problem that I expected.
My boat came with all the great Electronics that I could want. However, if I had to equip a boat, iPad would be at the top of my list and a chartplotter at the bottom

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by GPSNavX

There are iPad apps that can display AIS targets, Instrument data, and control an autopilot. And there are numerous protective cases for iPads. That being said, I see the iPad not as a replacement for dedicated marine chart plotter, but as an addition.

I think it also really depends on what type of sailor you are. My GF and I are sailors in the sense we do everything by sail unless it would be dangerous otherwise.

**I do not trust AIS and radar as much as some people put full faith into.
We dont want to load our boat full of electronics and then not have cash to cruise.

All I need aboard to supplement my paper charts is GPS and an anchor alarm. So for me, I think the Ipad will do more then that. I mentioned some excellent cases previosly in this thread. I also have a backup handheld Garmin.

[ddfishon]

I don't get it. I thought that the iPads just have A-GPS (assisted). Are the iPad users buying an external GPS or does the iPad2 have a chip?

[GPSNavX]

iPhone 4, 4S, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G have an GPS receiver which will work independently of a cell or WiFi service/subscription.

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by ddfishon

I don't get it. I thought that the iPads just have A-GPS (assisted). Are the iPad users buying an external GPS or does the iPad2 have a chip?

The Ipad has a dedicated GPS chip.....the A-GPS just helps to aquire faster fixes.....normally for people downtown that are surrounded by tall buildings and there is interferences. The A-GPS uses cell towers to get by that and get a better/faster fix. One the Ocean, the GPS chip works just as good as any other. IMHO

[GPSNavX]

Just to be clear the iPad WiFi only models DO NOT have a GPS receiver. Only the 3G models do. If you happen to have a WiFi only model then you can add a BadElf GPS receiver although it makes much more sense just to get the iPad 3G as the price difference is a mere $130 for a GPS receiver and 3G connectivity.