![]() ![]() Most of the chart manufacturers’ own charts now look almost identical to the ENC charts. In the last two years, ENC charts have come into their own. The raster charts look just like paper charts based on NOAA RNC (Raster Navigation Charts) and the electronic charts are based on the NOAA ENC (Electronic Navigation Charts) charts. Apple is in the process of changing their store, so each manufacturer will have just one app but with choices within the app to buy different charts.Ĭharts Offered: They can be raster or electronic. ![]() In the other case you buy the app and the charts are free. In one case it may be free, but you have to buy the charts. Using the spreadsheet, you can decide what meets your needs. There are many nuances in my simple list above that make all the difference between an app that’s easy to use and informative and one that has a long learning curve. When compiled, the list of these features and those offered by all the apps total 82 entries! The attached spreadsheet shows the features and capabilities of each app.Įven then, the list is not exhaustive. So, there you have it, the bare-bones list of requirements that I think are important for a navigation app. With in-app capability you can find the results for any date or time, even when out of range of WiFi. Having that information inside the app and displayed by a clickable icon is more convenient than accessing the internet. Tides and Currents: You always want to know the tides and currents while cruising. I consider it important for a navigation app used by cruisers. If an app incorporates Active Captain posts, then you have the option of reading what others say about hazards, marinas, navigation, anchorages or other information. Anyone can contribute to the conversation or announce what they encounter. Routes and waypoints must be easily exported and imported between apps, cloud storage, email, etc.īoat parameters: Boat speed, ETA to a destination if you’re on a route, and other parameters are often included such as fuel used, distance traveled, cross-track error, etc.Īctive Captain: It’s like the old Citizens Band (CB) radios in cars. #SEAIQ FREE FULL#Route and waypoint management: Such data should be easily created within the app with full editing capabilities. Location plotted on a chart: This is the most basic of functions, often with choices of north up or heads up with a chart for your location. #SEAIQ FREE ANDROID#There are also apps that will run on Android devices, but there aren’t as many choices on that platform. I then compiled a list of features, including all those listed by the app developers. I purchased 14 mobile navigation apps and installed all of them on my iPad Air 2. I have also included a couple of “helper” apps that warrant review. In this article, I focus on those apps that can fulfill the function of a chartplotter at the helm. There are also apps produced by chartplotter manufacturers that are not designed as replacements, but rather are intended to assist in viewing or managing the chartplotter. iPad and mobile apps have steadily gained capabilities with some offering most of the same features as dedicated chartplotters. Depending on the situation, the cost of a tow could pay for the mobile devices and the app, combined.Īpple’s iPad has been a disrupting force in marine navigation. Compared to a tow, they are cheap, especially if you already own an iPad or iPhone. Review: I evaluated 14 apps that can be used in the scenario presented above. The cost of the app was peanuts compared to a tow. Along the way I saw a sailboat in the famous shoal by R2 and another one that ignored G1A and G1B that was also aground. I tapped on the route, which then gave me the choice of which app to use and voila! I had a route to follow with 9 MLW! Fernandina was a piece of cake after that. #SEAIQ FREE DOWNLOAD#I chose one and saw a route available for download in GPX format. I knew that the passage through the Fernandina shallows was difficult due to all the unmarked shoals so I opened Waterway Explorer with Safari on my iPad and searched for Fernandina. I had just downloaded a new iPad navigation app but with no routes. #SEAIQ FREE FREE#Scenario: I got a late start due to rain in the morning, so Ann and I rushed everything together and shoved off from the Jacksonville free dock on Sister’s Creek headed to Fernandina. This article provides a detailed overview of the apps with links to additional information embedded throughout. ![]() Editor’s Note: In this assessment of mobile navigation apps, Waterway Guide contributing editor Bob Sherer (aka Bob423) purchased 14 apps and spent several months on his vessel evaluating each one. ![]()
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