Ipad 2 as a Chartplotter / GPS

[Nomdaica]

HI Everyone,

I am wondering sailors thoughts on an Ipad 2 as my main GPS/chartplotter.

Some considerations or things about me:

*I have a backup handheld Garmin color. (charged by solar)

*I do 90% of my navigation by paper charts (and like it this way)

*I will be a liveaboard in the next month, so the Ipad could also help me with movies/music/photos/email...
-From a sailing perspective anchor alarms, tides...and such are important. Are these features as good with the ipad apps?

*I am located in Vancouver, but plan in 1.5 years to do some serious cruising. (and teaching in BVI)

*I have seen some great wall mounts and water tight cases to keep out the humidity/condensation....
------------------

Do people have experiences with the Ipad and Apps like InavX or other?

Do you think as a live-aboard, and potential long distance cruiser that the Ipad would be a good investment? I refuse to pay $3000.00 as a sailor who is confident with charts to buy a chartplotter...

Other thoughts and experiences would be wonderful...

Cheers.

[Jimbo485]

We use the IPad as our main nav tool. I would have laughed a year ago at just the idea of it. It uses inavx as the software and over the last season from Florida to S. Caribbean it worked fine. We use a zip lock bag and did not buy the waterproof bags. The IPad sits in the cockpit while sailing, goes to the beach bar to talk locations with other cruisers, does email etc.

The backup is a 12V PC from Island Time which uses OpenCPN.

The next backup is a sextant, paper charts, dividers, parallel rules, pencil, watch.

If all that fails, we follow the birds to find land.

As an aside, when I was a kid in pre-GPS days, we once used the technique of going ashore to see what language they speak and that would still work even today. Our trip was from northern Italy to Monaco but, on going ashore, we found everyone speaking French, so we concluded that we had sailed right past the little casino country.

[dacust]

For more reading:

A very recent thread on Plan2Nav:
==> http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nav-68346.html

And a Google search for ipad nav in this forum:
==> ipad nav - Google Search on Cruisers Forums

And a Google search for iNavx that Jimbo485 mentioned:
==> inavx - Google Search on Cruisers Forums

I have not used iNavx, but the general reaction from people in this forum seems to be good. Not as good or full featured as a PC or Mac product, but well worth the money. But don't take my word for it, read through some of the threads above.

-dan

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

We use the IPad as our main nav tool. I would have laughed a year ago at just the idea of it. It uses inavx as the software and over the last season from Florida to S. Caribbean it worked fine. We use a zip lock bag and did not buy the waterproof bags. The IPad sits in the cockpit while sailing, goes to the beach bar to talk locations with other cruisers, does email etc.

The backup is a 12V PC from Island Time which uses OpenCPN.

The next backup is a sextant, paper charts, dividers, parallel rules, pencil, watch.

If all that fails, we follow the birds to find land.

As an aside, when I was a kid in pre-GPS days, we once used the technique of going ashore to see what language they speak and that would still work even today. Our trip was from northern Italy to Monaco but, on going ashore, we found everyone speaking French, so we concluded that we had sailed right past the little casino country.

Excellent to hear. I see this case:

WaterProof iPad Case Demo: iPad Submerged - YouTube

but this does not protect against shocks or drops. I am also worried about long term use and condensation build up. Hmm...

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by dacust

For more reading:

A very recent thread on Plan2Nav:
==> http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nav-68346.html

And a Google search for ipad nav in this forum:
==> ipad nav - Google Search on Cruisers Forums

And a Google search for iNavx that Jimbo485 mentioned:
==> inavx - Google Search on Cruisers Forums

I have not used iNavx, but the general reaction from people in this forum seems to be good. Not as good or full featured as a PC or Mac product, but well worth the money. But don't take my word for it, read through some of the threads above.

-dan

excellent references...thanks very much! I guess the one question is can the Ipad with the proper charts and a good case completely replace an expensive chartplotter.

I have used chart plotters on many ships and I find the little stupid joy stick a PITA. Perhaps I am a bit more tech savy then most...but if this is just my backup to paper charts...its seems like it can do everything. I dont mind paying for echarts...as you must pay with any device you buy.

[Nomdaica]

found a great hardcase.....no price yet....but this is exactly what I would need. (girl included) http://www.lifeproof.com/

I am LifeProof - YouTube

[barnakiel]

Nice, but not waterproof. Or waterproof but not nice!

I would like one for the nav table though.

b.

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Nice, but not waterproof. Or waterproof but not nice!

I would like one for the nav table though.

b.

??? this Iproof case is 100% water tight. Check out the vid! lol.

[Arch Stanton]

I just finished a 4-month trip up the inside passage from Olympia, WA to Ketchikan, Alaska. I used an iPhone with Navionics as my primary navigation system for the whole trip and would recommend that, or the iPad version, to anyone. Between battery backups and a waterproof case (the glorified ziplock bag kind) I felt pretty secure using it in all conditions.

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

I just finished a 4-month trip up the inside passage from Olympia, WA to Ketchikan, Alaska. I used an iPhone with Navionics as my primary navigation system for the whole trip and would recommend that, or the iPad version, to anyone. Between battery backups and a waterproof case (the glorified ziplock bag kind) I felt pretty secure using it in all conditions.

wow.... We have run aground more times in the north then any other place (from lack of detailed charts even in paper)so I take your northern cruising and navigation words very seriously. Thanks!

[Arch Stanton]

Originally Posted by Nomdaica

wow.... We have run aground more times in the north then any other place (from lack of detailed charts even in paper)so I take your northern cruising and navigation words very seriously. Thanks!

Number of times aground: zero (edit: yet)

[Nomdaica]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

Number of times aground: zero (edit: yet)

We teach sailing in northern Canada....so it happens to the best of us.

[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.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Nomdaica

I guess the one question is can the Ipad with the proper charts and a good case completely replace an expensive chartplotter.

We have two iPad 2s aboard, but do not use them as chartplotters because they can't do the job our two chartplotters do, like engaging the autopilot, or overlaying the radar display with the chart display, or going split screen with the depth sounder, or integrating with AIS, or calling up data from the fluxgate compass, the wind guage, the knot log, et cetera.

And they are not waterproof.

[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.