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Phones Apps

5K views 48 replies 19 participants last post by  Donna_F 
#1 ·
Well if you have been following my thread on looking for boats I put a deposit on a C22 today after a 2hr lake trial. It's plenty enough boat for me as I'll be in a large inland lake, and being a single handed, brand new sailor.

I'm doing this to gain experience and become proficient at sailing with the goal of buying a SoCal boat in the next two years and using it as an escape from the blistering hot Arizona summers.

My question is, I need a new cell phone, which system Apple or Andriod offer the best free or inexpensive sailing apps :confused:

I want to become familiar with them even though I don't need them a for a lake so when I start chartering in SoCal next summer I'm proficient at reading what are they are telling me and there's no learning curve.

Or should I bite the bullet and get an IPad and load the apps on that. I'd like charts, weather, maybe instant alerts, GPS, etc...
 
#3 ·
Thanks, I'm thinking it may be the way to go since it has a larger screen and there's no radio on board so it would allow for some Jimmy Buffett in the background.

I was sort of looking at being more cost effective though as I do need a new phone and hate to lay out the iPad type money.

Someone must be able to tell me what are the best phone apps for sailing...??????
 
#4 ·
Check out android tablets like the nexus 7 or 10. Both are great tabets(7 and 10 inch) and are half the price of a ipad. You'll find the same apps for both platforms these days. Very rarely are apps not for both operating systems. Plus the good thing about Android is you can plug into a computer and drag and drop pdf files, pictures, chart files, music onto it like a USB thumb drive. Super easy since you don't have to go through iTunes.

-sent from sea via corked bottle
 
#5 ·
Also the same goes for Android phones. Depending on your carrier, the nexus line of Android phones are great for the price. But you should try both operating systems to see which you like best. More phones to select from with android (screen size, layout, etc)

-sent from sea via corked bottle
 
#6 ·
I have an iPad, Android phone and an Android tablet. The most cost effective way to go is the Android tablet. There is an android app named MX Mariner that allows you to download maps for all over the US and Pacific. It is the best and cheapest app available. You can also "root" your Android phone fairly easily and tether other wifi devices.

I do prefer the elegance of the iPad for writing and remote video editing, after many hours of sailing I have to say that the Android takes it for navigation.
 
#7 ·
#8 ·
Well if you have been following my thread on looking for boats I put a deposit on a C22 today after a 2hr lake trial. It's plenty enough boat for me as I'll be in a large inland lake, and being a single handed, brand new sailor.

I'm doing this to gain experience and become proficient at sailing with the goal of buying a SoCal boat in the next two years and using it as an escape from the blistering hot Arizona summers.

My question is, I need a new cell phone, which system Apple or Andriod offer the best free or inexpensive sailing apps :confused:

I want to become familiar with them even though I don't need them a for a lake so when I start chartering in SoCal next summer I'm proficient at reading what are they are telling me and there's no learning curve.

Or should I bite the bullet and get an IPad and load the apps on that. I'd like charts, weather, maybe instant alerts, GPS, etc...
Well, I can't give a thoughtful answer because I have a dumb phone. I take it sailing with me in case somebody calls me (which seldom happens). I've been sailing without "apps" for a number of years and have done just fine. A VHF handheld receives weather forecasts and also calls for help just in case. You don't have to look up a phone number. I would buy an Apple Ipad just for amusement, if that helps.:)
 
#9 ·
I use the Garmin Bluechart app on my iPad and iPhone. App is free but $35 for the entire east coast ($22 this year for updated charts) is, in my opinion, a bargain. Pay once and it works on both iPhone and iPad. I love the features it has.

Traveling up the coast of Florida and GA (in and out of the ICW), I compared it to the display on the boat's chartplotter and they were comparable as far as accuracy.
 
#10 ·
I have an older iPhone and even though the screen is a bit smaller than the new ones I like it for marine apps. I use Garmin Blue Chart and EarthNC Marine Charts on both the iPhone and my iPad. The phone is actually more convenient since I just take it out of my pocket when I need it. The display is fine to zoom in and see the area of the chart I'm interested in.

That said, I'm sure there are good apps for non-Apple phones as well. I go with Apple because my computers are all Apple so everything plays nice together. If you're not a Mac person then my guess is you could go either way and be happy.
 
#12 ·
For handheld GPS/chartplotter on Android, I really like Marine Navigator. You download the free NOAA raster charts into your phone/tablet, and this program shows where you are, records tracks, and shows routes on the NOAA charts. I like it because the charts are completely free in the US, and are the exact ones NOAA puts out, so you don't have translation errors like 3rd party charts.

There's a Lite version that's free if you want to try it out. It has no time limit, just fewer features. The paid version (under $10 IIRC) makes it easier to download the charts and has other added features.
 
#13 ·
I use and iPad and and iPhone and the gps based nav apps share seamlessly between them. Add the capability for email, music, movies, books, web searches, live weather radar, etc, etc and it's truly the greatest advancement in sailing technology in my lifetime.

I don't know that there is a quantifiable advantage between Apple and Droid. There are some who are passionate that they know which is better.

All in know is that Android is gaining in market share, but making no money doing so. I have to wonder what the end game is or when they will have to raise prices. My guess is they are sucking in customers to create brand loyalty and will milk them later. Works every time.
 
#18 ·
All in know is that Android is gaining in market share, but making no money doing so. I have to wonder what the end game is or when they will have to raise prices. My guess is they are sucking in customers to create brand loyalty and will milk them later. Works every time.
Actually, it has to do with the ability to monitor everything you do online. Now, Google no longer has to wait for you to hit a page that happens to go to a site with one of their ads; instead they can track all the people you E-mail, all the sites you visit, and every other interaction with the device so they can "better target" advertising to you. It's scary, really. That's part of why I go with Apple. Not that I think their products are that much better, but I don't want one company knowing THAT much about me and what I do.
 
#14 ·
Congratulations on the boat!

We are an Apple family so we have iPhones and an iPad on the boat. Our iPad has 3G capability but we bought a refurbished one so it was a lot less expensive. Same warranty, etc. In fact, I'll probably go with refurbished from now on.

Anyway, we have iNavX on the iPad. After a bit of a learning curve, it has served our purposes just fine. We also like the BuoyData app and PredictWind, and for fun I have a few knots apps - Knots3D and Knot Guide.
 
#15 ·
Really appreciate folks posting apps they find helpful. Still, it strikes me before a significant passage a call goes into Chris Parker or his equivalent ( if there is one). You need to sit a few courses with Lee to make heads to tails of the gribs or 500Mb or forecasts you read. Underway the recording barometer and your eyes on the sky remain your most reliable indicators. In short as we gain more technology we don't decrease our dependence on other people and our own skills. More information doesn't equal more knowledge.
 
#16 ·
Outbound, total agree. I just want to become familiar with them. Now that I have a boat I'll be sailing every weekend on the large lake near my house on the C22 and occasionally rent a C30 they have at the lake to become familiar and comfortable on larger boats.

Then next summer I'll be headed to San Diego once a month and rent 30'ftrs or larger for weekend excursions and ocean practice and eventually purchase a mid 30'ftr in SoCal for regular weekend escapes from the blistering heat in Phoenix.

Thanks everyone, I think for a number of reasons I'm going to pick up a pad with the android operating system, mostly that I can easily work from it and exchange work docs easier than an iPad....
 
#20 ·
If you wanna kill your two birds with one stone, Casio's GZone Commando smart phone may be an option. Military-Spec 810G for ruggedness and water resistance. I have mine loaded with Navionics chart plotting software, and can be used/mounted in the cockpit under extreme conditions. A great backup to my repertoire of navigation aids.
 
#22 ·
BoatyardBoy, I wasn't suggesting that Apple isn't monitoring me. Just that I'm happier having Apple have a subset of my information, and Google their own subset. And, for the record, I have my own E-mail server, and vary my search engine use. Yeah, I'm a little paranoid about some things! :)

Sorry, I didn't mean to take the thread off track.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Maybe I'm naive, but I always thought that they're ALL using my personal data to direct advertising. So it doesn't matter much whether you use iOS or Android. They're all using your info for this. And I don't think that's necessarily a sinister thing. If I've gotta look at ads, I might as well look at ones that are a good fit for me.

I know that there is potential for abuse, such using the GPS to track my wherabouts, but I figure you need to take the good with the bad. Aside from my SSN, bank accounts, credit cards, etc., I just don't have that much to hide.

All things considered, I like Android's ability to sideload apps and data, and to directly access the file content of the entire phone. Apple's obsession with controlling access to the contents of their phones and tablets does raise my suspicion a little bit.

I see much of this as a repeat of the Mac vs. Windows battles of the '90s. Apple exerts huge control over the user experience and jumps off to a fast lead, but that control ultimately stifles innovation. The more free-wheeling environment (Windows then, Android now) initially has problems with inconsistent user experience, but over the years that sorts itself out and the innovation takes off and surpasses Apple because the more open environment is ultimately friendlier to the most creative developers. It happened before, and I see it happening again.
 
#24 ·
iPad nav apps are only compatible with iBoats, and since you bought an incompatible boat that is not supported by Apple, none of the iPad apps will work with it.

(WEG)

No, really, the good news is that you can go to your local Apple store and download all the nav apps you please and play with them all day on the iPads in the store, to see how they work. And the Geek Bar guys will be there to help. Then you can see for yourself if an iPad is for you. In which case, of course, you'll have to dump the C22 and still buy an iBoat.

:)
 
#25 ·
This is a really stupid question, so bear with me. I'm a techno-dummy. I have an Ipad and I've played with a few charting apps, but only at home where the WiFi is automatically working. Does the GPS feature of the Ipad and nav programs depend on WiFi or does it work when you're away from the internet?

Thanks, Mike
 
#26 ·
It works away from the internet, including offshort. It might take a few seconds longer to initially get a fix on the position.
 
#27 ·
Mike, IIRC (vaguely!) the iPad3 was the first one with GPS built in. As long as your iPad has GPS built in it should work off the grid. Applications which locally store charts and do not need internet access will likewise work off the grid, assuming your iPad has enough memory to store the charts for the areas you need.
 
#28 ·
All iPads that have cellular access (3G or LTE) have GPS. Wifi only iPads do not have GPS.

With regard to copying files back and forth (and excluding big brother paranoia), it makes a lot of sense to use a service like Dropbox for files. It will sync files wirelessly between multiple computers and whatever device you choose. In a crunch you can even securely access your files through the website on someone else's device (don't forget to logout when you're done!). I keep all my sailing files/manuals on it and can access them from my laptop, tablet or phone.

As far as apps, I prefer to primarily use a basic chart otter on board but I use iSailor as a backup a and for planning.

Congrats on the boat!
 
#29 ·
As far as apps, I prefer to primarily use a basic chart otter on board ...
I hate basic chart otters. They eat too much, they are a REAL pain to housebreak, and they can get downright mean. I've found it much better to spend the money and upgrade to an advanced chart otter, where most of the work has been done for you.
 
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