iPad and Navionics Question

[Jammer Six]

My favorite one does, and that's one of the reasons it's my favorite.

But since I have champagne tastes, my favorite one is not an every weekend occurrence-- cheaper boats have that honor, and guess what one reason they're cheaper is? Yah. Lessor (or no) electronics.

I'm willing to take some pains with an iPad-- I've been making the iPhone work, but I'm aware that every time I take it out of my pocket, overboard is right THERE, and I think the iPad would be just a little harder to drop, and a lot easier to read. I'm leaning towards a waterproof case with a lanyard, and then, like I said, I'll have two independent electronic systems backed up by paper. Plus the plotter, if I'm on my favorite boat. (Unfortunately, this particular plotter doesn't have a repeater in the cockpit.)

Speaking of reading GPS at the helm, I haven't worked out exactly what I'll do about man overboard. (No, I don't mean the maneuver drill. Everyone, I hope, knows the drill, the turns, and the sequence.)

What I mean is where I'll be and what I'll do. The helm has a bunch of disadvantages, and here in Puget Sound, with 50 degree water, particularly now in December, man overboard is an automatic mayday call. You've only got something like fifteen or twenty minutes before it's a recovery, not a rescue. So.

No repeater in the cockpit, and the radio is below. So you assign a lookout, and start the drill.

But some other things need to happen, right now, and one of them is logging the position, correctly and quickly. And the call needs to go out, to Coast Guard Station Seattle.

So you hand the helm over, get the lookout lined out, order a line rigged for throwing, and head below and make the call. That's one situation where I can see that electronics have paper beat, hands down, no contest. Need a position, need it right, and need it right now.

So that's one situation where I'd like to have the GPS on me, in a pocket, in the same place it always is, regardless of the boat.

That all said, I'm starting to wonder if man overboard isn't blown somewhat out of proportion-- the only time I've actually seen crew in the water was 25 years ago, after a knockdown, due to sheer stupidity. (Or, at least, total inexperience.)

[Dockhead]

I have had four people overboard in three incidents in three years, I am ashamed to say, but all at anchor or on a mooring, so no position was needed. I don't think the problem is exaggerated.

As for always having a position right at hand, I recommend the Garmin Foretrex wrist carried GPS's. In the post-GPS but pre-plotter days, this was my favorite nav aid. Plot a course on a paper chart free of obstacles, set the waypoint on the Foretrex, and you're good to go. You know at a glance whether you're on course and safe from obstacles, or not. The Foretrex doesn't have a MOB button, unfortunately, but you could read the position off or set a waypoint pretty fast. I think it's still made.

[JNoel]

With the iPad and Navionics APP and no network 3G/4G, you can purchase an independent GPS modular. I have talked with many sailors and powerboaters and they have recommeded the Bad Elf GPS. It is bluetooth and is in the ball park of $100. I have used the navionics app offshore and no wi-fi no cell towers needed for the GPS function to be working.

[Ozbullwinkle]

As has already been well established the iPad with WiFi + Cellular has a built in GPS that runs independently without the need for either WiFi access or cell tower coverage.

The thing that seems to confuse people when viewing the iPad specs Apple - iPad - View all the technical specifications. is that under the Location section it lists Assisted GPS (this one uses the cell towers) and GLONASS.

It is GLONASS which is the independent GPS system. It has always intrigued me why a US company like Apple use the Russian version of GPS - maybe the licensing fees are cheaper?

[Ozbullwinkle]

I have ordered my iPad 4 64Gb with Cellular & have been reviewing the Navionics apps for my planned passage from St Martin to Vanuatu in March 2013.

I will need to purchase the Caribbean & South America maps for the first part of the passage but it seems to me that there are no maps for the South Pacific at all.

My plan is to use the iPad as my backup to the new onboard Raymarine e165 to complement the onboard paper charts.

Surely this can't be the case? How could they not have maps for the S Pacific?

Guys?

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

I have ordered my iPad 4 64Gb with Cellular & have been reviewing the Navionics apps for my planned passage from St Martin to Vanuatu in March 2013.

I will need to purchase the Caribbean & South America maps for the first part of the passage but it seems to me that there are no maps for the South Pacific at all.

My plan is to use the iPad as my backup to the new onboard Raymarine e165 to complement the onboard paper charts.

Surely this can't be the case? How could they not have maps for the S Pacific?

Guys?

Buy 34XG charts. Covers the S Pacific.

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

Buy 34XG charts. Covers the S Pacific.

Please explain....

Are these compatible for Navionics on the iPad?

Had a look on Google & these go right up to Japan which I do not need & do not seem to cover the whole of the S Pacific over to Panama or where the Caribbean & Sth America map finishes. They are also over $300 which is not comparable to the other Navionics maps in the Apps store.

[s/v Thea]

Looks like they cover south pacific, from http://www.navionics.com/en/mobile-pc-app

[Capt.Don]

Are we missing the obvious - a handheld Garmin GPS ($150) with BlueCharts ($125/region)? Sure, an iPad with apps is cool, but it is not a substitute for a GPS or chartplotter. As a backup , waterproof, visible in the cockpit,.... for less than $300 you have a dedicated GPS and chartplotter. I wouldn't put an iPad/Mini in a bulky waterproof case and keep in in my foulweather gear. I would with the Garmin handheld GPS.

[AiniA]

34xg chart cartridge is for chartplotters and not for iPad. There is a Pacific app.

[Kenomac]

Our Ipad with InavX works great for navigation. I can read it just fine under the bimini, and as far as a waterproof case... we use a plastic kitchen freezer baggie. Can also overlay weather forecast using the PocketGrib ap.

The 10 yr old $10,000 Furuno Chartplotter onboard is now used just for radar.

[Jimbo485]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

Please explain....

Are these compatible for Navionics on the iPad?

Had a look on Google & these go right up to Japan which I do not need & do not seem to cover the whole of the S Pacific over to Panama or where the Caribbean & Sth America map finishes. They are also over $300 which is not comparable to the other Navionics maps in the Apps store.

You buy the 34xg charts for the iPad iNAVx software the same way you buy the charts for the Caribbean and South America. Go to their online store and select whatever area of the world you want. It is more like a 2 year "rental" than a purchase. We just used them to cross the Pacific and the 34xg has Japan and does not include Aust nor Galapagos. Bad luck, mate, but it also has Fr. Polynesia, the Cooks, Tonga, Fiji, etc. I am not going to find the map codes for those excluded areas for you because I am sure you can do it by yourself!

[Jimbo485]

34xg for the iPad cost me $55, not $300......

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Capt.Don

Are we missing the obvious - a handheld Garmin GPS ($150) with BlueCharts ($125/region)? Sure, an iPad with apps is cool, but it is not a substitute for a GPS or chartplotter. As a backup , waterproof, visible in the cockpit,.... for less than $300 you have a dedicated GPS and chartplotter. I wouldn't put an iPad/Mini in a bulky waterproof case and keep in in my foulweather gear. I would with the Garmin handheld GPS.

Hi Don, The iPad is not intended to be a substitute for a GPS or Chartplotter but as a backup as I mentioned above to the new onboard Raymarine e165 which is a 15.4 inch Multifunction Chartplotter at the helm & to complement the onboard paper charts. It will also be used for a lot of other functions as well apart from navigation.

As the vessel is a FP Eleuthera 60 cat the iPad will be used in the saloon where it will not be subject to the elements so it is a good fit for our needs.

I have been doing some more research and it seems that I have 2 main choices for the iPad navigation application. Thanks for the tip Jimbo.

Either Navionics with charts for iPad being Australasia & Africa V4.1 which includes the S Pacific for $40.99 & Caribbean & South America V4.1 for $14.99 with the Galapagos included.

OR

iNavX application with Navionics Gold charts 3XG Caribbean, Central & South America also with Galapagos for $54.99 & 34XG Japan & Pacific Islands for $54.99

It looks like the price difference for the charts is due to the cheaper Navionics ones not being Gold but this is not clear on the Navionics ones for iPad. Can anyone confirm this? If iNavX uses the Gold version then its charting would be superior.

Also opinions of iNavX vs Navionics for the iPad. I know there may be other threads on this so please point me to them if the info on them is current & up to date.

[John Galt]

I've got the newest version of iPad but without 3,4-G. The cheapest version. Sent away for the Bad Elf plug in. $110 off Amazon. I installed the Navionics app and its working great. There's a case called the Nuud. It's over $100 but makes your iPad submersible to a certain depth, certain period of time. I don't know about that, but at worst water resistant. A fully charged iPad battery ran for over 6 hours for me the other day and had 18% charge left. The large screen and pinch / unpinch ability can't be found elsewhere for under a grand.