iPhone

[Liquorice]

There's an application on the web for the iPhone called iNavX - downloads for about $50.
It's a GPS plotter (I think)!
Anybody got it or tried it?
Is it worth the money?
With an iPhone around $500 and $50 for the App it would appear to be good value compared to a plotter. That's assuming it's OK and does what I think it does.
Sounds too good a deal to be useful!
Anybody???
sam :-)

[SailingStNick]

$500 for an iPhone?

I'm surprised you haven't had any responses. You might check a Mac website such as MacRumors to get an opinion.

[dinodino]

I got it. I'm not too thrilled with it, and wouldn't buy it again. I bought it hoping to be able to use my iPhone as a cheap chartplotter, but the screen was really too small. The software was okay but many rough spots, such as when meeting the edge of the chart. I ended up buying a Garmin 640.

[Vitesse473]

You'd better also budget for an inverter so you can recharge the iPhone 2 hours after launching the app. I personally would not trust my iPhone to deliver something as important as chart plotting. You can buy a nice Garmin handheld for a lot less than $550.

[Shortman]

has an article on phone apps for navigation & pretty much concludes same as opinions expressed above. I agree, screen too small.
My iPhone was $100 w/service contract. Great for email on the go, searching for phone numbers on the land map app, even along Nova Scotia coast although once you cross a border you should buy an international data plan, even for Canada. I got it for the month I was there then canceled.

[MJBrown]

Check out the Navionics App for $6.99. While I only use it for pre trip planning I could in a pinch use it as a backup if the chart plotter went down.

[Allanbc]

Originally Posted by MJBrown

Check out the Navionics App for $6.99. While I only use it for pre trip planning I could in a pinch use it as a backup if the chart plotter went down.

How well do you like the Navionics App? I was thinking about getting for those times when I am sitting around on land and wishing I were on the water.

[Pilot35]

I use the iNavX iPhone app as a back-up GPS & love it (must have a 3G). I already had the phone, so as a back-up was good deal. I find it accurate enough for cruises around Cape Cod. I did see a positive review for Navionics Marine - $10. New apps for the sailor every week.

[Brucerobs2]

I have the Navionics App, and it works OK. On my phone (newer 3G) its still a little slow for chart details to fill in when moving across screens, which is frustrating. I would use it only as a back ups-back up, and in a pinch. The battery life is too short on the phone for practical nav use. Maybe there is a setting I can change but it also stops navigating when my phone goes to sleep after a minute of non use. Seems limited by the phone. As others have said, the screen is small, but if you use a hand held, its not much different than that.

I use it mostly on land when thinking about a trip or planning one (or if bored someplace) but I would not navigate with it unless I had too. The marina info is handy. I also like the waypoint function as its a quick and dirty way to measure distances between points/marks/etc.
Its also not weather resistant at all, which can be a problem ...and costly if you drop it. Its definitely not a nav system (yet) with this app. I like to check weather radar and other things on the water, but not navigate with the phone.

[MJBrown]

Originally Posted by Allanbc

How well do you like the Navionics App? I was thinking about getting for those times when I am sitting around on land and wishing I were on the water.

I love it and pretty much use it as you suggest. Pre trip planning, sharing favorite anchorages with a buddy or just dreaming up trips for next summer. Its just a nice app that lets you check out most anything you would on a normal plotter. For $6.99 it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.