My Disclaimer:
I don't claim any special knowledge of or experience with any brand of chartplotters or apps. I have not invested in them or in any brand of
chartplotter, so I have no bias yet due to
ownership. However, I am in the market to buy something I can use on my
iPad and so am looking and considering what I like best. So far, I have not used all the available apps, though I have looked at several online and considered them.
I have NO connection to the producer of this
software. I simply used it successfully, and was impressed by its features, its ease of use, and display.
I used the app on an
iPad for 21 days, while on a
offshore voyage from
Florida to
Maine. This included navigating the entrance to
Chesapeake Bay and Penobscott Bay (Maine) and into Mystic Connecticut.
I have been reading most of the comments in various threads that relate to how Active
Captain will not be integrated into third party (not Garmin)
navigation apps in the future (a subject of another thread).
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My User Review of SEAiq
I just got off a
boat voyage (1200nm) where the
captain of the
boat used his iPad with SEAiq as his
route planning app.
The boat also had a recent, large "hybrid screen"
Raymarine Chartplotter system.
While I liked using the
Raymarine system, as it had integrated
RADAR which I could view side by side with the chart on the plotter, I also used the iPad with SEAiq extensively.
Obviously the Raymarine system has many features, a larger display, and connectivity to many inputs, including the
RADAR. It is also much, much more expensive. Since I am not a boat owner, I am looking for a portable device (iPad) solution for me to take with me as I sail on different boats.
While I have read Raymarine
manuals, and watched videos on various chartplotters, and have done some reading about various iPad nav apps, I did not have to read anything to quickly learn how to use the SEAiq app. it was very intuitive. I don't claim expertise in it yet, but I was impressed by its ease of use.
I was able to place the iPad next to the Raymarine chartplotter, and compared them as we sailed in close channels and rocky passages between many islands off the coast of
Maine. I carefully looked at the chart symbology and how the chart features were displayed. I much preferred the SEAiq display. One aspect of this was how the chart contrast was shown, so that on the SEAiq display lines appeared more contrasted against the background colors on the chart, making it easier to see the faint lines, especially in dim light at night. Both displays were adjusted for night viewing, with lower than normal display brightness.
One feature I liked about the SEAiq display was the choice I could make on how the boat position was shown by a dynamic and helpful symbol on the display. The app allows one to choose a "pointer" that is related to the
current boat position and speed and direction. This looks like a circle, indicating the boat position, with an arrow pointing in the direction the boat is going. This pointer can be adjusted to indicate where the boat will be in a few minutes. I liked to set it up for a 12 minute (and 6 minute) pointer. This allowed me (and other crew) to see where the boat would be in 6 or 12 minutes if we stayed on the present heading. This made it easy to estimate when we would pass a bouy or mark or rock or channel etc. How? Without having to touch the
screen, I could glance at the display and see the length of the pointer and immediately scan ahead to see if we were headed to something. I could immediately gauge the time to near objects by visually multiplying the pointer length to the objects. This was very intuitive and easy to do. I liked this very much, as the pointer gave a very quick visual indication of where we were going and what we would cross on our
current heading. It also adjusted for the SOG, so the pointer length would change automatically (growing longer or shorter) when we encountered strong currents (which we often did in Maine or when entering the Chesapeake). Perhaps other
navigation apps also have this or similar feature, but I know I liked it on SEAiq.
I liked some aspects of the SEAiq, and considered its display of chart features superior to the Raymarine chart, and so I took a look at the SEAiq website to learn more.
Features | SEAiq Pilot
Noteworthy is that the SEAiq has a version designed for Recreational Sailing. That app is only about $4.99 for download. The app uses free downloadable NOAA
charts, which are regularly and automatically updated by the app.
I asked the owner/captain which he preferred. He said he depended on the SEAiq for planning his
route, and he liked it better, as it was more intuitive to view and set up the routes. He also used the iPad in the
cockpit when on the
helm outside (his boat has a pilot house where the Raymarine was located).
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Question: Will SEAiq use Active Captain in the future?
On the SEAiq site I saw this mention of Active Captain (and more).
"
New Feature: Waterway Guide
Waterway Guide content is now available as a chart overlay within the SEAiq app. Waterway Guide utilizes their extensive user base, large network of on-the-water editors, and full-time staff to provide up-to-date and accurate content for safe and informed travel along the waterways.
Marinas,
anchorages, navigation alerts, bridges and locks for the Eastern U.S.,
Canada,
Bahamas, and
Cuba are now available for offline access.
Important:
ActiveCaptain
We are informed on May 23, 2018
Garmin will make incompatible changes to the ActiveCaptain server. After this date, the current ActiveCaptain data will continue to
work in SEAiq. However, no further updates will be available for download. We recommend users sync offline data on their devices before the May 23 cut-off. We are considering updating SEAiq support for ActiveCaptain but do not have definite plans yet."
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Here are some relevant features I found interesting and were seen in my own use of the app.
NOTE! This is copied from the SEAiq page focused on the Recreational Sailor (version of their Software). They have a more robust version that is called the Pilot version and is designed for professional mariners (pilots).
SOURCE:
Recreational | SEAiq Pilot
"All our apps provide crisp and clear chart display (see our
screen shots). All fonts and symbols are generated specifically for your device so they are clear and easy to read. When specified by the chart,
SEAiq uses symbolized lines and area patterns, making the charts easier to ready and giving them a raster-like appearance (SEAiq apps are the only ones to do this).
Other features common to all our apps include:
Fully offline use: there is no need to be connected to the internet
Includes a base chart of the world (not suitable for navigation)
View charts using normal iPad gestures, including pan, zoom, and rotate.
Chart quilting: when viewing areas covered by different charts, SEAiq will quilt them together, selecting the best available chart data for the scale you are viewing at.
Full access to all data in vector charts. You can select any point and access all the data associated with each of the features. Vector charts contain much more information than most mariners realize. I used this.
GPS
Integrated
GPS available on most iPads and iPhones to indicate your current location, course, and speed.
External
NMEA to get GPS information (and other sensors) from your vessel (requires
WiFi enabled NMEA).
GPS sharing. You can access GPS information from another device. This is useful if you have a WiFi-only iPad without integrated GPS support. It can connect wirelessly to an
iPhone or iPad with GPS.
AIS. Display
AIS targets on your chart display according to their reported location.
Predicted course display including rate-of-turn information, when zoomed in sufficiently.
Textual and visual CPA.
True-scale vessel representation, accounting for location of the GPS
antenna.
Requires
WiFi enabled AIS/NMEA.
Tracks. See the route your vessel has followed.
Waypoints and routes. Create and edit waypoints and routes directly from the chart display.
Weather. Automatic and manual download of
wind and pressure/isobar data.
Active Captain. Download and access the Active Captain interactive cruising guidebook.
Customized display using Shallow,
Safety, and Deep
Depth Contours you provide. This allows the charts to highlight features that are possible
danger.
Day, evening, night color modes are available to help protect your night vision when in low light conditions.
Display in variety of units. You can select the units you want displayed for depths, distances, speed, etc.
True and magnetic north.
Keep awake mode keeps your iPad display from going to sleep." I used this.
Hope this helps.
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Are you a SEAiq user?
If you use SEAiq, feel free to add your own comments or review in this thread. If you have a favorite feature (like I liked the arrow pointer for the boat position) mention that too. If you have any tips or experience using it with AIS or integrated with other inputs like AIS or others, mention that.