- You are here:
-
Home
-
DIY & How To
- Electronics
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.
Related Articles
Boat Reviews
CY Virtual Video Boat Tours
We all love boats and nothing can break us up! So, what better way to spend our time than looking at interesting boats and going aboard in a virtual ride or tour. We have asked our friends at various dealers and manufacturers to help us assemble a one-stop online resource to experience some of the most interesting boats on the market today. Where the CY Team has done a review, we connect you to that expert viewpoint. If you can’t go boating, you can almost experience the thrill via your screen. Not quite the same, but we hope you enjoy our fine tour collection.
Read more about the CY Virtual Boat Tours....................
Boston Whaler 230 Vantage
By Andy Adams
The famous Boston Whaler slogan, “the unsinkable legend” has always expressed a safety promise that from their very beginning, set a Boston Whaler apart from other boats, and it’s clear to me that the designers take this heritage seriously.
The Boston Whaler 230 Vantage maintains the virtues that have made Whalers such an enduring success and now the designers have skillfully captured those virtues in a handsome and somewhat more traditional dual console design.
Destinations
Boating In the Birthplace of Confederation
Over the course of four days in September 1864, representatives from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Lower Canada (Quebec) and Upper Canada (Ontario) gathered in Charlottetown to discuss the idea of bringing these diverse colonies together and forming a country. These discussions laid the foundation for what ultimately led to the Confederation of Canada in July, 1867.
Today, PEI continues to influence the rest of Canada as a vacation playground, known for its laid-back attitude, carefree pace, remarkable food scene and tremendous recreation opportunities. That’s especially true if you choose to explore the island the old-fashioned way – by boat.
Lifestyle
William Jones and Evan DePaul claimed Canada’s Olympic spot in the 49er by being the top Canadian team at the 2020 World Championships for the class. A highlight in their history together was winning the 2017 World Junior title on home waters in Kingston, Ontario.
The pair is self-driven to work and train hard in this very tough fleet. Sailing the skiff is hard work in itself making the 49er perhaps the most challenging Olympic class. Early in his career, DePaul raced C420s, becoming a top three youth sailor in Canada. He was drawn to the 49er because of the technical aspects involved and the sailing skill required.
Marine Products
Turn your phone into a castable sonar; STRIKER Cast brings sonar to a mobile device to help anglers find & catch more fish – with & without a boat! Designed for use in freshwater and saltwater (and even for ice fishing), STRIKER Cast delivers excellent sonar performance in both shallow water and deep water.
Anglers can even turn on fish icons to view more realistic images of the fish targets and their depth readings directly in the app, so it’s easy to know exactly where to drop the line.
STEINER NAVIGATOR PRO 7x50
Here is a gift that is sure to become a treasured part of your boating experience for years to come. The porro prism Navigator Pro Series is the choice for recreational boaters, weekend anglers and hobby sailors. The Steiner Navigator Pro 7x50 offers exceptional performance in tough marine environments.You should buy a pair to give your sweetie for next summer.
MSRP: $845.00 CAD
News
On Saturday, my boat finally splashed. You could tell it was happy and I was too. This has been painful. Nonetheless, I have not yet left the dock nor had a social moment aboard. My excitement has been limited to standing and admiring the scene while thanking the boat gods for vaccines and declining case numbers.
You are likely experiencing something similar as marinas and boat clubs gingerly step forward amid caution and distancing signs. There is a collective sigh of relief heard across the land because the timing of the delayed launch appears to coincide with a national heat wave. It would have been infuriating to sizzle on the hard with the escape boat stuck in its cradle. I’m grateful for getting this far.
English
Français