Visit our Popular Forums

raffo5 · 03-09-2019, 03:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyqchur

I'm testing out Aqua Map on my iPad this cruising season in conjunction with my Raymarine/Cmap chart plotter. Aqua map makes available Explorer Charts for the Bahamas, Active Captain Data and Waterway Guide Data via download. The Aqua map Master version will support Course/Headihg, Ais and GPS Data via WiFi transmitted from your nav router. So far so good, a very nice alternative to Garmin's Blue Chart Mobile.

I agree, Aqua Map in the Bahamas (Explorer Charts data) and in ICW (with Army Corps of engineers survey ) is invaluable. I love the possibility to share the purchase from App Store to Android device

Pete O Static · 05-09-2019, 08:53

I have been using iSailor for about 5 years now. I have tried iNavX and Seaiq along with Navionics.

iSailor out shines them all in my opinion. It is accurate and since I bought my charts 5 years ago, I have never had to pay any subscription fees while new chart updates appear regularly.

Navionics seems more like a toy since Garmin bought them and personally I cannot stand Garmin. They seem to buy out their competitors rather than build a better mousetrap and continue to dumb everything down in the process.

SariTimur · 05-09-2019, 20:28

We used to really love Navionics. But recently we paid for the new subscription and have all kinds of issues with speed and heading dropping out for a period of time. We never had this issue before. at first we thought it was just due to an older IPad but it does it on our phones too. Have others experienced this?

raffo5 · 09-09-2019, 02:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by SariTimur

We used to really love Navionics. But recently we paid for the new subscription and have all kinds of issues with speed and heading dropping out for a period of time. We never had this issue before. at first we thought it was just due to an older IPad but it does it on our phones too. Have others experienced this?

I've heard that the latest generation of iPad Pro has problems with the GPS sensor. You will find a lot of discussions if you search on google, However there' re two solutions:
1) use another navigation app in split screen and see if the problem is on both apps (hardware problem) or only with Navionics (Navionics bug)
2) Use an app with NMEA over WiFi (like iNavX, Aqua Map ...)

Tenedos · 13-09-2019, 19:56

I have used iNavX, Navionics (both app and MFD), iSailor, OpenCPN. Here is a summary of my impressions:

- Navionics app is easy to use and I found the charts pretty accurate on the California Coast of US. I don't like their pricing that requires you to buy separately for your phone and tablet. My app on the phone is grandfathered in so I don't receive the updates. Another negative is that there is no way to link it to your instruments. I don't think there is a technical explanation, I think they do this not to cannibalize their relationships with chartplotter vendors, though that is my speculation.

- Navionics charts for MFD (In this case Raymarine Axiom): Here we are only talking about the charts, since the app is Raymarine (which is running Android, so it is essentially a custom Android app behind the scenes). Basically the same charts as the app. From an accuracy perspective, I have not had an issue in California waters. Now looking at sailing down to Mexico, I am a little outraged by the prices of charts over there and the comments I hear (on another thread in the same sub-forum) that they are inaccurate.

- iNavX is a nice app but I don't find it user friendly. You can use the NOAA charts for free in the US but I could never get tilting work the way I wanted it. It integrates with your instruments (at least the AIS) but it tends to lose the connection to the server once in a while and when that happens you don't notice it. I find this pretty problematic. It may just be me since a lot of people seem to use it. But I believe that I understand these things a bit (have developed network AIS servers, etc.) so I was not happy with the technical design. Again, it might just be me for some odd reason. Having said that, I always keep iNavX, since it gives me a good option as a backup and different charts. For Mexico, I was recommended Blue Pelican charts and iNavX is the only option for me to use them. So I like to have it, though it is certainly not my primary. Also, I bought it a long time ago, so I don't remember exactly, from what remember, buying it on iPhone also gives the iPad version (this is not the case for Navionics app)

- iSailor is a pretty cool app and compared to iNavX is much more user friendly. It feels more "native" for iOS. It integrates well with your instruments, doesn't suffer from the AIS server disconnect problems I mentioned for iNavX. You need to purchase different components separately (AIS connection, weather, charts obviously etc.) but they are relatively inexpensive and once purchased, they work well. One big problem is having so many icons and depth contours when you zoom out as someone else mentioned above. I don't know why they don't fix it, I don't think it would be a difficult fix. Regardless, it can be annoying and visually unpleasing. I don't know the source of their charts but I just bought Mexico charts for $6.99 half an hour ago. For reference Mexico charts are $199 and $299 for Navionics (charplotter version) depending the region you choose and $39.99 for iNavX(Blue Latitude Press)

- OpenCPN for computers is truly fantastic. Whatever mobile app or MFD you use, I think you should use OpenCPN regardless. I don't use it for navigation really, though I understand it does it very well (as long as you have the right charts). It is an amazing planning tool for me. I use it at home, at anchor, while trying to plan cruises, harbor entrances, exits etc. It has an amazing ecosystem of community, capabilities, plugins (I used it with my sextant with a plugin for instance), etc. Anyone dealing with navigation in one form or another should really try it I think.

- OpenCPN for Android is great since it is basically free and NOAA charts are free as well. I use it as a third or fourth level backup on an Android phone. I never needed it but never hurts to have it. I have to say, from a personal experience perspective, I use the mobile and computer versions of OpenCPN for very different purposes. I don't think it is the same for everyone but just the point for me.

Tillsbury · 13-09-2019, 20:06

It does depend on where you are. If you're in a country where the real raster charts are published by the government department (eg US, NZ) then SeaIQ is easily the best on the iPad, and openCPN on a computer. For other areas you might find that TimeZero suits you better. Vector charts down here are truly terrible so there's little to choose between inavx, isailor, navionics, and mfd displays : they're all ok as a backup but I wouldn't use them for primary navigation. Some won't take AIS over WiFi, which makes them very poor substitutes for the better options.

Pizzazz · 14-09-2019, 00:16

Also consider SailGrib WR for Android. Really useful weather routing app.

Franziska · 14-09-2019, 00:55

Sailgrib is awesome.

Uses a lot of different chart formats, amongst then MBtiles and Navionics.

Takes also currents and tides into account.

Very good and fairly intuitive user interface too.

On Android it's our favorite nav program. On Windows we use and love OpenCPN.

fxykty · 14-09-2019, 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

It does depend on where you are. If you're in a country where the real raster charts are published by the government department (eg US, NZ) then SeaIQ is easily the best on the iPad, and openCPN on a computer. For other areas you might find that TimeZero suits you better. Vector charts down here are truly terrible so there's little to choose between inavx, isailor, navionics, and mfd displays : they're all ok as a backup but I wouldn't use them for primary navigation. Some won't take AIS over WiFi, which makes them very poor substitutes for the better options.

Please explain ‘Vector charts down here are truly terrible’! I’ve got Navionics charts on my MFD and iSailor with its charts (where does it get its charts from?) on my phone - both are just fine on the NE coast (East Cape to Bay of Islands) and I haven’t noticed any problem areas.

CaptTom · 14-09-2019, 04:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Vector charts down here are truly terrible so there's little to choose between inavx, isailor, navionics, and mfd displays...

Don't feel bad. US vector charts from NOAA aren't much better. Most of the place names, and virtually all of the shoreside structure outside a few spires and towers, were never digitized from the original paper charts. No big deal on open ocean, but coming into unfamiliar harbors is when you need charts the most anyway.

Pendragon35 · 14-09-2019, 06:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

You are talking about acquiring an app + cartography, right?

For what platform?

If you're using an IPad, and like the dumbed-down simplified Apple style of computing, you can get INavX. You buy the Navionics cartography through the INavX system. You can use out of date Navionics charts almost forever if you want -- not recommended for primary navigation but may be appropriate for a secondary or backup system. My point is that with INavX you buy the software and it works forever, and you are not in any way dependent on any subscription.

If you're using a PC, and want the polar opposite of INavX -- that is, the most complex, powerful, and sophisticated plotter you can get, by all means, OpenCPN, which on top of everything else is free. You can get a variety of cartography to work with OpenCPN.

There are lots and lots more -- depends on what you want, what platform you're using, what cartography you want to use.

This is pretty silly. OpenCPN works great on Mac laptops; OSX, the mac operating system, is unix base so most unix things do work. I believe OpenCPN also works on linux, although I haven't tested that.

Pendragon35 · 14-09-2019, 06:45

I use iNavx and iSailor and OpenCPN. OpenCPN and iNavx both can use NOAA raster charts; I like that and use them, they are exact images of the paper charts I also use.

But for most casual sailing, I use iSailor. It works on iPad and iPhone. It's ala carte; if you want AIS, it's an annual subscription, same for weather and marina guide and the charts. I got it when it was a one time purchase, I believe now it is a subscription fee. The charts are good, and I use it for casual sailing because it's just sooo easy.

You don't say where you are going; I sail on the Chesapeake, mostly cruising and daysailing. If you are sailing in other countries, you might like iSailor because it is very international focused. The parent company does big ship navigation systems world wide.

CatNewBee · 14-09-2019, 07:06

I gave OpenCpn a shot or two, on the PC, and on the tablet...

It is not very intuitive, and the most important thing to me, there is no good chart source for the Med. I agree, the free US raster charts for the Caribbean and US coasts are great, but in other sailing areas there is not much. I checked the OSM charts, but I would not navigate with them.

So I stick to my chartplotter with Navionics charts and the Navionics App. I also have eastern Med charts from C-Map NT on the B&G, but the B&G Vulcan plotter tends to freeze after using them, also do not like the presentation. The Navionics are up to now for me the best choice, I wish I could use them on OpenCPN, would then give him a secong try.