Tablets for navigation vs fixed chart plotters laptops

[Vivaldi 55]

I use I Sail GPS on my iPad and iPhone. It’s not too pricey and works pretty well. Has all of NZ charts for no cost.  

[Island Time 1,284]

I also should say that a basic modern MFD (Like a Vulcan) gives you wifi aboard, and control from a Tablet, with the same screens, menus and abilities as the MFD itself. Except the Autopilot - that is purposely deactivated, so if your kid picks up the tablet he cant make you crash! You can still see all the Ap displays, just cant change anything. Its a pretty good way to get another screen downstairs, especially if you already have a tablet, and an easy way to have Radar, AIS, Sonar etc on the tablet. Also good for a skipper off watch to see whats happening without getting out of their bunk!

[CarpeDiem 510]

34 minutes ago, Island Time said:

I also should say that a basic modern MFD (Like a Vulcan) gives you wifi aboard, and control from a Tablet, with the same screens, menus and abilities as the MFD itself. Except the Autopilot - that is purposely deactivated, so if your kid picks up the tablet he cant make you crash! You can still see all the Ap displays, just cant change anything. Its a pretty good way to get another screen downstairs, especially if you already have a tablet, and an easy way to have Radar, AIS, Sonar etc on the tablet. Also good for a skipper off watch to see whats happening without getting out of their bunk!

It's a remote control right? As opposed to a separate screen? Eg can you have chart plotter on the mfd and echo on the tablet? 

[Island Time 1,284]

Yep, except for the AP...

But it's more than that - a wireless access point, and a multiplexor for data onto the wifi, so if you wish to use another app, it can provide the NMEA feed to the wifi..

[Cantab 341]

9 hours ago, Island Time said:

Yep, except for the AP...

But it's more than that - a wireless access point, and a multiplexor for data onto the wifi, so if you wish to use another app, it can provide the NMEA feed to the wifi..

Is there a way to get a gpx file, or any other file, onto the mfd without removing the sd card?

Ive got a tablet linked to the mfd, wireless but cant find a way to transfer files.

[Island Time 1,284]

no, sorry. Ive asked for this feature lots of times!

[Adrianp 124]

13 hours ago, Island Time said:

I also should say that a basic modern MFD (Like a Vulcan) gives you wifi aboard, and control from a Tablet, with the same screens, menus and abilities as the MFD itself. Except the Autopilot - that is purposely deactivated, so if your kid picks up the tablet he cant make you crash! You can still see all the Ap displays, just cant change anything. Its a pretty good way to get another screen downstairs, especially if you already have a tablet, and an easy way to have Radar, AIS, Sonar etc on the tablet. Also good for a skipper off watch to see whats happening without getting out of their bunk!

This is such a good feature that I use all the time. I have an old tablet in our saloon that we use to mirror the chartplotter screen onto for the onwatch crew and we even have the ability to display it on the 27in TV via android TV but that uses a bit too much power on long passages.   

I often use it on a windy night to help me sleep better an anchor. We have a mount for a tablet above our bunk, and I always set a waypoint when I drop the anchor, so can have dist to waypoint (often 40-50ish meter), radar and wind info shown, so if you wake up you can quickly see you haven't moved and no one around you has. Of course I also use the anchor alarm, etc.