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What 'marine' app do you use on your ipad?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by P46-Curaçao, Dec 11, 2014.

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  1. P46-Curaçao, Dec 11, 2014
    #1
    P46-Curaçao

    P46-Curaçao Senior Member

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    Recently bought my first iPad (iPad Air 2, with 128gb and wifi only), so I'm wondering, what 'marine' related app do you use on your ipad? :)
  2. Riverdance, Dec 11, 2014
    #2
    Riverdance

    Riverdance Member

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    Navionics
    MeteoEarth
    GarminGold
    MarineTraffic
    SeaTow (for the weather feature)
  3. Pascal, Dec 11, 2014
    #3
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    • Garmin blue chart, Nicely done and has excellent bahamas charts. Great back up to the onboard plotters and convenient in the tender
    • MyRadar for weatht radar
    • WindAlert for wind, I really like having access to their privately owned, almost live data buoys like those they have her on biscayne bay. A must for sailaholics like us
    • WindFinder for bahamas wind forecasts
    • DragQueen for a simple anchor alarm
    • Google earth / Panoramio to research new anchorages and destinations
    • BoatBeacon to view and transmit AIS data (with obvious limitation of Internet based AIS)
  4. 1000 islands, Dec 11, 2014
    #4
    1000 islands

    1000 islands Member

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    Will any of the apps work on an IPad one, the original version ?

    I know there is no G3 chip, but I have a wifi adapter.
  5. P46-Curaçao, Dec 12, 2014
    #5
    P46-Curaçao

    P46-Curaçao Senior Member

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    I Googled, and without tge 3G chipset, the iPad 1, 2, 3 and 4 have no GPS, but there are options to add external receivers...
  6. Norseman, Jan 6, 2015
    #6
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Hmm, I have been curious about that: Got an iPad 5 and thought it had built in GPS and able to "navigate". So far with mixed results: Downloaded the Garmin Bluecharts recently and tried the iPad on a boat in the local area and it worked fine.
    Last year we flew to France, borrowed an RV and planned on using the iPad to navigate the French country side. Had downloaded lots of charts and maps before we left and thought I was going to have a "moving map" setup with a default to the built in iPad maps. Not so, no good and not sure what the problem was. Fortunately the RV came with a great GPS/Map gizmo, a life-saver in the French country side and in Paris during rush-hour and it could tell you in 5 languages that you made the wrong turn.:rolleyes:

    Should have done my homework, my iPad only has WiFi reception, no cell network, thought maybe that was the problem, but the Garmin Nautical charts worked the other day.

    Got a couple of Tide Apps on the iPad, but they need to be told the nearest location, for some reason they won't look to the GPS for "nearest" tide station.
  7. Pascal, Jan 6, 2015
    #7
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    If you need or want on board GPS receiver on an iPad you need to buy the cellular version as the GPS chip is on the cellular chipset. It s about $100 more but worth it. Obviously you don't have to activate the data subscription
  8. Norseman, Jan 6, 2015
    #8
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Uh, you are talking the 1,2,3 and 4 now right.....?
  9. olderboater, Jan 6, 2015
    #9
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Plus a basic data plan is only $30 or so. Of course we don't use that word "iPad" in our home or any of those "i" words. lol
  10. Pascal, Jan 6, 2015
    #10
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    You don't need to activate a data plan to use the GPS function

    I believe this applies to all ipad models
  11. olderboater, Jan 6, 2015
    #11
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Not saying anything that hasn't been said above but attempting to clarify.

    GPS is separate from any data. Now that said you do need a GPS receiver in your iPad so that does require you purchasing the iPad cellular version as Pascal says above. It does not require you activating a data plan.

    Back to the OP's situation, I believe he indicated his iPad is a Wifi only model. So, no GPS receiver. It would then require some type of external GPS receiver.

    Advice to all, if you're going to purchase an iPad, get one with cellular capabilities even if you never intend on using them. If you want a cheap tablet without any extra functions, then just buy any of the thousands of available Wifi only tablets for as low as $100.
  12. Danvilletim, Jan 6, 2015
    #12
    Danvilletim

    Danvilletim Senior Member

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  13. Norseman, Jan 7, 2015
    #13
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Hmm, not so sure about that: I got a non-cellular iPad, and can still use it for navigation with the Garmin app and charts.
  14. DOCKMASTER, Jan 7, 2015
    #14
    DOCKMASTER

    DOCKMASTER Senior Member

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    A lot of the new electronics also have WiFi adapters so you can use your iPad as another screen. I do this with my Simrad suite of electronics. The adapter was $50 and my iPad has nearly every function of the NSS12 screen units that cost way more. It's great in the cockpit or next to my bed at night to have an anchor alarm that I can acrually hear. I sleep much better now :)
  15. P46-Curaçao, Jan 7, 2015
    #15
    P46-Curaçao

    P46-Curaçao Senior Member

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    Great idea, will look into it, thnx!
  16. Scallywag, Jan 9, 2015
    #16
    Scallywag

    Scallywag Member

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    Garmin BlueCharts Moble is *excellent*. Just wish it had an anchor alarm integrated.
  17. Scallywag, Jan 9, 2015
    #17
    Scallywag

    Scallywag Member

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    Also, FWIW I use Garmin BlueCharts on my Wi-Fi only iPad using a Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS antennae. Very accurate.