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Since the initial article of this column we have identified a wide range of apps and accessories for your iPad, including numerous marine navigation apps like iNavX and Navionics as well as a number of other marine related apps and accessories. One feature we have not yet considered is the use of apps for racing. Whether you race professionally or for fun there are apps that help take your racing to the next level.
Since the initial article of this series we have looked at the iPad and its use as a marine navigation instrument. We have discussed its functionality, available apps, relevant hardware and compared it to traditional charplotters. This focus on iPad led one of our readers to an interesting question that we have yet to address.
Question: Why has the focus been solely on the use of iPads for marine navigation rather than Android devices?
In Going iPad with Marine Navigation we concluded that iPads provide a modern platform for marine navigation. No we shall explore how functional an iPad is in comparison to standard chartplotters.
Read more: Going iPad or Chartplotter, Which is Right for...
Question: Is it possible to mount, protect and charge your iPad during marine navigation.
Answer: Yes, but it often requires some creative thinking and typically purchasing separate accessories for each duty.
Not many of us need to stay connected to our global business empire while cruising (the 0.01 %?), but a pretty sizeable percentage of boat owners do need to keep in contact whether for business or family reasons.
Is iNavX the superlative marine navigation app?
There is a good deal of hesitancy and lack of understanding as to whether an iPad can fully replace existing navigation equipment. Quite simply put the answer is yes!
Sunshine flooded the waters separating California’s Catalina Island from Channel Islands Harbor, and Capt. Tom Petersen, skipper of the well-equipped Sea Ray 55 Sundancer Valkyrie, was leading a small flotilla when an unexpected fog bank quashed visibility. While Valkyrie carries the latest Raymarine kit (Petersen is a Raymarine Pro Ambassador), including a 12 kW, six-foot, open-array high-definition radar, Petersen’s companions weren’t electronically fortified. “I sat behind the other boats, watching them on my radar and maintaining radio contact,” said Petersen.
Boaters who prefer to be on the hook, such as ourselves in our Islander 36 sailboat Holole’a, greatly extend their cruising experience. There are many more bays and nooks and crannies available when using the anchor. And it is free! However, the one big issue is electrical power. The boat has to be self-contained for storing electrical power (batteries), recharging the batteries, and providing 120 Volt electrical power (main engine with alternator or dedicated genset). Solar panels can help recharge batteries also.Most boats use deep-cycle batteries for the house battery system. These are batteries that can tolerate hundreds of cycles of a 50% discharge. Without getting too technical, they are generally robust batteries of lead-acid, gel-cell, or AGM (absorbed glass matt) construction. The common physical sizes for 12 volt systems can vary from Group 24 (common car size), to golf-cart 6 volt batteries (connect 2 in series for 12 volts) up to massive and very heavy 4D and 8D. Battery banks can be added in parallel for more capacity.
With built in functions for radar, weather, chart plotters, engine data, and radio controls, boat owners are constantly touching their on-board electronics. Also, many boats with a more open design get a lot of salt spray on their dash as well. Shurhold Industries offers tips on how to properly clean a boat's electronics.
Lifestyle
H/H Sailor of the Month of November is Mark Lammens
On November 13 Sail Canada, the national governing body for the sport of sailing, announced Mark Lammens as the Helly Hansen Sailor of the Month.
To many, sailing is more than just a sport - it’s a lifestyle. A living embodiment of that motto is the man himself, Mark Lammens.
For the past 35 years Mark has been involved in many aspects of the sport; as an athlete, coach, volunteer and administrator. He has gone above and beyond with the time, commitment, and passion he has put into the sailing community over the past 3 decades.
Read more about Mark Lammens...............
Boat Reviews
J99 - Offshore Shorthanded Speedster
A Great Boat for Canada and Mom Approved Too!
By Jill Snider and Andy Adams
Coming from two different directions, Jill Snider and I met up at Crates Lake Country Boats in Orillia, Ontario to run and review a new Pursuit DC 235, a deep vee dual console boat that is an offshore inspired bow rider with strong fishing overtones and a wide range of family features.
It’s what I would call a handsome, classically styled boat that I suspect will still look fresh many years into the future. Jill had a different take on it.
Read more about the Pursuit DC 235.....................
Destinations
New destination: Moorings announces charters in Brazil
With an increasing amount of interest in South America as a charter destination, The Moorings has responded with a new base in Paraty, Brazil. Surrounded by towering jungles plummeting into the waters of Baia Carioca, this charter cruising region features bays peppered with islands and world-famous beaches.
Centrally located between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Paraty (pronounced “Para-chee”) holds the key to many natural wonders you can only discover by boat.
Read more about Moorings' Brazil Charters......................
Marine Products
Good gear: Test of The Bolt Locking Products
By Glen Konorowski
There is nothing worse for me to have too many keys on your key chain. Even if I move a few to another ring and put them in a safe spot on the boat, I have trouble remembering the secret spot where they are or worse yet, my adult children don’t put the keys back.
If you have had a boat on a trailer for a number of years you have heard stories of trailer/boat thefts. A friend of mind had his boat trailer stolen right out of his driveway while away sailing one weekend just because he couldn’t find the key for the ball lock and thought it safe on his own property.
Read more about Good Gear................
