Voyage planning using Navionics Charts, iNavX software on an Ipad

Last voyage a crewmember had an Ipad loaded with iNavX software and Navionics charts. He had world-wide chart coverage. The cost of the software was about $50, the charts were a total of $500.

Anyone had any experience with this?

K.C.

I have both…not bad. Navionics is vector, iNav is raster. Both are pretty accurate and well worth it for a personal boat instead of a chart plotter.

Inavx works great. (inshore work). Zoom, scroll and chart selection are good. Range and bearing are ok. Ais by web is good. I use two iPads, one for GCaptain, I mean backup. 8 hrs on batts and a waterproof (They say) case. Not certifiable ala Rosepoint, but great backup.
Cheers

[QUOTE=Kennebec Captain;91407]Last voyage a crewmember had an Ipad loaded with iNavX software and Navionics charts. He had world-wide chart coverage. The cost of the software was about $50, the charts were a total of $500.

Anyone had any experience with this?[/QUOTE]

I’ve used this now for a couple trips. INavX supports TCP/IP, I receive nav info on the I Pad via WIFI from a feed off the AIS to a wireless router. Mostly I keep it on my desk in my office. The amount of information available is a big improvement over previous.(Lat Long C&S only)

I use it a lot, keeping an eye on things and planning.

A couple things about INavX:

It will not allow scrolling over Long 180 which is annoying. The track distance is correct but track line goes to the 180 then round the other way.

No rhumb lines, Great Circle only. Not really an issue for me. On short legs very little difference and on long legs I can don’t really need exact nav info in my office.

Entering waypoints on the screen is easy but the coordinates are to three decimal places. Entering by number is a bit of a pain, for some reason you can’t use a keyboard (I have a ZAGG) but instead you have to scroll thorough the numbers. Literally a pain in the wrist. There may be another way but I don’t know what it is.

Overall it’s been well worth it. Great planning aid. Nice to keep an eye on things without having to make trips to the wheelhouse.

I have been using Navionics HD on my IPad for a year. About $50. IPad is not linked to anything. Simply sitting on shelf by midship gyro repeater as I conn the ship, or sitting on large radar almost horizontal control panel during fog. Great on ships without chart plotter or with poor radars. Big confidence boost to get independent confirmation of ship’s position that agrees with ship’s equipment. Independent power source as well.

Definitely not as accurate as DGPS on good ship’s plotters. Often off by up to 100 feet I’d estimate. But close enough for channel keeping in fog.

I sometimes lose input signal temporarily as IPad is often in enclosed area. Goes to DR mode and that is useless for me.

There has been 3 times this year when Navionics became the only useful electronic navigation device available during a maneuver. Once, when unexpectedly whited out on a dead Navy ship shift, Navionics on my IPhone along with the magnetic compass was the only way we knew where we were going in a very tight quarters situation.

Not perfect, but I’m a believer. I’m sure there are better applications than my simple approach.

[QUOTE=Starboard Ten;130457]

I sometimes lose input signal temporarily as IPad is often in enclosed area. Goes to DR mode and that is useless for me.[/QUOTE]

Just recent purchased a inexpensive Android tablet as an upgrade to the Garmin handhelds GPS I’ve been using in the woods. However the tablet loses the signal frequently, much more often the the Garmin. To solve that problem I just ordered a XGPS150 A. It receives GPS and transmits Bluetooth. No display.

It was under $100. I see that it is used in aviation and maritime and has good reviews.

I would like more details, please, of the wireless ais signal to the tablet…etc…
How u do that?

I am looking for a way to go from the pilot plug on my AIS to my I Pad. Does anyone on here do that or use another way to get ais and gps information to their I Pad?

http://www.digitalyachtamerica.com/index.php/en/products/interfacing/nmea-to-wifi-
adaptors/product/74-pilotlink-class-a-ais-wi-fi-interface

I use the SEAiQ pilot app. Pricey, but good. Uses NOAA ENC charts which I update every week

[QUOTE=Tom B;156882]I am looking for a way to go from the pilot plug on my AIS to my I Pad. Does anyone on here do that or use another way to get ais and gps information to their I Pad?[/QUOTE]

The pilot plug is probably the quickest, easiest option however we had to leave that available for pilots.

On the back of the Furuno FA-100 AIS is a connector (9 pin serial RS422) labeled “extra in/out” which outputs a NEMA 0183 signal with the relevant navigation data . That signal can be broadcast via WIFI and received by an I-pad using INavX.