Guest Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Just read this in an article about how wonderful it is to go cruising with an iphone We started to motor, which took us over four hours as some of it was backwards! While there is a relatively easy pass through reef and shallows, it was pitch black, no moon and solid cloud cover. Far from an ideal situation. However, we were tired and battered from a week of gale force winds and desperate for a night's rest at anchor. We all know how the story goes. full article here http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/reader ... -situation Would you/???? Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Looks like a case of using all the information available to make a decision. They had paper charts and a chartplotter, but using the iphone with inbuilt gps and charts allowed them to use it as a handheld pltter on the bow to anchor. The iPhone isnt so good for planning nor waypoints but as a simple where am I plotter seems fine. I reckon sensible. Certainly wouldnt go to sea with iphone or ipad as my only nav gear, but as part of a suite it can have a place and I reckon in this situation its use makes sense. My 2c worth Link to post Share on other sites
Farrari 4 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I would have thought that the question RE the iphone would be secondary to the choice of going through a reef while it was pitch black, no moon and solid cloud cover while only using a chart plotter. It's easy for me to say as an armchair critic and having never sailed offshore but I would have thought a better choice would be to hove to away from land and wait for daylight. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 So people get killed navigating with dedicated marine GPS's yet some are willing to use a phone to navigate with. Good luck with that as that's probably all that's keeping them alive, pure good luck. Link to post Share on other sites
Rats 28 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Pitch black no moon cloud cover would have me hanging outside till I could see something... just not worth the risk for me I wonder how many people navigating with iphones know about chart datums, cross track error and the like I certainly would not be betting my life on its accuracy.There is a reason we have dedicated GPS units with specific antennas. Yes I know technology is fast catching up but I think it's still going to trip someone up sooner rather than later. It would be an interesting exercise to do a side by side test with a fixed mount GPS, handheld GPS and an iphone or smartphone setup and see the differences if any. I am old school and still like to plot using a chart at least every hour that way if electrics goes tits up at least I have an idea where the hell I am. Certainly even with a good GPS/radar on board I would not be entering anywhere that I could not see. Link to post Share on other sites
ab1974 1 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Agree wouldnt necessarily go through the pass in those conditions. However in terms of using a iPhone it has a dedicated GPS and can use the navionics app charts which have the basic info. If used on conjunction with other information this can only be a value add. Certainly not a stand alone unit for navigation but it is a GPS and if your using a dedicated chart plotter with navionics charts providing you have good satellite coverage the iphone and chart plotter should have you in the same place.... Link to post Share on other sites
ScarecrowR31 8 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 iPad running geo garage spot on between BOI and Kawau. Even as far as correct berth at Marsden Cove. Issue may be when do I know if accuracy is down??? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 when in doubt......snug her down and stay out Link to post Share on other sites
too_tall 15 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 If you have other means to confirm that your gps based navigation aid is working correctly - light houses are where you expect them to be, the radar is painting the same picture as the GPS, multiple plotters are showing the same thing etc, then its probably nearing ok to navigate by them. I would not. I don't trust electronics with my life. But, maybe if you have alternate navigation aids which confirm that the plotter is currently placing you where it should, its ok... Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I don't trust electronics with my life. You can trust the electronics. Remember, aircraft fly on the stuff pretty much entirely now. It's the facts that things like the signal for GPS can be so inaccurate, the maps may not be calibrated to the position and that charts may not be entirely accurate due to poor survey in the beginning. As for using an iPhone, in this situation, I don't think the entire story is being told in the..errr...story. I don't think they relied on it solely. But if they did, then they are idiots, no matter if it was iPhone or even a top of the line GPS. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 No doubt GPS allows you to do things that were not possible pre GPS, we used to avoid Minerva Reef by 20 miles in the dark. But the situation described I cannot see why you wouldn't heave to and wait till morning?????? Being hove to is nearly as comfortable as anchored, have a snooze and a cup of tea and Bob's your mother's brother. Link to post Share on other sites
too_tall 15 Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I don't trust electronics with my life. You can trust the electronics. Remember, aircraft fly on the stuff pretty much entirely now. It's the facts that things like the signal for GPS can be so inaccurate, the maps may not be calibrated to the position and that charts may not be entirely accurate due to poor survey in the beginning. As for using an iPhone, in this situation, I don't think the entire story is being told in the..errr...story. I don't think they relied on it solely. But if they did, then they are idiots, no matter if it was iPhone or even a top of the line GPS. I believe that most aircraft which rely on instruments have somewhat better instruments than we have on our yacht... The GPS systems we use in the tractor are able to self steer within 2.5cm reliably, and will be able to repeat to within 2.5cm months later, but that system is rather different to the passive systems we use in our boat, and I assume that all use. I can't see any use for RTK in boats. I may rephrase my statement a little. I don't trust consumer grade electronics with my life. Link to post Share on other sites
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