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Ipad or Ipad mini for navigation

USMCDevilDog

Jet Boat Addict
Messages
50
Reaction score
48
Points
87
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2014
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
19
Hey fellas, anyone of you using your iPad or iPad Mini for Navigating? I'm thinking of using my iPad Mini for my trip down to the keys next month but I don't know how it will do with the glare, getting wet, salt water, etc… I downloaded the Navionics app and seems to be pretty solid (Please correct me if I'm wrong).

Do any of you have any history of using this?

Thanks!
 
Well, I get Army has to help the Marines as usual :)

I used my iPad as my primary navigation device on our trip to Freeport last year. The Navionics app for iPad is by FAR the nicest looking, featured app I've used. The lead boat in our flotilla even liked it better than his boat default MFD. It out shined my Raymarine C80 too!

As for glare, I did get a little..but nothing that made it un usable. This year, I bought a sun hood shade (http://www.ebay.com/itm/251863853704)...to try it out on the water.

Only thing I did not like is that it appears the iPad with the Navionics app running, with screen on..uses more power than a high (2.1A) charger can provide. So after about 4-5 hours..the battery was getting low. I contacted navionics about this..asking if they could cycle the GPS to help with battery management...as you can assume...no real reply.

I will be using my iPad again this year for the Bimini trip! :)

P.S.

For planning, I use the Garmin Bluecharts with ACTIVE CAPTAIN!
 
I don;t know my Apple products real well but I have read where some of them have a GPS chip in them and some (maybe older iPhones) use cell system for GPS info. If you are offshore, obviously you need a GPS chip. I recall reading where some Apple product didn't have it and some Android tablets did have a GPS chip. Maybe that was last generation too. Anyway, something to check on first.

That being said, I have heard good things about the Navionics software. Only downside I have heard reported is the cumbersome nature of using a tablet and mounting a tablet in the boat and glare on the screens. Water protection goes without saying.
 
I used a Nexus 7 with Navionics and a suction cup mount as a plotter for all of 2013. It worked well until I got into 3' chop and the mount failed.
 
I've done it in the past with my Jeep, had a separate GPS device (Delorme InReach) attached by bluetooth and then used an app that I liked to show my maps and position. I used a RAM mount to hold the ipad to the roll cage. However, it was not very stable so I don't know how well it would work in a boat.
 
Well, I get Army has to help the Marines as usual :)

I used my iPad as my primary navigation device on our trip to Freeport last year. The Navionics app for iPad is by FAR the nicest looking, featured app I've used. The lead boat in our flotilla even liked it better than his boat default MFD. It out shined my Raymarine C80 too!

As for glare, I did get a little..but nothing that made it un usable. This year, I bought a sun hood shade (http://www.ebay.com/itm/251863853704)...to try it out on the water.

Only thing I did not like is that it appears the iPad with the Navionics app running, with screen on..uses more power than a high (2.1A) charger can provide. So after about 4-5 hours..the battery was getting low. I contacted navionics about this..asking if they could cycle the GPS to help with battery management...as you can assume...no real reply.

I will be using my iPad again this year for the Bimini trip! :)

P.S.

For planning, I use the Garmin Bluecharts with ACTIVE CAPTAIN!

Haha, Yes, thanks for the help. Great info to have!
 
where and how are you giys mounting you ipads? photos?
 
Suction cup ram mount to left top corner of windshield
 
My neighbor has a much bigger boat than mine, has much more experience with boating, and he's a commercial airliner pilot. He uses his I pad for his navigation/charts, with an app called "Skipper". He uses a suction cup and waterproof case also

I'm on the fence whether to get a dedicated depth/FF/GPS ($$), or "punt" and get myself a new tablet with integrated GPS. I'd still need some type of depth reading at cruising speeds though. Not sure if an inexpensive depth gauge/FF would still display an accurate depth while at cruise/WOT. Makes it tough to commit to a plan and which products to choose.
 
I'm on the fence whether to get a dedicated depth/FF/GPS ($$), or "punt" and get myself a new tablet with integrated GPS. I'd still need some type of depth reading at cruising speeds though. Not sure if an inexpensive depth gauge/FF would still display an accurate depth while at cruise/WOT. Makes it tough to commit to a plan and which products to choose.

You want a dedicated. Unless you're only doing local navigation and you won't be stressed if it fails. The issue with ipads/tablets I've seen is they CAN overheat and then shut down. Lastly, it's always good to have redundancy.
 
My RAM mount suction cup with my handheld GPS has yet to fall off in rough water. I can't wait to upgrade to an all in one unit once money allows. I use my small Garmin maps 78sc I think it is and use Navionics on my phone as back up and downloaded a large area.
 
My 242 displays depth
I have 6 Ipads laying around from past work events so I figured I would one of my mini ipads
I also have the Garmin Glo / Bluetooth satellite receiver - it supposed to lock on to more satellites than your phone GPS and works anywhere / don’t hurt your data
I would never be more than a few miles off shore
as for overheating, I only seen this happen if the light directly hits the screen or the back of the ipad or iphone, I leave mine in a white case and haven’t experience it since
 
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