IPad vs tablet vs laptop vs chartplotter

[Land an]

I was at the Apple Store ready to buy an iPad and then load it up with charts. I couldn't pull the trigger. It seemed that it was good for charts and music and videos and email but that was it. (I admit it is very slick but really just a big iPhone which I have and love)
I am trying to find a way to avoid a pricey chartplotter and instead get a laptop or tablet that is useful on the boat but also useful back on land. I want something I can plan a course with then navigate that course. It should have a station below deck and also at the helm. I started looking at the Microsoft Surface (tablet that does everything a laptop can do) and the Android tablet. Thought about a lap top with GPS that could synch or display by Bluetooth to the helm. The laptops have crummy battery life and would draw tons of power to keep plugged in under sail.
I know there is a solution and you guys out there have cracked the code. Clue me in please. ( I have not yet done a deep dive search of old posts but just skimmed so far)
Thanks

[Dulcesuenos]

We got a pantech element 8" tablet over a year ago. Its android based has built in gps. Love it. we use Navionics Hd and many other marine based apps front and rear cameras so great for skyping on trips has extra sd card slot can do data plans if u choose, has a micro usb port so you can connect to a large tv or monitor which we to really study weather, movies, etc weighs half what the xoom does . Only cost 175 on ebay. Best of all Its WaterProof!!!!
If you dont like it for marine use(couldnt imagine why anyone wouldnt) you still have an awesome tablet for everything else

[Factor]

Ipad (or two) with INavX or similar (eg navionics) - but thats my favourite- with a digital yacht or vesper marine AIS/Multiplexor. I have a soft spot for Vesper but Digital Yacht is rock solid stuff as well..

I am sure the non apple stuff is as good/better/worse (according to your particular belief) its just I haven't used them so I can't comment.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

We got a pantech element 8" tablet

Cool device, I want one, I want one now because I was about to pull the trigger on the Hyundai T7 but there are a few things I am not happy with like battery.

[scimitar]

"IPad vs tablet vs laptop vs chartplotter "



if you can not make choice, you can always try this......

close to land use eyeball mk I and terrestrial navigation, but do not forget to correct your "fathometer" for tide and transducer depth to match charted datum (MLLW or LAT) otherwise bahamas cays are waiting for you.

[MarkJ]

Well, I disagree with Scimtar... paper is unsafe in my opinion. Fine if you navigate on computer and want to have paper there for fun, but not for navigating.

Now computers. My chartplotter broke down about 2 years ago and I got used to the laptop with OpenCpn and Garmin.
Last year I bought an iPad.
Yes the iPad is small and slim, a great childs toy for the YouTube generation but for navigating I need a mouse. The nav programs are very slow to make a route, to insert a waypoint into a route or to edit a route whereas OpenCpn does it all in seconds, just seconds.

iPad doesnt have USB so it cant integrate unless it can blue tooht (whatever, etc)

So I wasted my money.

I would like to buy a small notebook... theres an Assus for $399(?) with 11 hour battery life (OK Halve that!), USB and mouse etc, small and good as a little laptop to run all the time and can be intedgrated into the Nav system like my big laptop, but easier to take to shore for interntet etc.

I have not thought of buying another chart plotter. waste of money these days.

There is one thing I see and salivate about as I wonder if its possible... the Desk Top computers have a very small box hese days, and with a smaller screen could fit nicely on a nav station... and they should be able to run on 12volts...

So my dream would be for a desktop below and a small Laptop/Notepad for on deck

The other bit about the iPad is its not all that cheap... $650 then $100 for a non-waterproof case... thats 2 x Notebooks!

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Last year I bought an iPad.
Yes the iPad is small and slim, a great childs toy for the YouTube generation but for navigating I need a mouse. The nav programs are very slow to make a route, to insert a waypoint into a route or to edit a route whereas OpenCpn does it all in seconds, just seconds.

iPad doesnt have USB so it cant integrate unless it can blue tooht (whatever, etc)

So I wasted my money.

Ok, but as you have it... why not use it for anchor watch beside your berth.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Fuss

Ok, but as you have it... why not use it for anchor watch beside your berth.

Because I use my little Garmin handheld beside my berth.

[landonshaw]

So I Am Buying an iPad, Which One?

This thread has a lot of information on the iPad. I just bought aniPad 128G, getting the ap for charts and navionic charts. Purchased a case, the tank, to keep it safe and at the helm. I have a hand held and a computer below deck if I need it. Also charts up on deck when we sail up island. We are in the Caribbean.

[scimitar]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Well, paper is unsafe in my opinion. Fine if you navigate on computer and want to have paper there for fun, but not for navigating.

i wonder how they use to navigate around the world (and Caribbean ).....until mid 80's

probably they thought if they venture 100 miles straight line they are going to fall over the edge.


in my personal experience I found out that people who does not have a clue what is on the chart are against paper charts.

two summers ago there were austrian couple (on benetau ocenis 34) who stopped me in the middle of "mljetski kanal". they asked me where is the island of Vis. and they had Croatian Road Map..

[nautical62]

For short term cruising (such as chartering), I love my Ipad. Compared to a lap top, I feel it will take more of a beating, has a much longer battery life, is easy to watch movies on, and with a keyboard, easy to get online and do email with. I recently downloaded the garmin software and charts for the U.S. and Bahamas. It will not navigate a route, but for $30, I have all the charts I need, and it will plot my position on those charts. That may fall short of most modern chart plotters, but it's light years ahead of what I used just 10 years ago, and a fraction of the price. InavX, offers even more features, at a greater price.

The main limitation is that an Ipad has limited storage capacity and can't run real software, so for real life aboard, I'd still want a lap top. For example, on my last trip to the Bahamas, I tried to switch my old Iphone to their system, but needed to plug it into a real lap top to re sync it with Itunes. Couldn't do that with my Ipad.

While an Ipad has much to offer, it's not what I would want to use for my primary navigation system in the cockpit of many boats.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Land an

I was at the Apple Store ready to buy an iPad and then load it up with charts. I couldn't pull the trigger. It seemed that it was good for charts and music and videos and email but that was it. (I admit it is very slick but really just a big iPhone which I have and love)
I am trying to find a way to avoid a pricey chartplotter and instead get a laptop or tablet that is useful on the boat but also useful back on land. I want something I can plan a course with then navigate that course. It should have a station below deck and also at the helm. I started looking at the Microsoft Surface (tablet that does everything a laptop can do) and the Android tablet. Thought about a lap top with GPS that could synch or display by Bluetooth to the helm. The laptops have crummy battery life and would draw tons of power to keep plugged in under sail.
I know there is a solution and you guys out there have cracked the code. Clue me in please. ( I have not yet done a deep dive search of old posts but just skimmed so far)
Thanks

Most here are using laptops with free OpenCpn with CM93 World Charts
If you want something that can be mounted out in the cockpit then you may want to opt for an iPad or Android tablet
These tablets do so much more than charts and music and videos and email.
1) Chartplotter
2) They can store all your boat manuals in pdf format
3) Store all your books
4) Check weather
5) Give you Active Captain info.

I have an iPad 3 with most all of the nav. App’s
But I use Garmin BlueChart Mobile, because it has the nice explorer charts of the Caribbean & Active Captain. You Can get all the US an Bahamas and Caribbean charts for $30

Also use Memory Map – Pocket Nav a lot
I use all my other Nav app for review

[s/v Jedi]

Why not do both?

Get a nice super compact MacMini for the navstation with display that doubles as entertainment system for watching movies etc. Install OpenCPN (or MacENC, etc.) on it and be happy.

Then for the cockpit, get an iPad and install Splashtop on it. Install the Splashtop-streamer on the MacMini and now you can control and use OpenCPN from/on your iPad.

Yes, you need a wifi router for that because the iPad is wireless. Being wireless always used to be so spiff, like with TacTic instruments etc. but now that we can have it all with iPads it suddenly became bad because it was brought to us by big bad Apple without USB ports (oh how I hate USB ports and their drivers...). What a world

[Land an]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Why not do both?

Get a nice super compact MacMini for the navstation with display that doubles as entertainment system for watching movies etc. Install OpenCPN (or MacENC, etc.) on it and be happy.

Then for the cockpit, get an iPad and install Splashtop on it. Install the Splashtop-streamer on the MacMini and now you can control and use OpenCPN from/on your iPad.

Yes, you need a wifi router for that because the iPad is wireless. Being wireless always used to be so spiff, like with TacTic instruments etc. but now that we can have it all with iPads it suddenly became bad because it was brought to us by big bad Apple without USB ports (oh how I hate USB ports and their drivers...). What a world

Now we're talking. The splash top links the tablet at the helm to the laptop below? That's what I want.
But what about battery life? How do you keep that laptop running for more than 5-6 hours?
Which laptops have a built in GPS? I think there is a Sony built that way

[David M]

Whatever you get make sure you can see it in direct sunlight, unless you think it is always going to be in the shade. That is the advantage of a plotter, you can still see them in direct sunlight plus they can get sprayed with water without needing a special waterproof case.