nautical chart navigation on an iphone ?

[Tim.M]

I don't have an iphone yet, but am tempted by the beautiful touchscreen. Are there any nautical chart iphone apps that work to make the iphone a touchscreen chartplotter? Is an iphone's built-in gps good enough for this?

[john schroeder]

I dont have one yet but my buddy just got one. Iphone now has a software program that down loads all the charts of the us and you can purchace the world all loaded from maptech to the I phoe. Then you can atatch a flat screen, to the I phone and have a stand alone system that is using the built in gps on the I phone . Ive played with it and its amazing. I think the chartplotter guys better hold on to their shorts this is the answer. It works great for me as I havbe several boats diferent sizes and in different locations as well I deliver yachts and small boats it would be great to carry with me and plug in rather than learn a new system or pay for one on each boat! As soon as I am confident that AT&T will provide me service where I live Im going to go that route / Check it out

[Stumble]

I haven't used the programs yet, but I have been looking at a program called iNavX which at about $50 is a pretty expensive iPhone app. However it seems to be a complete replacement for a handheld GPS, uses free NOAA raster maps, and if you have a Mac (computer running GPSNavX) on board can tie into all of the instruments on board and act as a repeater for them. iNavX can also download weather charts using it's 3g connection or if you have a boat internet connection.

The only issue I can really see with the apps so far is that they do not allow you to get NMEA output from the iphone. So it can only be used as a stand alone unit. That and the fact that a waterproof case would be a neciessity (they run about $50)

[BeauVrolyk]

I've been using the iNavX software for a couple of months now. It has a few problems, but is every bit as good as any of the small screen GPSs. One should remember that the iPhone has to be "on" for the GPS to work, so you can't stop the phone and as a result the battery is only good for a couple of hours. (I just operate mine plugged in when I'm using it for serious navigation.) The charts look like real charts, the update rate is fine, the jitter is "ok" but not great.

It's also hard to use the iPhone in full sun, so I go below to use it. It's better that way anyway as the iPhone is NOT waterproof. Mine lives in a plastic bag with clear sides so it stays relatively dry aboard my IOD.

B

[Stumble]

For waterproofing I highly recommend http://www.thepocketsolution.com/PSI-45467.html not only does it allow you to still use the iPhone while inside the case, it also floats if it falls overboard.

[john schroeder]

The next real problem with all this is If I am going to use this system I will need to build a cabin for an IT guy to trouble shoot all the stuff! Kidding but once hooked up to a SYSTEM always hooked up. endless updates ,fees. Dont get me wrong I think its the future and the charts used are far better than the ones on most chart ploters.Its just the monthly fees..............

[BeauVrolyk]

I would NOT use an iPhone for navigation unless you owned one and were paying for it already. That's because if you've got one anyway, you have weather forecasts, the web, sat photos, doppler radar images, email, a phone, and as an afterthought it does the chart plotting and GPS. But, if you don't need the iPhone, don't bother.

Also, if you're really going to rely on this thing, take two. They are NOT waterproof.

[yipster]

i dont have a iphone phone yet but was amazed
many boaters leave their satnav in the car and dont use any
maybe there's even marine software for those too

[BeauVrolyk]

Originally Posted by yipster

i dont have a iphone phone yet but was amazed
many boaters leave their satnav in the car and dont use any
maybe there's even marine software for those too

To the best of my knowledge there isn't any marine nav software for the various sat phones and dashboard nav systems for cars. I think this is basically because the manufacturers don't allow any 3rd party applications software at all.

The iPhone has a gigantic advantage having a real computer operating system within what has been generally viewed as a phone. As a result, everything that Apple has learned by testing and growing the base of 3rd party applications software on the Macintosh is applicable to the iPhone. I suppose that's the reason that the iPhone has tens of thousands of applications and over billion downloads already, and it's only a couple years old.