I-pad use

W

wanna-be

New member
One other request I plan on purchasing I-pad for plotting and GPS what model is recommended for ocean use and reception and is the Navionics best app choice? thanx
 
I use an IPad 2 32Gig WiFi only with Navionics but I also have other charts on it. Navionics is may primary software on my plotter so I stuck with it for continuity. The one critical thing..that I failed to do...was to buy a 3G/4G IPad. That is necessary in order to have an IPad GPS function. Since I did not I had to buy a stand alone GPS puck in order to have the IPad show the boat, course, heading, etc. Also, I have software called Marine Traffic, a sort of poor man's AIS, loaded but it too will not function away from a WiFi signal. You do not have to actually sign up with a Provider, Verizon, ATT, etc. in order to have the GPS work, the IPad just has to be the 3G or now 4G version. So, I would recommend a full size 3G/4G IPad mounted with a Ram swivel mount.
 
I use a version 1 G3 I pad. It works very well with Navionics, I Navx is what we use for Active Captain (worth having). But now Garmin for I pad and I phone also shows Active Captain, and is also a great choice.

I don't see any reason to upgrade to newer versions of the I pad. I believe that rebuilt or refurbished I pad 1 can be obtained for far less than the more recent version.

You do not have to activate the 3G or 4G to get the GPS, but the GPS engines are built into the i pad--and are very accurate.
 
thataway":86e6cwhq said:
I don't see any reason to upgrade to newer versions of the I pad. I believe that rebuilt or refurbished I pad 1 can be obtained for far less than the more recent version.
Click to expand...

I've been iPad "pre-shopping" and I think there is one possible factor in going to at least an iPad 2, which is that if you want to run the Garmin charts, you have to have at least a 2 (JimTXSD correct me if I'm wrong :wink). Not that the Navionics and iNavx don't sound great, but I'm thinking I'll go with one that could also run the Garmin (presuming I have my facts straight!).

Sunbeam
 
Unless you're a dyed-in-the-wool apple fan, consider a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. You can get them wifi-only, and they come with GPS built in, for about $350 for 16GB.

I run Navionics on mine as well as OpenCpn (free) and they both work great for chartplotting.

If you need internet access when you're out of Wifi range, there are apps available that let you use your android smart phone to accomplish that.

jd
 
Buy any iPad with a 3G/4G connection. Every iPad with a 3G/4G connection has a built in GPS chip that works quite well. You DO NOT need to pay for monthly cellular 3G/4G service for the GPS to work.

iNavX, Navionics, Navimatics, and Garmin are all installed on my iPad (iPad 2, 32GB, Verizon 3G). Navimatics is the only one I wouldn't recommend.

I use a RAM mount and it works wonderfully.
 
I have a refurbished Ipad 2, 32gb 3g which I purchased from Apple online, no sim card installed. I purchased Navionics Canada and US HD since I already have Navionics on my C80 plotter. No regrets with either purchase.
Bill
 
Any Ipad with 3G or 4G LTE capability this model is the only one with GPS chip set included, Do not buy the WiFi only model's there is no GPS installed and you cannot use it for navigation purpose.
I use the iPad 1 with 3G (no data plan I use it with WiFi and tether with my phone while out and about and use it at home on my WiFi network) and use these apps while on the boat:
1. eSeaChart - best one for navigation it's a full blown chart plotter and very cheap uses the NOAA charts that are downloadable for free and stored on the ipad so you don't need to be connected to nav and run the application. Note you have to down load the maps you want first while connected to WiFi then you can run the unit off shore with no cell coverage and use it as a 2nd back up navigation station. I wish this was available 5 years ago then I would not have purchased my Raymarine C90W chart plotter a lot of money could have been saved. I use the iPad as the chart plotter and run the Raymarine as a fishfinder while fishing while cruising I run with them side by side since each one displays slightly different information the iPad just does some much more than anything else today.
2. Navionics US West HD - this app does not have navigation capability only charts - okay but expensive this was one of the fisrt apps that could be purchased for the ipad for a chart plotter but it not very good since you cannot nav with it...
3. BuoyData - this is one of my favorite for real time NOAA buoy data excellent for planning and monitoring the conditions use this all the time while connected.
4.AnchorAlert - this is a good app for monitoring the movement of of the boat at anchor easily customizable and since the iPad has 10 hrs of battery life you can leave it on all night and sleep with a bit more peace of mind at anchor.
 
You can use a non GPS ipad with the nav programs. BTDT. Bad Elf makes a great gps that plugs into the iPad and also one that one that connects via Bluetooth. Have used both, still have the Bluetooth one for sale if anyone is interested!
 
Letitride,
I just looked on my iPod mini and did a search for eSeaChart and I came up empty... Is this the correct title to search for in apps?
 
why cant you use Navionics US West for navigation? I use it on my phone all the time. You just have to press the little blue button/ arrow in the bottom left side of the home screen
 
eSeaChart appears to have been removed from iTunes store - bummer it's a great app. still on my system though sorry guys and gals you'll have to wait I guess...

The Navionics US West for iPad only is different than the iphone version - you cannot real time Nav with auto heading correction so it's basically useless. I think they want the consumer to still purchase the Navionics Chart Plotter Data Cards that's what I had to due for my Raymarine C90W there is a world of difference between the 2 figures it's all about the $$$ these days.
 
If you google "eseachart app for ipad" a lot of hits come up. Including one in ActiveCaptain. It was pretty highly rated, not sure why it was removed, I didn't spend a lot of time with the results of the search.

Charlie
 
I have eSeaCharts, Navionics US & Canada HD & the Garmin Blue Chart apps all downloaded with every chart they carry that I might possibly want to use on my IPad 2, 64G, 3G with the built in GPS. The eSeaCharts app is my least favorite by far with the new Garmin Blue Chart app my favorite. The Navionics is really good too but doesn't have the course up navigation which I prefer on the Garmin app & use on my other gps charts both Garmins a 276 & 545. On our last summers three month Alaska cruise I used Navionics in conjunction with the two Garmins at different view settings ranging from very detailed to a good overall view of cruising location. The IPad apps are much more user friendly & easier to change views on the screen while on the go & now my preferred chart for navigating. My only complaint is its tendency to be by far the least accurate in placing the boat on its chart of the GPS's I use in very remote locations. I would not want it to be the only electronic gps chart on board or in use while cruising in Southeast Alaska. Of course there are times when none of them will have the boat in its actual location, so over dependency can be a problem with them, but using two in conjunction & maintaining other references when navigating, especially in hazardous or remote locations will lower the risk. The video I posted of our cruising through Piehle Passage on our Last summers Alaska cruise shows the iPad with the Navionics app being way off & me using my Garmin 276 & 545 to accurately navigate. Included in my write up of our last summers Alaska cruise in the Grand Adventure Forum is telling about navigating with the IPad & it's use in conjunction with the other GPS charts on board & at times having none of them showing us in the correct location, so navigating through some very narrow rocky tidal waters using the charts in the old way as references only.

Jay
 
Thanks for the additional input, Jay. I'm considering an iPad for an additional device (would get at least a 2 so I can use the Garmin app), and I wonder if you could clarify something for me:

When you say the iPad is sometimes the least accurate in placing you on the chart, does this include when comparing Garmin to Garmin? In other words, if you had your Garmin chartplotter and the iPad with Garmin app both going at the same time, would they show different placements? Just curious about that and not sure I understood it correctly.

Sunbeam
 
Sunbeam,

Even Garmin to Garmin, they can each show different boat placement on the the individual charts, though most of the time whether right or wrong they all will put the boat in the same place. When one of them is in error which is most often for me the IPad, the cause I believe to be not the fault of the chart whether Navionics or Garmin, but instead the antenna reception of the GPS signal & its causing the erratic placement of the boat on the chart. On the Alaska trip the comparison was IPad Navionics to two different Garmin GPS & in some cases in very remote areas I think error of boat placement was the chart differences between Garmin & Navionics & at other times the reception of the antennas of the GPS signal or a combination of the two. I can tell if its being caused by the chart being off due to the discrepancy of boat chart placement from actual to shown being consistently the same distance as turns are made by & around objects on the chart where as if coming from not getting a good signal from the antenna to GPS the recorded track movement of the boat on the chart is generally erratic. I've had both cases happen at the same time, the most memorable being last summer as we were exiting the northern of two entrances to Elbow Passage on the outer coast of Baranof Island, a passage we first made this year. It's a narrow fast water at the time tidal passage with some rocks near the east side center. The Navionics IPad chart had us going over the land at the west side of the passage, the Garmin 276 the land on the east side of the passage & the Garmin 545 the rocks just off the center of the Passage. Seeing none of the charts positioning of the boat matched our visual location of where we should be I just used the chart to compare with what I could see from the boat to navigate the correct route through the Passage.

So to summarize. My experience with the IPad being more often in error than my other GPS Garmin charts is more to due with reception of signal on the IPad than what app the IPad is using. This maybe is a fault of my particular IPad or the IPad's ability to receive the GPS signal is not up to the same capability in signal reception as some of the dedicated GPS devices. If so perhaps an added external antenna would help. One thing for sure with so many now being used the answer will soon be known or I think for those who haven't experienced any discrepancies thought already to be known. So far I can't remember others mentioning inaccuracy like me.

Jay
 
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