Tablets

I am in the process of buying a 1999 Albin Express Trawler. Boat is great except electronics are original and need replacement. Can anybody recommend a radar / chartplotter that has the ability to interface with say an iPad? I would like to have the ability to use iPad both on the Bridge and also in the wheelhouse.

Thanks!

Wifi

Most modern day electronics interface w/ tablets now. As long as they are wifi enabled and support mobile applications you are good to go. Electronics are as personal though as single engine vs dual engine. If you can go to a specialist and check out all the major players, buy the one that you feel most comfortable with. Maybe have several different brands spec'd for what you want to do to see the total cost, they can vary greatly depending on equipment selected.

Also, you might just buy a tablet and see how you enjoy using that for primary navigation. Although way down on the list now I plan on new electronics but not for a while as I the tablet to be quick enough, robust enough and I have a cell as back up. As well as PC/chart plotter too.

Furuno does/did offer a 4kw radar that uses a tablet, iPad.

Don,t know about plotter though.

With my, now 5 year old, Raymarine system I can control and do everything from my iPad that I can do from sitting at the MFD except turn off the MFD. i also have the app on my iPhone but rarely use it because it is easier to see on the iPad.

Bulldog said:

I am in the process of buying a 1999 Albin Express Trawler. Boat is great except electronics are original and need replacement. Can anybody recommend a radar / chartplotter that has the ability to interface with say an iPad? I would like to have the ability to use iPad both on the Bridge and also in the wheelhouse.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I am assuming you are considering the tablet as an adjunct piece of nav gear and would link it to a permanently mounted display. correct?

Raymarine will not let you control an autopilot from an IPad. Don’t know about others.


Tom

tpbrady said:

Raymarine will not let you control an autopilot from an IPad. Don’t know about others.


Tom

Click to expand...

No, I never tried that because the autopilot isn’t hooked into the MFD on our boat. Also I would not be trying to change courses from below on the tablet if the autopilot was hooked into the MFD. I use the tablet to plan courses when we are tied up for the night or to check our position when I am below. I see no reason to use the tablet when I am at the helm, I just look at the MFD.

I was only looking to use it as a wireless remote rather than installing Raymarine’s 20 yr old Seatalk 1 network, another network gateway, and use a remote that generally requires rebooting the AP once a day.

Tom

I have two Garmin MFDs in the wheelhouse circa 2014 models and they have wifi capabiltiy. On the FB I have a ram mount and use a Samsung Tab Active Pro 10" running Garmin's Active Captain application. Works OK, but I also have a second AP head unit up on the FB to control the boat from. My advice is whatever brand you chose get a MFD with a touchscreen interface which will be easier to control with a tablet than soft buttons. Maybe the newer soft button interfaces translate better to a tablet, but the one on my older Garmin units is a bit clunky since it has to act as soft buttons rather than having a icon you can directly select on the function you want to control, for example you have to hit plus/minus keys to control the zoom rather than use two finger like we are all used to on today's tablets and phones.

Furuno has the WiFi digital radar specifically built to interface with tablets. Also integrated with Time Zero. Lots of info on line. Also check Panbo.com.

All will interface with any top of the line Samsung or Apple tablets. They'll actually interface with anything with Wifi, but it takes more powerful tablets to handle the programs and graphics.

We switched our navigation to iPads a few years ago. We've been using the Furuno DRS4W and Timezero's TZ iBoat nav app. The Furuno radar overlays seamlessly on the TZ iBoat charts in 2D, 3D, and even with satellite view. Plus the radar will work on two iOS devices simultaneously, so I can carry an iPad or my iPhone up to the flybridge and maintain radar contact anywhere on the boat.

If you end up going the Furuno wireless route, we do have them for $995 and free shipping in our store (use the all caps discount code WIRELESS100 to get the $995 price).

https://www.pacificnwboatertested.com/products/furuno-1st-watch-wireless-radar-drs4w

Can confirm - Furuno 1st watch is what we use, it overlays directly onto our TimeZero iBoat charts on our 12" iPad pro and it WAY better than any chartplotter I've worked with. We have a nuud waterproof case on the iPad and mount it with a Ram ball mount to the dash. We use a single iPad that we bring upstairs when on the flybridge, works with the Furuno radar at both helms.