iPhone Sailing

[SVAuspicious]

Only the original iPhone did not have a GPS. The 3G, 3GS, and 4 all do have a GPS. The 3GS and 4 also have an electronic compass.

[WhatTheFoley]

Other helpful apps that I run,

windAlert and Anchors Aweigh

windAlert is weather/wind info based on SailFlow.com data.

Anchors Aweigh is a great little drift/anchor alarm.


Disclaimer: my friend wrote Anchors Aweigh. I am not associated with his company, and do not make any money from the app.

[DropTop]

I have an android phone, I'm using Navionics, Marine Weather by Bluefin, and windfinder

Navionics makes for a great backup chart or a quick reference when you are discussing something and away from the regular charts (i.e. at a restrauant), or when on a someone else's boat that doesn't have a chart plotter.

Marine Weather by BlueFin and Windfinder perform largly the same function, but windfinder is much better at providing a visual depiction of what is happening and what is forecast at predetermined / favorite spots, while marine weather is better for looking at things from a big picture and checking individual bouy data on demand.

As for a good radar app, I'm still trying to find one I like. weather channel's app is incredibly slow and runs all the time, RadarNow is quick, but provides a very low resolution radar image. I'm looking for suggestions on this one...

[ffiill]

What a glorious waste of time and money-the iphone.
Certainly here in the UK its great as is other 3g applications if you happen to live/sail in or near big population centres.
In the UK thats great on the south coast and up the east and west coast as far as central Scotland but once north of that forget it-no reception.
Yet those who live in or close to Urban Centres just dont get it.
My daughter who lives in London and works for Dell came up to stay with us and expected that she could keep in touch with her UK base and US base!
I am sure if you sail in Alaska;Oregon or parts of New England that its a no go as well?
Anyway whats the point if you have a compass; GPS and or charts; a log and echo sounder.what more do you need ?

[trailblazer1229]

I agree with most that Navigation Apps might not be the most sought after because of coverage and lack of update speed. Other things may be usefull in pre and post sail.

Wind, tide, weather app
Local hazard app (known shoals or wrecks)
Channel marker app

Rum app. Ideally this would tell you the closest place that sells it.
Slip finder app. Let me know when/where slips are available.

[DropTop]

Originally Posted by trailblazer1229

I agree with most that Navigation Apps might not be the most sought after because of coverage and lack of update speed.

actually, the Navionics app works completly offline and only requires the GPS to get a lock (aka uses no data service). It is also much faster to browse the chart on my phone than looking at the chart plotter, but that doesn't mean I would suggest using it in place of the marine grade chart plotter tied to the sounder for actual depth info. It is however a good supplement or backup device (as long as the battery isn't dead)

Originally Posted by trailblazer1229

Wind, tide, weather app
Local hazard app (known shoals or wrecks)
Channel marker app

Rum app. Ideally this would tell you the closest place that sells it.
Slip finder app. Let me know when/where slips are available.

wind, tide, weather, see my above post

local hazard and channel markers are coverd by the charts, in the navionics app.

rum and slip apps, those would be nice to have

[Paul2000]

It would be nice if the ap worked off the gps even if it lost the cell service. Some aps stop working completely if they lose cell service. You could design an app that allows downloading additional maps and data and updating while cell service is available, and just show the functions that are unavailable due to cell loss as unavailable while allowing the gps only functions to continue to function. Store the maps on the sd card instead of using the network and you will still have it available. I think Mapdroyd does this for the android system. Speaking of which, don't forget the Android market, it is growing really fast. I got a Motorola droid and am completely hooked.

[DropTop]

Originally Posted by Paul2000

It would be nice if the ap worked off the gps even if it lost the cell service. Some aps stop working completely if they lose cell service.

the navionics app does work 100% with no cell service

[MelSplashography]

Not sure about in the US but here in the UK BoatLaunch gives every slip in the UK also a great little personal AIS type program called Yottie and one called Boatie run alongside my Navionics and aye tides apps

[Capt. Gary Randall]

The technology is here why not use it. I have been using a computer for navigation professionally for the last 15 years loaded with GPS card it makes it very convenient to keep all your records on a computer I don't see why a phone would be any different.

Now I use a laptop with voice recognition as well as GPS included it makes perfect sense to just build smaller again. My newest system is a laptop loaded with my navigation program and keeping all of my waypoints on CD just recently the last three years I have been using Google Earth along with my other programs I can actually load the waypoints and make a trip to my destination before I ever leave Port. It is also very easily done to look at a entrance in foreign waters before I arrived to see where the shallow water is. I am very impressed with the technology of cell phone these days adding voice recognition would make it very easy to navigate with all hands on the wheel. My laptop can connect to the autopilot, gyrocompass, radar and etc. recording everything I do running it on a disk and saving it for later. I don't see why the same technology can not be adapted to a cell phone that operates off satellite completely in the near future. It will be a must for traveling to foreign ports eliminate the need to buy charts and to locate hazardous shoals that may not even be on the chart. I would be interested in knowing about your new application and maybe adding some input. The Google Earth can even be used to see who is ahead of you in that case you need to avoid piracy at sea. CaptG