iPad Navigation Using SEAiq App (User Reviews)

[Steadman Uhlich]

I recently answered a question about using SEAiq. I think the answer may help others who read this thread in the future. So I am copying my answer here:

Originally Posted by Spartanacus

After reading a post raving about SEA IQ ... the 5 dollar version was installed on my Apple 9.7 tablet successfully. Now I've had various GPS systems over the years so I'm not a rookie.

How do you get SEA IQ to show where you are? It's almost a default on any other downloadable program that has been on this tablet but this one will not do it! It does show the proper map of our location OK but does not have the "ping" of our boat.

What am I doing wrong here? Almost embarrassed to ask this seemingly simple question ... yes I've gone thru the PDF instructions, yes it's been removed and re-installed. The tablet has "onboard GPS" that's why I bot it and yes GPS is turned on.

When the software was installed it should ask you for permission to use your “Location Services” or ‘Your Location” or something like that.

If you did not click “OK” when that dialog box popped up initially, the software does not know where you are. I made this mistake myself, as I was in a hurry to check out the software (free download) and I forgot to go back to OK location later when I downloaded the charts.

Simple Fix: Go to your SETTINGS on your iPad. Look down the list of applications you have on your iPad and find SEAiq. Click on that. Look for Location Services under SEAiq. Check the box (move slider) for SEAiq to enable it to use your location (I chose “While using the app.”)

As I recall that is all it takes.

__________

UPDATE:

In July 2018 I used SEAiq on my iPad while on a 1,750 offshore voyage from Cayman Islands to Upper Chesapeake. I found it easy to use and accurate (using my iPad internal GPS).

Nice Feature: I used information contained in the Waterway Guide notes to inform (and caution) the owner/captain of the boat about inlet conditions (he had never entered the inlets along that part of the coast nor sailed along the East Coast).

Reliability
SEAiq also functioned well on my iPad Pro 12”, even when the boat’s primary nav system (Raymarine chartplotter) was acting up and constantly sounding alarms that it had “Lost GPS Fix.” For that reason, I was very happy to have SEAiq on my iPad as a backup.

Nice Feature: I also monitored the boat’s location using both Raster and Vector charts (which is very simple). I am using vector charts because of the embedded info (Waterway Guide and more).

[Taichungman]

Thanks Steadman and all the other posters for this information on SEAiq. I do appreciate the time and effort put into gathering all the info.

[hlev00]

Great info. I am trying SeaIQ out this weekend along with my XB-8000. I've been using Navionics app since one of its earliest releases. Lately it seems to be crushing my iPad battery when following a route. Also, no AIS input. There are some other UI issues with Navionics but generally it is really good for charts and currents. SeaIQ seems to really be a chartplotter level app. My problem so far with SeaIQ is that I have an Air 2 and SeaIQ really struggles to keep up with zooming.

[fogmachine]

Over the few years I've used SEAiq on a phone, iPad, and MacBook Pro in many configurations including:

Phone / iPad internal GPS
Ship's GPS and other data (including AIS) via NMEA/WiFi gateways
No GPS when route planning from home
AIS via cellphone data when inshore and near-shore

Overall, it just works. AIS via cellphone can be a bit laggy and I wouldn't want to rely on it in heavy fog. SEAiq needs a way to select between multiple sources of the same data (one boat had three active GPS devices and two heading sensors on the NMEA bus). It seems lighter on battery than similar apps though I try to keep my devices plugged in when possible.

I prefer raster charts (RNC) to vector and generally prefer the NOAA charts to C-MAP and other re-processed proprietary formats, so SEAiq is my goto even when there's a MFD on board. Since I sail in the US SEAiq USA is a steal for $5. It isn't available for Android, but the $50 version that takes free NOAA (& New Zealand & Argentina) charts as well as other commercial formats is still a bargain.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by hlev00

Great info. I am trying SeaIQ out this weekend along with my XB-8000. I've been using Navionics app since one of its earliest releases. Lately it seems to be crushing my iPad battery when following a route. Also, no AIS input. There are some other UI issues with Navionics but generally it is really good for charts and currents. SeaIQ seems to really be a chartplotter level app. My problem so far with SeaIQ is that I have an Air 2 and SeaIQ really struggles to keep up with zooming.

I was using an iPad 4th Generation before I bought SeaIQ.

This summer I bought a iPad Pro 12" (2nd gen) and have been very pleased with it. Spoiled really. I greatly prefer the 12" form for reading and viewing things, easier on my 57 year old eyes.

Also, the iPad Pro 12" (first gen) is not really old, but can be purchased for a few hundred dollars now. Something to consider for a chart plotter replacement.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by fogmachine

Over the few years I've used SEAiq on a phone, iPad, and MacBook Pro in many configurations including:

Phone / iPad internal GPS
Ship's GPS and other data (including AIS) via NMEA/WiFi gateways
No GPS when route planning from home
AIS via cellphone data when inshore and near-shore

Overall, it just works. AIS via cellphone can be a bit laggy and I wouldn't want to rely on it in heavy fog. SEAiq needs a way to select between multiple sources of the same data (one boat had three active GPS devices and two heading sensors on the NMEA bus). It seems lighter on battery than similar apps though I try to keep my devices plugged in when possible.

I prefer raster charts (RNC) to vector and generally prefer the NOAA charts to C-MAP and other re-processed proprietary formats, so SEAiq is my goto even when there's a MFD on board. Since I sail in the US SEAiq USA is a steal for $5. It isn't available for Android, but the $50 version that takes free NOAA (& New Zealand & Argentina) charts as well as other commercial formats is still a bargain.

Good post. Thanks for adding your view to the mix here.

[Pendragon35]

I know this is a thread on SEAiq and I appreciate the information. I tried this a couple years ago and had problems, this thread has made me want to try again.

One note: I use iSailor with several addons, including the guide they offer. I've found it much more useful than Active Captain.

[hlev00]

I started using Seaiq on our trip from Massachusetts to Savannah GA. We are only in Atlantic City but so far I love it. It is a very capable chartplotter app. On this trip we have only used our current (ancient) chartplotter for radar.

First impressions

Pros
- Picks up AIS from new Vesper XB-8000 seamlessly
- Good display and easy interrogation of AIS targets
- NOAA raster and ENC charts both work very well
- Day / Dusk / Night coloring
- Route display and following are easy

Cons (and maybe from my inexperience)
- Route creation seems very rough. I'm used to Navionics which is quite intuitive
- Since Garmin acquisition of Active Captain no data
- AIS target list is a little hard to make good use of

I still have two other apps I am using:
Navionics - Really a chart display app and it shows off their charts well. I also love to steer with this though tight channels. It has a big red heading line. However I am questioning the native iPad GPS accuracy compared with my chartplotter and Vesper GPS as I was compare them coming into Atlantic City last night. More investigation needed.
AquaMap - great integration with Active Captain and Waterways. Seaiq does have Waterways but I couldn't find where to adjust which features to show.

I think I will pay for a set of charts for Seaiq. That may narrow some of the reliance on Navionics. I don't see a good alternative to AuqaMap for ActiveCaptain.

[gla57]

I'm having trouble successfully exporting data from Seaiq USA. I'd like to export a track to see distance, speed, and time. If anyone has experience with this feature, I'd appreciate some information. I'm using the app on my Ipad.

[hlev00]

I found it challenging too. It has been a couple of years since I tried to export them but one thing I recall was somewhere along the way ending up erasing the tracks. Now, this may have been when I was just trying to clear up the clutter and unrelated to exporting tracks. Just keep a look out.

I did manage get the tracks out of SeaIQ. I think just following the documentation. It does use the "share" icon for exporting once you get to the files. I also use an app called Documents by Readlle. It was free or very inexpensive. I found that it integrated well with iOS / iCloud files, Google Drive, and SeaIQ. It helps me keep different data sources in one place.

The only exported tracks file I have now shows only lat lon points. No speed or direction. I don't know if that is due to the format I chose, or SeaIQ limitations. The Navionics tracks replay now displays speed and direction during the replay. That sort of functionality may not be important to their main commercial users.

What sort of problem are you having?

[gla57]

I tried to email the gpx format and the kml format. It acted like it had completed, but I received no email. I also tried Save File and Export with Itunes File Sharing but didn't really know what to do to retrieve it.

[hlev00]

To find those you saved to "Files". (This is based on a current version of iOS but i don't think too much has changed recently.



1.Look for "Files" on your iPad. I use the search function (swipe down) like you would to find an app.

2. Under locations choose On My iPad. You should see a folder called SEAiq.
3. Tap SEAiq folder and you should see the export files
4. Tap Select and choose one or more files
5. At the bottom of the screen you should see a series of options. I suggest "Share". From there you can airdrop or email the file to yourself. I suggest email as airdrop will try to open it which will confuse matters.
6. After that you can look at the file with a terminal program or other app that recognized the particular file type.

[gla57]

Thanks for the info. The email finally came through (perhaps an hour or more later...) It looks like it just has latitude and longitude, without distance or time data.

Anne