Undecided on Navegation Support System

[Portuguese]

Fellow boaters
I have on board a Garmin series 4000 navigation system with Radar/Chartplotter/depth sensor. I am here looking to the shop window undecided on what to buy to plan routes and trips in my house with a laptop or a Tablet either IPad or other brand.
What you experimented users have on board, Laptops or Tablets? For Garmin system using HomePort software, is it better to have a computer or a Tablet?
Thank you fopr your comments

Portuguese

 

[N4712]

Fellow boaters
I have on board a Garmin series 4000 navigation system with Radar/Chartplotter/depth sensor. I am here looking to the shop window undecided on what to buy to plan routes and trips in my house with a laptop or a Tablet either IPad or other brand.
What you experimented users have on board, Laptops or Tablets? For Garmin system using HomePort software, is it better to have a computer or a Tablet?
Thank you fopr your comments

Portuguese

I would either get another Garmin (added redundancy) With built in wifi (Ie: 741xs) or I believe they sell and adapter that plugs into you're current Garmin. Then get a iPad and get Garmins Bluechart app, so you'd be able to send routes and waypoints to your plotter.
http://www.westmarine.com/fixed-mou...ine-wi-fi-adapter-kit-north-america--14541684

 

[Larry M]

For home, I would use a laptop with Open CPN, which is free and Brazil has free raster charts that work with it. I would then add Visual Passage Planner which is a pilot based passage planning program. We use both and they work well. You can also add a GPS hockey puck receiver for ~$30 and have a good back up navigation system on the boat.

OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage

Digital Wave - Home

 

[Billylll]

No need for the external GPS if you have a cellular based iPAD. They have built in GPS only the original WiFi only units have no GPS, then a product like BADELF or something similar will work.
Garmin has a WiFi AP (it's a Ubiquiti) product that will turn most of their MFD's into a WiFi enable Garmin network
All of the new (xs) GPS or MFD units have WiFi adding it will give the same results and redundancy.
Bill

 

[Portuguese]

Guys

Thank you all for your answers. Iwill be following Larry's recommendation as I am already in the process with all charts downloaded via web plus the OpenCPN. Unfortunately not all Apple goodies work in Latin America.

Thank you all

 

[Ski in NC]

Did you get her splashed??