What type of iPad is required

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have never understood why people buy an IPad and then pay for a data plan for the IPad instead of using the phone as a hotspot, but then I don’t understand why people buy cars and do that for their cars either.

You don’t need a data plan for the iPad and it does not require an internet (hotspot) connection to run Navionics. It is simply a case of the iPad that does not have cell connectivity (SIM slot) also does not have the GPS chip installed. I can (but don’t) run Navionics on my iPad in the middle of the Pacific, hundreds of miles from any network.

You will need a wifi connection to download Navionics to the iPad but once loaded it runs without any connection.

I’m not sure what other nav software this is applicable to, I only run Navionics.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

If you already have gps information transmitted over your boat wifi, from your ais or other device then you don't need to worry about this.

Except that I’ve never really found a need for a boat wifi. My boat is my tech-simple environment where I go to escape networks and associated stuff. Others may escape this “worry” by networking their boat.

I don’t need (want) things to be able to talk to one another. Geez, I have enough trouble talking to my wife!!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Except that I’ve never really found a need for a boat wifi. My boat is my tech-simple environment where I go to escape networks and associated stuff. Others may escape this “worry” by networking their boat.

I don’t need (want) things to be able to talk to one another. Geez, I have enough trouble talking to my wife!!

So you only buy chartplotters, ais’es etc. that do not have networking integrated? Good luck with that, I think you need the marina flea market to still find those

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

So you only buy chartplotters, ais’es etc. that do not have networking integrated? Good luck with that, I think you need the marina flea market to still find those

Not likely.

Actually I have all of the info that your beautiful network provides but it’s all on the original instruments. Thing is, I can see all of them from anywhere in the cockpit. And if a system goes down, I get to lose one piece of information. Unlike when a network goes down and I lose everything.

And I have no doubt that the next comment I get is “But the network will never go down”. I’ve been voyaging for long enough to know that anything can go down, no matter how bullet-proof you think it is.

You like the tech of everything in one place. I like the tech where I can see everything in analogue form that will still all be there when really tough week at sea is over. There is nothing on your system that I can’t see - it just isn’t on one screen.

E.g. my AIS with integrated GPS navigator provides exactly the same info as a Vesper XPwhatever but it cost me $450 not $1350. Choose your weapons. FYI, a chart plotter on a voyage is about as useful as tits on a rain barrel. Miles of open ocean with nothing to see for days and days and days . . . . . I need a network to see that? Dream on.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Mediator

We are getting a second tablet (for redundancy, since we use tablets for our primary navigation) and are exploring the various water resistant Android tablets on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active.

One reason we use Android tablets and not iThings is because the Android products usually (almost always? always?) come with internal GPS and because the equivalent models (for what we want want to do) cost much less than iPads.

We have a dry bridge, so we don't even bother with water resistant models... just put it in an Otterbox and call it good.

Apps we use include Aqua Map and sometimes iSailor or MX Mariner (later with NOAA raster charts)... and we've also used Plan2Nav in the past but have only glanced a lilttle at C-Maps Embark replacement for that. The iSailor charts and user interface don't ring our chimes all that much...

-Chris

[raffo5]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

Does the Vesper automatically use the data or do you have to manually set it up in your nav app? I ask because I connect to the Bluetooth gps and also to Vesper WiFi for AIS data. This is in Navionics, I also run AquaMaps on a second device using the Bluetooth gps. I’ve never tried to Use the Vesper gps data and would like to try.
I had been considering getting a second Bluetooth gps since it was a single point of failure that could crash the whole system. Having Vesper as the primary would mean I could use the Bluetooth gps as a backup. Of course I’ll still have the Furuno as the true primary system.

You have to set up the connection parameters ( IP address and Port ) in Setting -> Wi-Fi connection. Aqua Map and Vesper works great!

[ns423]

I chose an iPad Air 2 with cell service, $180 used on eBay.

The cell service gives you built in GPS (if all the other systems fail or powered down) and you don't need a cellular plan. You can shut off the internal GPS if you want to pull in data from onboard WiFi or Bluetooth.

32 GB will work but I went with the 64 GB so it has space for updates, charts, music, other apps and all the boat manuals in PDF format.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by CassidyNZ

Except that I’ve never really found a need for a boat wifi. My boat is my tech-simple environment where I go to escape networks and associated stuff. Others may escape this “worry” by networking their boat.

I don’t need (want) things to be able to talk to one another. Geez, I have enough trouble talking to my wife!!

Interesting and timely discussion for me as I'm coming to the point where I need to replace my old iPad (a version 3). But I just want to say you're not alone Cassidy. I have various stand alone nav and communications tools on my boat, but none are networked.

Personally I don't see a need to interconnect everything. Perhaps if my boat was larger, and more complex, then I might make sense. But no needed now.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Interesting and timely discussion for me as I'm coming to the point where I need to replace my old iPad (a version 3). But I just want to say you're not alone Cassidy. I have various stand alone nav and communications tools on my boat, but none are networked.

Personally I don't see a need to interconnect everything. Perhaps if my boat was larger, and more complex, then I might make sense. But no needed now.

Well, before I give some scenarios I will argue that you’re all Luddites

Seriously, you don’t need any electronics. If you can’t read the water then use a weighted rope with knots, an old compass, wind up clock and sextant. So whatever I come up with, you’ll say you don’t need that... but it’s pretty nice to have!

Examples:

- you can take advantage of family sharing and install the same app on your iPhone, which is the ultimate backup as they all have gps build in.

- while on the foredeck anchoring it’s pretty nice to see actual water depth on your watch

- while lounging on deck it’s pretty nice to adjust the autopilot or dodge a crab pot with a tap on your watch

- while sailing down a funnel into a river mouth or reef cut, pretty nice if the autopilot can compensate for drift to cope with side currents etc.

- while looking at your radar it’s pretty useful to see a name of a ship with the echo. Or overlay the radar image on a chart!

[Mike OReilly]

Yup, don't need any of these, but I suppose they'd be nice to have .

As with all things, it's a balance of positives vs negatives. For me, the possible benefits are outweighed by the negatives of added complexity, risks of failure, and cost. But if I was on a bigger vessel, had deeper pockets, and more skills, I might make a different decision.

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

... you can take advantage of family sharing and install the same app on your iPhone, which is the ultimate backup as they all have gps build in.

OK, I do this. I thought we were talking about boat networking.

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

- while on the foredeck anchoring it’s pretty nice to see actual water depth on your watch

When I walk to the foredeck to anchor I know the depth. It's part of our standard anchoring practice. Or I can take my Tacktick depth gauge with me since it's already wireless.

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

- while lounging on deck it’s pretty nice to adjust the autopilot or dodge a crab pot with a tap on your watch

While lounging in my cockpit (there is no real deck space forward where I can lounge) the auto controls are rarely out of arm's reach. Besides, we normally run with a windvane. I haven't tied it to my tiller pilot yet -- would that qualify as networking ?

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

- while sailing down a funnel into a river mouth or reef cut, pretty nice if the autopilot can compensate for drift to cope with side currents etc.

If I'm sailing down a funnel into a river mouth then I (or my spouse) is on the helm.

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

- while looking at your radar it’s pretty useful to see a name of a ship with the echo. Or overlay the radar image on a chart!

My plotter overlays the radar on the chart. I actually did have my AIS tied into my plotter for a while. It was cute to see the names show up, but certainly not necessary or particularly useful. If I need to call someone I can look at my stand alone VHF/AIS.

[Knots]

So you don't know when or where a storm is coming from?

[slug]

Originally Posted by Doug Rutherford

I am getting an iPad to back up my Garmin navigation system. What size (memory) is best?

I have the most basic iPad and the memory is sufficient for all onboard use

Big memory is only needed for entertainment

[Knots]

More is better

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Knots

So you don't know when or where a storm is coming from?

?? Is this question to me? I don't understand what you're asking.

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by Knots

So you don't know when or where a storm is coming from?

Who needs a network to see where weather is coming from? I have Iridium Go! to download GRIBs to PredictWind on my iPad. Yes, that is a wireless connection but it’s hardly a network.