Ipad Pro for an integrated NMEA 2000 system???

I posted a simialar question over on The Hull Truth forum, but maybe others here have integrated a NEMA-2000 system into an Ipad Pro. My new Simrad auto pilot system has just arrived that will replace my old, failed Robertson.

All my electronics are growing whiskers, maybe this is the right time for me to consider replacing them including the old Furuno radar. Sure, available displays are available for these applications and they are expensive and are dedicated. Can a dedicated Ipad Pro..... which might have a better screen display than a plain Ipad be used in place of an expensive, dedicated display sold for marine applications? Has anybody done so? Experience?

We use the large screen IPAD pro as our primary navigation. New update of Navionics now talks via wifi to our AIS. We have pretty old Raymarine equipment, but it all works. We don't use the auto pilot on either systems as we set a course by hand to the chart on the Ipad. Until the current Raymarine system is no longer usable, we see no advantage to upgrading to newer system that will allready be outdated when installed. Last time we priced a new system, was 3 years ago and over 55K for everything.
Not sure if I answered your question, now that I have read your post again.

Thanks Chief for sharing your thoughts. I should have researched the topic prior to posting. What I was essentially trying to do with my Ipad was use it as a multifunction display in place of one with starting prices over $1K. Does not appear so.

An Ipad does exceedingly well as you mentioned above used as a chart plotter navigation tool. I do the same with mine using Navionics but only to see where I am. I am too old school to chuck my paper charts on which I do all my navigation. Now my auto pilot use prior to upgrading was used to stay on course until it didn’t (it failed) without using way points. Most likely will do the same with my newer one, time will tell.

I have not decided if I will update my old Furuno radar which still works. A new system certainly will be a better navigation tool.

Crusty Chief said:

We use the large screen IPAD pro as our primary navigation. New update of Navionics now talks via wifi to our AIS. We have pretty old Raymarine equipment, but it all works. We don't use the auto pilot on either systems as we set a course by hand to the chart on the Ipad. Until the current Raymarine system is no longer usable, we see no advantage to upgrading to newer system that will allready be outdated when installed. Last time we priced a new system, was 3 years ago and over 55K for everything.
Not sure if I answered your question, now that I have read your post again.

Click to expand...

Wow! I’m guessing this price includes a lot of customized fitting, carpentry and trim work? Trying to imagine how I could spend that much on an electronics suite on my boat.

angus99 said:

Wow! I’m guessing this price includes a lot of customized fitting, carpentry and trim work? Trying to imagine how I could spend that much on an electronics suite on my boat.

Click to expand...

It can add up quickly- I'll bet John's suite is dual glass 16" displays at the lower helm, dual 12" at the flybridge helm, transducer, open array radar, autopilot system (reusing the existing ram/hydraulic system), and 2 VHF radios with NMEA 2k and AIS. Total from Hodges Marine Electronics is just short of $30k!

Add another grand for a proper NMEA 2k backbone, miscellaneous wiring, and then add labor costs for the removal/install if you're not a DIY type and $50k suddenly becomes pretty real...



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^^^^^^

YES! You highlighted my reasons to find if I could somehow use my Ipad as a multifunction display.

Aqua Map will integrate with NMEA 2000 and 0183 instruments on your iPad. You can show AIS targets, depth sounder input, etc. I do not know if you can navigate by route on an autopilot. The charts are very good and cheap.
http://www.globalaquamaps.com/AquaMaster.html#Connections

Apples and oranges here. Can a boat be run off laptops/tablets/phones connected via Bluetooth/wifi and interface boxes? Sure. Will your crew be comfortable with it? Who knows. Is it as reliable as a dedicated system? No. Is it reliable enough? Personal choice. For someone cruising offshore with crew sometimes running for multiple days and entering/exiting harbors/anchorages at suboptimal times, probably not reliable enough.

My wife and I be cruising between Alaska and Florida over the next several years. We just paid less than $10k for a simrad system with 4g radar, and three MFDs (12" and two 9" displays - compare size to ipad) plus VHF with AIS receiver and N2K backbone. It's at the base model of systems out there, but compare to what was availabile 15-years ago, a great system.

Personally, my goal is to keep IP Addresses to a minimum. Last few years, have noticed some vexing problems on boats solely related to networking.

Peter,
Peter,

Pretty much my wish list. Did ya add the haul out and yard time too? Since existing system is 0183 nothing interface’s with it, so all new everything.
Just my luck, spend all that money and effort, and 6 months later Nema 3000S is now the norm.

Cheers

Crusty Chief said:

Peter,
Peter,

Pretty much my wish list. Did ya add the haul out and yard time too? Since existing system is 0183 nothing interface’s with it, so all new everything.
Just my luck, spend all that money and effort, and 6 months later Nema 3000S is now the norm.

Cheers

Click to expand...

Indeed.

The transducer can be installed while the boat is hauled for bottom paint- the rest can be installed while the boat is in the water.

N2K should be around for quite awhile, so no worry there...

Crusty Chief said:

Just my luck, spend all that money and effort, and 6 months later Nema 3000S is now the norm. Cheers

Click to expand...

0183 should be around for another 30 or 40 years. COBOL has been going strong for 60 years. I'll stay a generation behind. No rush. Let the kids work the bugs out.

I use my iPad as a backup navigation system for my dedicated Garmin 741xs. The 741xs includes radar, sonars, and NMEA 2000 connectors. In addition, I can slave the Garmin screen to the iPad via WiFi using Garmin Helm iOS app. Two things. First, the Ipad gives me more screen real-estate. Second, I can move about the boat, carrying all the Garmin's capabilities with me to the flying bridge, aft master, etc. Third, I can switch between Garmin and various nav, weather, tidal apps.


The downside is that iPads are battery operated and need trickle chargers. Also, they can overheat in the sun on the flying bridge, and then shut down. But, for the cost, they are great tools.


Also, when I compared the 741xs to a larger screen (glass cockpit) Garmin MFD display, the costs jumped quickly, to up over $6,000 just for the display. I think I paid about $1500 for the 741xs. Take a look at their Web site for current models and prices.

Crusty Chief said:

Peter,
Peter,

Pretty much my wish list. Did ya add the haul out and yard time too? Since existing system is 0183 nothing interface’s with it, so all new everything.
Just my luck, spend all that money and effort, and 6 months later Nema 3000S is now the norm.

Cheers

Click to expand...

N2K was around for many, many years before the kinks were worked out and finally displaced 0183. Next gen may move faster because it is less of a change, but also less of a compelling reason to change. It's a personal decision when to make a change. I looked at most of the systems out there - even black box versions which I discounted partially due to cost, but most due to complexity and size for my 36-foot trawler. In my opinion, all the systems I looked at were relatively affordable (compared to their predecessors) and were fit for my intended use. I chose the simrad platform because it had a dial input interface vs touchscreen or rocker pad (Furuno has a dial too, but was much more expensive and some of their software and integration seems a unnecessarily clunky to me - again, a personal observation ).

This gear is relatively easy to install (at least the componentry is - may take carpentry skills to make it look pretty). A few months ago, I moved Weebles from San Francisco to Ensenada Mexico to start an extensive refit - a 500 nms non-stop steam (74-hrs). About a week prior to departure, my old Furuno CRT radar bit the dust. I was able to install the base components of the new Simrad in day after a couple trips to. Home depot to Jerry rig the new dome to the old custom mount. It will be properly installed as part of the refit. As an aside, I did not have a working depth sounder for this trip which, for me in these waters, was a non-issue. But had I needed a transducer installed, can often schedule a "noon hang" at a yard for a greatly reduced cost (boat is hauled during lunch break and sits in the slings for an hour).

Question on iphone/table App stability: I have a good friend with whom if taken several week-long trips. His 52-foot power cat has a 2014 era furuno NavNet 2 system. I find the connection subject to freeze (not always immediately obvious) and crash. Also seems to slurp battery of device. I'm the end, more novelty than useful so I stopped using it. Could be something I'm not doing correctly - what is the experience of others, perhaps with other brands of systems? What's your verdict on the usefulness of using a phone/tablet as a repeater?

We use an ipad pro 2017 as our system. We use the timezero app. it can display instrument readings from nmea for depth, heading, surface temp, wind angle, direction, and speed. It can output on nmea cross track error to your autopilot. It can also display AIS data and use an external gps. We also have it hooked up to display our furuno 1st watch radar right over the charts.

It will overheat in bright sun (we have a bimini-top, so never an issue) and it will run out of batteries in 2 hours at full brightness running the app, so we installed a USB charger up there. We keep it in a waterproof case.

Westiculo said:

We use an ipad pro 2017 as our system. We use the timezero app. it can display instrument readings from nmea for depth, heading, surface temp, wind angle, direction, and speed. It can output on nmea cross track error to your autopilot. It can also display AIS data and use an external gps. We also have it hooked up to display our furuno 1st watch radar right over the charts.

It will overheat in bright sun (we have a bimini-top, so never an issue) and it will run out of batteries in 2 hours at full brightness running the app, so we installed a USB charger up there. We keep it in a waterproof case.

Click to expand...

We love our IPad Pros but they slowly discharge while running Aquamaps (or any GPS-based app) despite being on a 12-volt charger. Fully charged and plugged in, they’ll last for several hours, but use power faster than they can absorb a charge. Ever have that problem?

We do not have that problem. The charger we installed is qc3.0. It offers enough juice to charge it very slowly while using the timezero app at full brightness. The charging brick that comes with the iPad also does if you have 110vac available. You probably need a higher output charger. The large iPad Pro is practically a computer so a standard 12v cell phone usb charger is not going to do the trick.

Westiculo said:

We do not have that problem. The charger we installed is qc3.0. It offers enough juice to charge it very slowly while using the timezero app at full brightness. The charging brick that comes with the iPad also does if you have 110vac available. You probably need a higher output charger. The large iPad Pro is practically a computer so a standard 12v cell phone usb charger is not going to do the trick.

Click to expand...

Thanks. In addition to a cigarette lighter 12-volt outlet, we have a 110-V inverter-fed outlet on the flybridge. We use Apple’s 2.4 amp charger with that and still get no joy. Sounds like it’s time to upgrade.