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Old 10-09-2018, 02:15 PM   #1
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Tablet Navigation

How many are using a tablet as their primary GPS Navigation tool? If so have you found any significant limitations?
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Old 10-09-2018, 02:19 PM   #2
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Quote:
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How many are using a tablet as their primary GPS Navigation tool? If so have you found any significant limitations?

Not primary but I do use an iPad with a Bad Elf gps dongle. It works great but it really drains the battery quickly and leaving it plugged it barely keeps up with the charging.
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Old 10-09-2018, 02:23 PM   #3
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Cheap android tablet with built in GPS is #3 backup.
Keeping up with charge has not been an issue.
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Old 10-09-2018, 02:46 PM   #4
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I navigated for about 500 miles on a friend's boat using a 10" Samsung Android tablet running MxMariner. Worked fine plugged into a cigarette lighter socket nearby.


My new boat has a tiny Garmin 5" display chartplotter, so I will use it as the backup to my Samsung.



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Old 10-09-2018, 02:52 PM   #5
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Navigated inland on Rideau waterway as well as river with 10” samsung tablet and navionics. Was perfect to me. Loved the auto routing option while preparing my trip.

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Old 10-09-2018, 03:46 PM   #6
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MxMariner on an Android tablet plugged into a cigarette lighter as a secondary. Actually it gets used more then the Navtronics because of its location. No problem with keeping it charged.
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Old 10-09-2018, 04:37 PM   #7
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I have 2 android tablets with GPS running Navionics that I use as backup and for route planning. They work well in both roles.
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Old 10-09-2018, 04:44 PM   #8
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I used my phone with Navionics when I've needed a plotter in the past. I had an ancient gps and paper charts, so the phone was my primary. I plan to have a tablet for secondary on my next boat.
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Old 10-09-2018, 05:53 PM   #9
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Cheap ( from wallmart) RCA 10inch tablet. Amazing GPS accuracy, but use a lot of power. OpenCPN with NOOA charts. I have Mxmariner too.
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:15 PM   #10
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I use an Acer netbook with a GPS dongle running Sea Clear. It works just fine. I also sometimes us my 15" Acer laptop with the same dongle and Open CPN, but it can get bogged down in course up mode. The 15" screen is nice though.
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:54 PM   #11
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Ipad/Bad Elf with Navionics is primary for entering new harbors with numerous turns, or for changing destination quickly. Secondary at all other times. Don't leave it in the sun. It simply shuts down when overheated.
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:55 PM   #12
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I use my cell phone with OpenCPN, Navionics and MX Mariner a lot when I'm not at the helm. I've used it at the helm when needed, too.

I've tried tablets, but often the screen isn't very readable in sunlight (even under a bimini) or at a less-than-ideal angle. Plus I already carry the phone everywhere.

I've found you can't have enough USB outlets on a boat. I have four at the upper helm and there have been times when they were all occupied, for weeks on end.
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Old 10-09-2018, 08:33 PM   #13
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I have a Garmin plotter on the flybridge and an old Android 8" tablet running Navionics semi-permanently mounted at my lower helm. I like the tablet and the charts seem to have slightly more detail than the Garmin. But to be fair the Garmin is 5-6 years old and I haven't updated the charts. I have C-Map as well but haven't used it much.
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Old 10-09-2018, 08:39 PM   #14
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I did a write up for a forum dedicated to GPS many years ago. I set up a laptop with GPS that ran pre-downloaded Google maps/Google Earth. It was meant as a backup nav aide. At that time, there was no marine info on the Google set up. It would help someone get to where they needed to be or check position. Nothing better than up to date paper charts when the electronics take a poop in the middle of a voyage. Of course, my opinion only.
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Old 10-09-2018, 08:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom View Post
I use my cell phone with OpenCPN, Navionics and MX Mariner a lot when I'm not at the helm. I've used it at the helm when needed, too.

I've tried tablets, but often the screen isn't very readable in sunlight (even under a bimini) or at a less-than-ideal angle. Plus I already carry the phone everywhere.
Yeah, I've been doing that more and more. Once I got comfortable using Navionics on the tablet it became quick and natural to use it on my phone.

I spend a fair amount of time at anchor and use my phone to record my track while at anchor. I can tell at a glance in the middle of the night what's going on and whether I've dragged. Very useful.
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Old 10-09-2018, 09:05 PM   #16
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I have all new Raymarine MFD’s and I find Navionics on a new iPad far superior with auto routing and the way it displays tides, currents etc. The one negative is no AIS in the native Navionics app. I have lost GPS on the iPad a twice where I maintained it on the Raymarine with exterior antenna (in channels in desolation sound surrounded by 5k peaks) so I’d say I use IPad #1 and Raymarine as backup when that happens. Otherwise I hardly use the MFD for navigation but set it to other functions.

One note - an otter box case helps greatly with the sun/overheating issue.
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Old 10-09-2018, 10:57 PM   #17
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Quote:
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I spend a fair amount of time at anchor and use my phone to record my track while at anchor. I can tell at a glance in the middle of the night what's going on and whether I've dragged. Very useful.
Oh, yeah. Good point. This is the absolute best use of a cell phone on board. The patterns the track makes can tell you exactly what's going on at any moment. Twice, on other people's boats, I picked up a pattern before they did.

One time we were dragging, not much, but we didn't have much room before going aground. A glance at my phone at 2 AM when I felt a wind shift saved the day (or night.)

One time (again 2 AM) the skipper was convinced we were dragging. The pattern on my phone proved we weren't and I went back to sleep. We held fine the rest of the night, even through a storm. I don't think he slept.
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Old 10-09-2018, 11:41 PM   #18
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We've been using an iPad for primary electronic navigation since 2015 (with paper charts, too). Until a few months ago we'd been using Navionics. Just switched over to the TZ iBoat navigation app. So far, so good!

And I'll second CaptTom's second of Jeff F's great use of the cell phone's tracking for anchor watch. Gotta try that.
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Old 10-10-2018, 12:16 AM   #19
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Samsung 10" with Navionics and Garmin Active Captain (Helm can slave the display of our Garmin 9" GPSMAP when up top or down below).

I tend to use both but I do like planning on the tablet and looking at charts underway in the portrait view.

Installed a BlueSeas 12V USB charger on the helm to keep it charged underway.
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Old 10-10-2018, 12:36 AM   #20
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I have Raymarine MDF with chart radar overlay, AIS, and MARPA. I also have a laptop running Coastal Explorer and an iPad running navionics.

I once brought a boat all the way from LA to Seattle using just the iPad.

My preference is the Raymarine MDF then the Coastal Explorer then the IPad with navionics. While that’s my preference I certainly got the job done with the iPad.
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