iPad as a GPS/chartplotter?

[W3bexec]

I've been doing a bit of research on adding a chartplotter for an eventual trip to Lake Powell, etc. I really like the Garmin GPSMAP but wow are they pricey. I got to wondering if an iPad mini could be used instead. I've seen a few iPad's being used on some of the popular YouTube sailing channels. I can't seem to nail down exactly what the iPad's real capability is or what the limitations are either. Curious if anyone is using one for this and what your experience has been.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I use an Android tablet with Navonics download on it. Works for me!

 

[Julian]

I heard of people using them....one issue I've heard about is heat...out in the sun they will apparently overheat and shut down. The other issue is you need to make sure you get one with GPS chip built in (used to be that the wireless ones had no GPS chips...not sure if that is still the case)

 

[Betik]

I heard of people using them....one issue I've heard about is heat...out in the sun they will apparently overheat and shut down. The other issue is you need to make sure you get one with GPS chip built in (used to be that the wireless ones had no GPS chips...not sure if that is still the case)

I used an Ipad mini paired with an inreach for the 2017 crossing. I won't do it again.
Ipads get hot when

1. the screen is on ( ie you are looking at the chart)
2. the battery is being charged ( which you have to do because the screen is on all the time and the processor is maxing out)
3. when they are hot environment ( especially under direct sunlight)

Once they pass a certain temperature they will stop charging even if they are plugged in. If does not shut down from the temperature, it will drain the battery real quick and you will not be able to charge until it cools down.

I guess, in a lake it is okay, but if you are depending on it to find a tiny island in the ocean, it is a bad idea.

 

[boudin]

The Navionics software is pretty good, but I agree with @Betik, iPads don't like sitting in the sun and getting hot. If you can figure out how to keep it on the shade, then you'll probably be fine.

 

[Mainah]

I have recent experience in this area over a long trip. I used a iPhone 7 with Navionics for a 100 plus mile trip in mid 90s temps and lots of full sun. iPhone mounted to a ram mount just above the tachs and in a case. I also had the stock Bimini deployed. The iPhone never overheated while in the mount and plugged while moving. The iPhone did over heat in just minutes when I took it out of the holder while getting fuel and left it face up on the dash. I tossed it in a plastic bag and submerged it in my cooler. A few minutes later I was all set. I had a backup phone kept out of the sun on board as well if needed. I also have fixed and handheld vhf radios with gps that way points can be entered in and then a radar type screen to be able to follow to those points. Lastly I am no stranger to a map, compass, and protractor.

To wrap up my opinion is if going to use a portable device make sure you have a backup that is at the ready and you know how to use it. Also have a waterproof bag/case that you can drop the devices in for the cooler if they get too hot.

For my Bimini trip my sons iPhone 7 plus will be the primary navigation device with my phone as the primary back up along with 4 other iPhones on board. Add to that my vhf radios with pre programmed waypoints and lastly a map, compass, protractor, and waterproof pen in the ditch box. Once I get the time I will be installing a Simrad Go7 as the primary to avoid half of that backup foolishness.

 

[jeff_s]

I used my iPhone 7 and will use my iPhone X with Navionics app. We mainly go in the bay, short trips into the ocean (to sandbars) and up the rivers.
Last season I had no issues but I also know most of the areas I boat.

I want to get a chart plotter with Navionics installed and touch screen, but most of the contenders have a really large screen. The large screens make it difficult to find a good mounting location with the limited dash space my 210 has.

 

[Betik]

We use our phones at our local lake and never had issue with them, but again they are are not running maxout screen brightness in the Bermuda triangle. I think the non electronic back ups are best.

in regard to Bimini 2017, I was set up with
primary Garmin 7inch echomap
2nd back up ipda Mini
3rd back up GX1700 VHF with build GPS
4th back up inreach explorer

after the worse of the storm ( squil I think is more appropriate description), I had to get on the front of the group.

I had let the Ipad hibernate ( to avoid overheating)
when my crew tried to turned on, it was declared dead on sight ( we though it was the water we took overboard but it actually did turn on again when we were in Bimini)
the screen on VHF had too small of a monitor to keep an eye on it without getting a headache. at this point we are fighting 2 to 3 feet waves.
the inreach has even smaller screen, so that is had become just an SOS device on my crew's neck.

At the end of hte day we use the Garmin and my crew will contantly check behind us to make sure that the rest of the group is more or less going the same direction


NOTE: make sure all electronics are bagged in a waterproof case or bag. We did not just get water over the bow, we had a few splashes over our heads and bathed all our electronics in salt water. And while you are at it make sure all touch screens are locked. Water ( moisture) tents to make the screen move LOL

 

[W3bexec]

Thanks everyone for all the great and informative replies!

 

[elcue]

I used to use an iPhone with a ram mount. I never went anywhere crazy far with it though. New boat has a simrad Go 5 built in im hoping that’s as easy as the navionics app was.

 

[John McLaughlin]

@jeff_s
I want to get a chart plotter with Navionics installed and touch screen, but most of the contenders have a really large screen. The large screens make it difficult to find a good mounting location with the limited dash space my 210 has.

I just installed a SIMRAD GO7 XSE on my 2011 210. I also added Navionics + to it. I posted pictures of it in another thread. Now I do like it however I can tell you it has more on it then I will need such as Radar and the ability to hook into my engine and radios. I think you will find this case no matter which one you buy today if the screen is 7 or more inches.

 

[AZ Native]

@W3bexec I’m headed to Lake Powell this weekend for a houseboat trip taking my 242 and a couple Jet Skis. I know the lake pretty well but still I’m in the process of setting up www.lakepowellgpsmaps.com on my iPad using the Galileo app. The map is purchased for specific lake levels taking into account submerged obstacles. I’m putting my iPad in a tough case for protection. I won’t keep it on all the time but use it for reference sine the map works with offline GPS.

 

[Joshua Miller]

Just installed this over the weekend. Ram mount was $38 off of amazon. Super easy install and no wires to run. Used it yesterday, had the phone mounted all day with navionics running. Picture shows a glare but that’s just from the angle of the shot. Sitting in the captains chair you can see it just fine.

 

[Larkintx]

I installed mine yesterday and I’m really pleased with the finished product.

Links:
Case
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0756WKXFV/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mount
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BH9N2YE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Speedling]

I've been doing a bit of research on adding a chartplotter for an eventual trip to Lake Powell, etc. I really like the Garmin GPSMAP but wow are they pricey. I got to wondering if an iPad mini could be used instead. I've seen a few iPad's being used on some of the popular YouTube sailing channels. I can't seem to nail down exactly what the iPad's real capability is or what the limitations are either. Curious if anyone is using one for this and what your experience has been.

I used my samsung s6 active in a thin case on a ram mount low in the windshield to stay mostly out of the sun. Worked the whole Bahamas trip despite getting water spray often.
Had my wifes s7 tucked away on reserve (on, loaded, and in airplane mode but with navionics up)
And a 10" samsung tablet as a 3rd device.
Also, as soon as we set off in either direction, i took note of thr heading, as my GPS speedo displays degrees of compass (numerically) and could follow that pretty well.
The s6 active never lost a beat and i am now replacing with the s8 active. I believe keeping it in the shade is a good idea. +1 for tinted windshield!

 

[Betik]

@Larkintx please be aware that the seasucker might "bend" from the weight during rough seas. I have the white version of what you have and although the suction cups are great the weight on an IPAD mini will bend it during rough seas.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Regardless what you use on the lake, you'll want to watch the depth contour lines as well as your depth finder. I use a Garmin GPS Map and it while up at Lake Shasta the past few years, the maps show water levels on the lake at full pool. This year Shasta was down about 75 feet and thus any depths on the charts were off. The benefit though is you can read the coutour lines and will know what the bottom basically looks like.

Another thing to note is that on my 242X, if I was heading from a shallower area (say 50' of depth) into deeper water by a significant amount (say down to 100+) the depth finder would indicate the water was really shallow (like 4-5 feet). The first few times it did this I was concerned, but then noticed it seemed to only happen when the depth was increasing at anything >9-10MPH. I reasoned it to the sonar wasn't getting a solid return ping and that's how the unit interpreted it. That's not really an error in the system, just the physics of it...and be aware of it.

 

[gthh]

I use an IPAD 2 with GPS in a Lifelock NUUD case with Navonics and it works well-never overheated.

The only thing I do not like is I can't read the chart while I have my polarized sunglasses on and it does not have sonar for fishing.

 

[Frank Marshall]

I went overboard on maps for Lake Powell. On one of our first trips, we hit some rocks and did substantial damage to our ski boat. That pushed me into buying a Garmin GPSmap 526s. Although they suggested that it would adjust the water level for the current lake level, it didn't. It adjusted the horizontal distance from shore, not much help.

Not having a good solution for adjusting the lake level, I did some research and was able to find topo maps created for Lake Powell prior to construction. With that I was able to create a set of maps from 3650' to 3700', at 10' intervals. Now I look up the lake level http://lakepowell.water-data.com/ and select the appropriate "Shallow Depth" map.

I have them on a laptop in the houseboat, nice big screen. Up top I use iPads, iPhones, tablets, and smartphones. On the ski boat I have custom chips I install into the Garmin. Like I said, I went overboard!

Info about the maps are on this website: https://lakepowellgpsmaps.com/index.html I've made them available for others, but there's no money in it, it's a limited market, but hopefully, it helps people be safer. It is a dammed up canyon, going from 300' to 3' in a flash.