Android vs Apple for Navigation use

[colbysmith]

Not sure if this has been discussed with any of the other Electronics discussion, however I am somewhat considering getting a tablet to use as backup navigation for my Garmin Chartplotters, and for navigation planning. So what are most folks using, Apple or Android, and if Android what specifically? And is it necessary to have 4 or 5G data, or is just internet capable enough. (I'm not interested in paying additional data fees.) I do have an early generation iPad, but pretty sure it doesn't have internal GPS. Basically, I'm just wondering what's inexpensive out there that would work well just for navigation backup and planning. No need for a reader, computer, or camera. As for software, I know there has been a lot of threads on what's available, and I can research those later. Thanks. Colby

[Pat Anderson]

Colby, let me shortcut your research on navigation apps. The winner, hands down, is Aqua Map. Forget Navionics, and Garmin has kind of taken itself out of the running in this field...the so-called "Active Captain" app is a warmed over Blue Chart app which is useless unless you have a compatible Garmin chartplotter or are willing to pay, and pay, and pay for the chart data.

You don't have to take my word for it. Jeff Siegel. the force behind the original Active Captain database and website, raves about Aqua Map. Aqua Map has Active Captain and Waterway Guides available, just turn them on in the settings and download the data (this is the only thing for which you need an internet connection, and you only need to do it initially and whenever you need to update). The big deal for me is that you buy the Aqua Map app once, and the chart updates are free everafter. With Navionics, you buy chart updates year after year after year - not a good deal. Aqua Map uses NOAA and CHS (Canadian Hydrographic Service) charts, and how they managed to get the CHS charts I don't know, because if you ever purchased them, they are pretty pricey.

So, to your original question, we are always going to have an iPad, the Android tablets have their fans but they just don't mearure up to iPads in our opinion. I once bought a Samsung Tab4, and am still wondering why as it gathers dust. Get a refurbished iPad from the Apple store, a few models back, and the price is very modest. Be sure it is cellular capable, because only those iPads have GPS. You do not need a cellular plan, just a cellular capable iPad. Load Aqua Map, a weather app or two, a wind finder app or two, and you are set to cruise anywhere, anytime!

[ssobol]

I use MxMariner. It lets you download NOAA charts for offline use. You can also download the Active Captain database. I find that MxMariner works a lot better than Aqua Map on any of the Android tablets I have tried it on.

The paid version is $9.99.

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

We use both my wife's IPad and my Android tablets with Navionics, they both work great and are the best back up for Mexican navigation where we spend several months of the year. It has also worked well on the western lakes from Mojave up to Powell for us. I know Navionics may not be the best for every one else depending on where they cruise.

[Foggy]

I have an older version iPad, Garmin BlueTooth GPS and Active Captain,
which, the latter, as notified by Garmin, will not be supported after this
December.

Another attempt by Garmin to hold me upside down to shake the $$$ out
of my pockets. It's annoying and too bad since the above seemed to work
fine as a backup.

Aye.

[Water Bill]

Colby,
An iPad with the Navioniccs app has worked fine every place I have been. I have been on the Erie Canal for over two weeks now and it has been more accurate than my Garmin chart plotter.
Bill

[captainRCC]

In my experience the app developers prefer the iOS platform. I use an iPad running Navionics and Aqua Map

[thataway]

I was fortunate enough to spend some time talking to Jonathan Arthur, on Salty. He is doing is 4th or 5th "Great loop" trip. His only navigation tool remains the I pad with Navionics. He does use AquaMaps for its Active captain information. (We agreed that Active Captain has less value than when owned by Jeff Siegel. There are just not many updates. A "Great Loop"Voyage the way he does it, is from 6,000 to 7,000 miles!!!

I don't find that the depths are as accurate in Aqua Map as on Navionics. They are both worthy to have.

Many believe that the I pad with cellular data capability is best, because of built in GPS chip. No need to have the cellular data active. I don't update my data off the cell towers anyway. I probably have an I pad several generations back you can have Colby. No need for G4 or G5. The old ones work as well as new ones. For Navionics there is going to be a one time fee. I am still using Navionics from years back--my chart potter date is up to date (Navionics & Lightrhouse.)

Also most of current MDF allow mirroring the displays on an wi fi device. For example if we are in fog--I can hand Marie a 10" I pad which has a mirror of the MFD radar, and she can watch and control the radar from the I pad. I am then eyes lookout along with AIS and chart plotter/sounder.

[colbysmith]

Thanks for all the information so far. Sounds like the iPad gets the most favorite points. Also sounds like Navionics is the preferred chart software. (Most everyone I've cruised with that use a tablet appear to be using Navionics as well.) As for Active Captain, I've had limited use with it, but I was just starting to get familiar with it as Garmin came into the picture and messed it up! I've had Garmin for my boating career, and as much as I hate being locked in to their expensive chart products and their proprietary ways, I've mostly been satisfied with their customer service and have a lot of money and data tied up with their software and charting products. My Garmin GPSMap 840 does have wifi, so I'm sure with a bit of a learning curve for me, it would be possible to transfer data between it and an iPad or other tablet. I have no intention of ditching my dedicated mounted chartplotter in the boat, but consider the advantages of adding a tablet (iOs or Android) to my navigation arsenal. Colby

[Micahbigsur@msn.com]

On my prior two boats I had a Furuno with C-map it was so bad in Mexico we had to get Navionics on our tablets to navigate, the next boat we were stuck with a Garmin chartplotter and blue charts were almost as bad. Our new to us C-dory had an old Garmin we gave away so we could get a new Simrad chartplotter with Navionics. They were good in well charted areas but in more remote areas it seems they let you down.
I notice that a lot of my ocean cruising friends are advocating CPN, a free Google map overlay charting program. I fooled around with it on my laptop but I was not techy enough to get it up and running. They claim it is the most accurate of all out of the U.S.

[gstraub]

I just bought an inexpensive Windows tablet to use with OpenCpn on our sailboat. I need the Windows OS for something else I do and my old Andriod just wasn't cutting it. So far it seems to be fine, but I am only first going to try it out for real next week. I've used OpenCPN on my old laptop and the Android version. I don't care for the Andriod version, so that is the other reason for the Windows tablet. I have all the navdata from the boat (GPS, speed, depth, wind, AIS, etc.) on wifi, using an inexpensive YakBitz NMEA to wifi bridge and the tablet is attached at the nav station with velcro, so I can just pull it off and go anywhere on board and have everything. The tablet does not have GPS, so it isn't independent, but as noted, it gets that data over wifi.

I have MXMariner on my Andriod phone that is my backup and "double check" that I primarily use on a charter boat I sail, for when someone else is at the helm and I get nervous. The main plotter is a Garmin which I do not like (unfortunately I picked it out!).

Our C-Dory came with an older Garmin chartplotter that I do not like and the charts have some errors and can no longer be updated. On the sailboat, we have an older Raytheon chartplotter that uses older C-Map. It has been OK but is pretty old and I can't get new charts in the proper format.

When I find the perfect one, I'll let you know, but I have high hopes for this Windows tablet and OpenCPN combination!!!

[ssobol]

[gstraub]

You can OpenCpn in the Google Play Store. There are two versions, a free one and a paid one. The paid one is the one that is supported and seems to be the one people recommend. That is the one I loaded.

[ssobol]

[gstraub]

I don't think it the OpenCpn development team. I think this is someone that ported over a version to Android, so the OpenCPN team doesn't really control it. Don't know all the relationships there.