What is the latest wisdom on tablet gps?

[aardvarkash10 1,057]

As a new yacht owner with way too many bits of IT hardware hanging around I'm keen to repurpose stuff if it effective. 

Does anyone have informed comment or advice from recent experience on using an android tablet as a chart plotter, with or without an external aerial? 

[Island Time 1,284]

That depends. For what? - local day sails, or around the world?

IMO tablets are better as backups or repeaters than as a primary nav system. Most have limited batteries, poor sunlight visibility, too bright at night, and are vulnerable to moisture and physical damage. Proper marine plotters start at about $1k so there is not a huge $ saving. That being said, I do use a tablet for convenience, and mobility on board, but it repeats the primary plotter - its own systems are potentially a useful backup, running opencpn for andriod.

A rugged tablet might be a good local option, with a bracket and power from the boat, if that can be done while maintaining watertight integrity...

[rmiker 15]

I agree with Island Time 100 %. I ran OpenCPN on a tablet as a primary for a short time but relegated it to back up system fairly quickly.. It did however run opencpn well and was accurate with only an internal arial.

I then ran a dedicated marine chart plotter but because of the relatively small screen size I also ran a laptop below decks for planning..

[aardvarkash10 1,057]

59 minutes ago, Island Time said:

That depends. For what? - local day sails, or around the world?

IMO tablets are better as backups or repeaters than as a primary nav system. Most have limited batteries, poor sunlight visibility, too bright at night, and are vulnerable to moisture and physical damage. Proper marine plotters start at about $1k so there is not a huge $ saving. That being said, I do use a tablet for convenience, and mobility on board, but it repeats the primary plotter - its own systems are potentially a useful backup, running opencpn for andriod.

A rugged tablet might be a good local option, with a bracket and power from the boat, if that can be done while maintaining watertight integrity...

Local stuff thanks.  Plan is to slowly expand from Hauraki Gulf up to BOI then around NZ as experience and ability allows.  5-year plan. 

[Island Time 1,284]

Even though I do Marine Electronics for a living, and I have a reasonably up to date B&G system on my own boat, I still use a PC as the primary tool offshore. It has been updated during lockdown, now windows 10 on an Intel NUC, with a 14 inch touch screen below and a 15 inch screen at the helm. My current primary tablet is an Ipad in a lifeproof case, but only because I need that for the Navico pricebook app!

Most long term offshore cruisers use a PC or mac, just for versatility... Some (Like Black Panther on here) are happy with a phone. I'm not! A decent integrated system gives you lots more options, and will transfer waypoints etc between devices as both a backup, and to avoid re-keying errors that can happen.

[Black Panther 1,686]

I use mxmariner on a samsung phone. $17.50 including all nz charts. Done. Want a back up? Put it on your wife's phone too.

[ex TL systems 63]

I have navionics on my phone plus iPad plus open cpn on a laptop but mostly just use the phone. 

[Island Time 1,284]

Once you have used a fully integrated system (all data to a MFD or PC, incl Charts, sounder, AIS and Radar) you'll not want to go back. Those who have not experienced it in trying conditions often don't know what they are missing! It certainly reduces the risk of a navigation mistake, or collision at sea. IMO relying on a phone or single GPS is foolhardy, but many do. 3 sources of data that all agree keeps you safe. One can be your eyes!

When crossing an ocean, modern electronics will see other vessels before a crew member on watch will, almost all the time. Currently in the south China Sea, there are deliberately introduced GPS errors - effectively governments hacking the GPS system. A phone wont show you that, but a radar overlay will, and so can sonar, or a multi source  marine GPS antenna that can use the  Chinese, Russian, or even the Japanese systems. Your phone does not do that.

Each to their own, and each skipper must decide what risks that they are willing to accept. Commercial vessels of any real size are required to use ECDIS systems for these reasons.

[ex TL systems 63]

Certainly all true but still even the phone when cruising locally is so much better than we had years ago which was compass error  Paper charts bearings dead reckoning etc.   Sailing solo its nice to be able to quickly check my position while still keeping an eye on surroundings and sailing the boat. On an offshore trip I would want back up gps whatever the main system was. 

[Deep Purple 517]

Wet Racing, I always have this in my pocket. Loaded marine chart, with all my waypoints and marks set up. Impossible to kill and 2 AA's keeps it running all day

 

[Black Panther 1,686]

I have back ups.  3 chatt plotters on my phone.  Crew have chart plotters on their phones. Laptop with a dongle. The old gps with paper charts plus i still have my sextant. 

[Jon 391]

I’ve got two multifunctional displays, one in cockpit one down below, all integrated with AIS, digital radar.

However we have two iPad on board with Navionics plus on phones and 90% of the time we use the iPad

Found that actually more accurate going through passes into pacific lagoons etc, but for coastal cruising I’d say a well setup tablet is a good starting point, then add more as you get more adventurous 

The chart plotter comes into its own when we need ais and Radar to double check eyes and IPad 

But it all comes down to your personality, if your into computers and gadgets then go that way, if your going to have to learn a new language so to speak then “KISS”

[SpareHand 13]

Andy Schell of 59-North covered his nav' set up on one of his podcasts..

https://www.59-north.com/thinksailing  , search the page for iPad Navigation if the link below doesn't work.

He's done a fair bit of mileage with his iPad solution.

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[chariot 244]

I think you have run aground.

[SloopJohnB 324]

10 hours ago, Black Panther said:

 i still have my sextant. 

Whats is thing you call a sextant?........just kidding.

It's us more matured gentleman that can pull the sun down to the horizon.😊

[Black Panther 1,686]

29 minutes ago, Jon said:

I’ve got two multifunctional displays, one in cockpit one down below, all integrated with AIS, digital radar.

However we have two iPad on board with Navionics plus on phones and 90% of the time we use the iPad

Found that actually more accurate going through passes into pacific lagoons etc, but for coastal cruising I’d say a well setup tablet is a good starting point, then add more as you get more adventurous 

The chart plotter comes into its own when we need ais and Radar to double check eyes and IPad 

But it all comes down to your personality, if your into computers and gadgets then go that way, if your going to have to learn a new language so to speak then “KISS”

And budget.

[Island Time 1,284]

And individual preference.

Saying so and so did it with a Phone/Full ECDIS/MFD/Tablet, traditional coastal Nav, or a sextant is irrelevant. All can be done, and have been done. It depends on the level of risk anyone is prepared to accept. Every year, boats (and ships) are lost due to navigational mistakes, regardless of systems being used. 

If the operators were using proper procedures, and three separate sources of data,  giving redundancy and cross checks, they would not be. Humans are fallible. 

[Steve Pope 253]

There are more "accidental" events caused by modern methods of navigation than ever before, insufficient training, understanding, and reliance on a screen rather than No. 1 eyeball the main reasons. Just look at the US Navy if in doubt, or maybe the Rena. There was a time back in the day when you stood off, hove to, or tacked out to sea if / when in doubt of your position. Between auto pilots and electronic navigation etc. we are actually no longer in charge.

[aardvarkash10 1,057]

Thanks all.  I'm very aware that system redundancy is an important consideration - more baskets for the eggs.  We have a small handheld marine GPS, compass, paper charts etc (no sextant!).  I'm looking for a system that gives more or quicker or richer info with less risk of calculation errors.

I've been looking at Openplotter on a Pi device as an option - it looks interesting with lots of implimentation options you can grow into.  

To Island Time and Steve's point, many aircraft (and sea-craft) have been lost because pilots thought they knew better than the computer guidance or control systems.  Conversely, the 737 Maxx situation shows we need to be wary of systems so complex we don't know what they are doing.  Software and hardware is usually reliable, its the dampware operating it that is in doubt!

Cheers

[Neil 35]

13 hours ago, Deep Purple said:

Wet Racing, I always have this in my pocket. Loaded marine chart, with all my waypoints and marks set up. Impossible to kill and 2 AA's keeps it running all day

 

Can't beat the etrex, indestructible and I always have mine as a backup.

The only issue I had was that as I aged and my eyes slowly wore out I had to keep getting longer and longer lanyards for it