Why even bother with a plotter when you can get this!

[Mike OReilly]

Is it April 1st in a "galaxy far, far away"?

[Off Trail]

I think someone's been hanging out with Chotus girlfriend.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Locquatious

As someone once mentioned before, cell phones, iPads, and computers are as waterproof as tissue paper. If you are out in foul weather and reduced visibility, do you really want to be holding a cell phone in your hand to give you navigation assistance?

Even my old iPhone 7 has an IPX 67 rating which means it can be submerged in water to a depth of 3’ for 30 minutes

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Off Trail

I think someone's been hanging out with Chotus girlfriend.

She’s not his girlfriend, …..YET.

[wholybee]

I have 10s of thousands of miles(my circumnavigation) without a "chart plotter" using OpenCPN below decks, and various tables and cell phones at the helm.
I have had enough close calls due to tablets failing in rain, cell phones that can't be read in bright sun etc, i won't do it again.
One scary night, i was entering cocos keeling at night, a squall hit a few minutes from the entrance. Shallow and lots of reefs. My tablet died from the rain. I turned back to sea to get sorted, the Australian coast guard hailed me to check that i was ok. Another boat inside heard the conversation and came out in a dinghy to escort me through the reef.
With a "real" chart plotter there would be no drama. I really love OpenCPN and feel it more capable that commercial options. But there isn't a cost effective way to build a waterproof daylight readable system that will mount at the helm.
It went unnoticed when i posted it. But someone as figured out and posted instructions how to root a Raymarine Axiom, and install any Android app. Not really cheap, but OpenCPN on "real" chartplotter hardware is quite tempting.

[jo_sail]

I use iphone 8 in a holder close to helm (hands free) with OsmAnd Navigational setting based on OpenSeaMap (works offline) and underlying satellite information (works online and partially offline, if images are preloaded). OsmAnd depth is critical and not sufficiently correct for navigation.

Thus: Of cause an additional official paper chart is indispensable in this setting.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by wholybee

I really love OpenCPN and feel it more capable that commercial options. But there isn't a cost effective way to build a waterproof daylight readable system that will mount at the helm.
It went unnoticed when i posted it. But someone as figured out and posted instructions how to root a Raymarine Axiom, and install any Android app. Not really cheap, but OpenCPN on "real" chartplotter hardware is quite tempting.

I think that's the key in my mind. Building a system entirely out of non-chartplotter components is certainly possible, but if you need the same level of daylight readability, waterproofing, integration, multi-station capability, etc. it either gets complex, expensive, or both. At that point there's not much advantage over at least one of the display units in the system being a chartplotter.



Personally, if wanting a really solid mixed system, I'd be inclined to go with Furuno gear. Their plotters and the PC-based TimeZero all tie together, everything networks nicely, they can use the same radar, etc. So it would become easier to have a plotter at the helm and a PC with bigger, cheaper displays for navigation planning, etc.

[wrwakefield]

And if you got the right model, it can also replace your expensive sat phone... [said in the same tone I detect in the original post...]

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Off Trail

I think someone's been hanging out with Chotus girlfriend.

Ha ha ha ha ha.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

but if you need the same level of daylight readability,

FYI
Samsung unveils 2,000 nit OLED display for smartphones


https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_unv...news-57084.php

[Chotu]

This discussion reminds me why I put the helm indoors.

Any electronic device will do. But of course I had to get a Raymarine axiom nine. So my auto pilot would work. They got me.

It will never see a drop of water unless I spill my drink.

[JebLostInSpace]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

And if you got the right model, it can also replace your expensive sat phone... [said in the same tone I detect in the original post...]

I recently read that T-mobile is going to start letting their phones connect directly to starlink for unlimited free texting mid-ocean. That really would largely replace a sat phone if they follow through. I think the phones don't have the right antenna abilities to let you get data straight from starlink, so would need shore support of some kind, but still pretty cool.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Locquatious

As someone once mentioned before, cell phones, iPads, and computers are as waterproof as tissue paper. If you are out in foul weather and reduced visibility, do you really want to be holding a cell phone in your hand to give you navigation assistance?

Ak the skipper of Wolfhound about iPad only navigation..

[wholybee]

I just read the Qualcomm's next snapdragon chipset, used in almost all Android phones, will connect to the Iridium network for worldwide text messages.
It'll probably take a year or so to hit the market, but basically turns an Android phone into an inreach. Certainly an additional subscription will be required as well.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

FYI
Samsung unveils 2,000 nit OLED display for smartphones


https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_unv...news-57084.php

That's a good improvement. Generally the biggest challenge is if you want a waterproof, daylight readable display on a device that's not some kind of pre-packaged unit (so something other than a phone, tablet, or plotter).