Drawbacks of using a smartphone as a chartplotter

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by hpeer

. . .
Dock,

It’s funny but I use a silly Aquamap application for planning. I has “charts” but nothing suitable for navigation. It does show the islands, anchorages, and has Active Captain. I can run a route and get mileage.

Here is a sample. Has 2 routes, the trip we just finished and a potential run to Cartagena from Grenada with leg miles shown.

As said above, numerous times, there is no single “best” answer. I find using different tools for different jobs works for me.

I agree completely with this.

Just speaking for myself (i.e., YMMV), I still prefer planning on paper if it's available. There are several types of chart work which I still can't do easily with electronic charts. If the paper chart is not up to date, then the final stage of planning -- checking the planned route for obstacles -- can be done with the up to date vector charts or whatever I have on hand which is actually up to date.

If I don't have paper, then I use the best charts I have on the big monitor on OpenCPN. Some chart work is more awkward than on paper, but some planning is brilliant -- like creating the route with mouse clicks with mileage and everything instantly computed. These routes and waypoints can be exported to the regular nav system. I LOVE using the official UKHO raster charts on the big screen, but even CM93 vector charts can be used, provided you carefully check the formulated route against something which is up to date, and bearing in mind how tremendously awkward planning can be for complicated waters with vector charts, since no matter how big your screen is, there is no zoom level where you get BOTH an overview adequate to see a way through the rocks, AND enough detail to see where those rocks are.

Yes, different tools can be used in different ways to suit individual styles of working, but the crucial thing is not to forget what Team Vestas forgot to do (and apparently that USN minesweeper which went aground on a reef in the Pacific also forgot), and that is be damned sure that someone has not relied on a zoomed out vector chart to verify that a formulated route is safe.

[hpeer]

Another comparison

[IdoraKeeper]

I have found tablets and plotter working together offered me the best situational awareness. There are numerous areas in the PNW where accurate navigation and positioning are the difference between a fine day off cruising or a bad day hoisted on a rock. Errors of omission and commission occur even on paper charts. Local knowledge can even let you down. My old boat only drafted four feet, primary nav was paper charts and DR. Current vessel drafts 6.5 ft. Many places where I used to blythly pass thru are now revealed to be obstructed. That being said, if it's missing on the chart you can still hit it. Every year people find new rocks that are not charted. In close quarters I run two different zoom levels on redundant displays. So far tablets have been a valuable addition.

[hpeer]

and bearing in mind how tremendously awkward planning can be for complicated waters with vector charts, since no matter how big your screen is, there is no zoom level where you get BOTH an overview adequate to see a way through the rocks, AND enough detail to see where those rocks are.

Absolutly 100% agree!!!

There is a HUGE rock coming into Marblehead. Half way island or some such. 4am, feeling my way in, Navionics on 3 mile scale, looking for dark buoys, I’m see lights blink out on me. So I flip to radar and there’s this bloody big huge return! Yup, decluttered.

I had actually seen this in my planning and made a mental note of it but that mental note was in the part of my brain in “sleep” mode.

The way you put it, “complicated waters”, YES. That explained it.

Here ya go, half way rock. Bottom right. Note the scale bar, decluttered on Navionics.

[a64pilot]

When we bought our boat it had a C80 plotter, which had a chart that ended about 5 miles South of where we bought the boat.
I used an IPad and my IPhone to go down through the ICW and around the keys and North to Panama City.
Plotter was nice even without charts in open water cause it displayed a course etc and had a clock to tell us when to shift change. We had not Autopilot.
I used Garmins excellent app, which of course is no longer available.

Back 20 years ago every Professional Pilot carried a large briefcase full of Jeppeson charts, and you were constantly posting changes as they came out very frequently, plus the subscription was not cheap at all.

Now everyone carries an “EFB” or electronic flight bag. So if you think you have to have a paper chart to navigate safely, do not ever get on a Commercial aircraft anymore, cause paper went the way of the Dinosaur.
The IPad has sort of taken over for non Commercial applications
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_flight_bag

Photobucket is apparently down or I would show you the Motion tablet I used in my Maule years ago before I there were IPads

If someone would come out with an app as good as the Garmin was, I’d go for it in a heartbeat.
The app was in my opinion better when in tight confines like the ICW that often has changing conditions as it can be frequently updated automatically, and Active Captain was an invaluable rescource

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

When we bought our boat it had a C80 plotter, which had a chart that ended about 5 miles South of where we bought the boat.
I used an IPad and my IPhone to go down through the ICW and around the keys and North to Panama City.
Plotter was nice even without charts in open water cause it displayed a course etc and had a clock to tell us when to shift change. We had not Autopilot.
I used Garmins excellent app, which of course is no longer available.

Back 20 years ago every Professional Pilot carried a large briefcase full of Jeppeson charts, and you were constantly posting changes as they came out very frequently, plus the subscription was not cheap at all.

Now everyone carries an “EFB” or electronic flight bag. So if you think you have to have a paper chart to navigate safely, do not ever get on a Commercial aircraft anymore, cause paper went the way of the Dinosaur.
The IPad has sort of taken over for non Commercial applications
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_flight_bag

Photobucket is apparently down or I would show you the Motion tablet I used in my Maule years ago before I there were IPads

If someone would come out with an app as good as the Garmin was, I’d go for it in a heartbeat.
The app was in my opinion better when in tight confines like the ICW that often has changing conditions as it can be frequently updated automatically, and Active Captain was an invaluable rescource

EFB user here on an iPad navigating all around the world at 500 Knots TAS.

HOWEVER, back up is a ship set full of PAPER.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

EFB user here on an iPad navigating all around the world at 500 Knots TAS.



HOWEVER, back up is a ship set full of PAPER.

So you still hump that 40LB big Jeppeson case around, and post the changes weekly?
My backup was another EFB.
My backup on the boat is a computer and an IPad or two and a phone.
Very unlikely I will lose all of them, and if I do, I can drop anchor and wait until daylight and or proceed slowly.
In truth Nautical charts are very rarely absolutely necessary, its not like shooting an ILS without an approach plate.
They are very nice to have, but if one blows overboard, the boats not going to sink.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Transmitter,



How are you getting that data? Especially on my Raymarine C80 plotter. Can you show an example?



Dock,



It’s funny but I use a silly Aquamap application for planning. I has “charts” but nothing suitable for navigation. It does show the islands, anchorages, and has Active Captain. I can run a route and get mileage.



Here is a sample. Has 2 routes, the trip we just finished and a potential run to Cartagena from Grenada with leg miles shown.



As said above, numerous times, there is no single “best” answer. I find using different tools for different jobs works for me.

The C80 is issuing C-Map (or Navionics) not the NOAA original ENC charts. I can’t say what data those have. But the NOAA ENC charts have all critical info.

Lots of data can be accessed by putting cursor on an object and asking for info. Like for a bridge there will be a pop up giving clearance info. For chart info there will be a pop up giving survey dates, datum and other info.

I use OpenCPN and can see all ENC data.

[hpeer]

Yes, NOAA ENC with a proper viewer. Navionics on a chart plotter?

As I said before, it may work well for someone in a specific region or application. When you move around more, need charts form different regional sources, then it gets more interesting.

[Bleemus]

A little history. Halfway Rock off Marblehead was named because it was considered halfway between Gloucester and Boston.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

So you still hump that 40LB big Jeppeson case around, and post the changes weekly?
.

HAHA......45Lbs and thank GAWD those days are over....still think one arm is longer than the other.

No, we have ONE ship set that is always kept on board and (the whole bag) is changed regularly.

As to yachting?......I'm old school and like to have paper charts handy.

[zboss]

I use a dragonfly 6 in my dinghy.... it takes c-map as well as lighthouse and navionics.

[rsn48]

For me, I use three items when transiting 1) Chart (I check this frequently) 2) Lowrance chart plotter (I use this continually) 3) smart phone land app, this confirms on a macro scale what is going on even though I don't have the usual references of a chart plotter. But I can get the basics of what I'm after.

I just downloaded vector software, the name escapes me on a 15 day free trial, which will help me on a cruise to Desolation Sound in a couple of days. Not sure the phone will work in the Desolation Sound area, in fact, I'm sure it won't. The download was to my Galaxy Tab 10 tablet.