New Nav Application (iOS devices)

[Loren Beach]

There was a small but positive writeup about this in the Nov. 2024 Practical Boat Owner.
The article called it a "great take on the art of navigation" which might be a bit of hype, but OTOH something that puts useable charting on the iPad or even the small screen on my iPhone would be very nice.
Like the authors of the app, I much prefer the reality/information of a raster chart, over the "layers" approach of a vector rendering.

Opinions welcomed and experiences, etc...

AngelNav

 

[Elgyn]

Can't say much. Don't have an iPad. Wonder if they'll release an android version in the future

 

[tenders]

This seems to be a UK-centric app, to the point of not being usable in the US.

 

[Loren Beach]

Perhaps success will expand their charted coverage?

 

[David Vaughn]

For $4.99 they will sell you an add on to import NOAA charts. I’m kinda interested since I’ve read some of Tom Cunliffe’s books and articles and have some respect for him.
Might try it when my Navionics subscription gets closer to expiring.

 

[Loren Beach]

I’m kinda interested since I’ve read some Tom Cunliffe’s books and articles and have some respect for him.

That motivates me also!

 

[jtsai]

If the app uses raster charts instead of vector charts, then it does not have auto-routing feature like what Navionic can do. Raster charts are flat image file. Vector charts contains object positions.

 

[David Vaughn]

You are correct. No auto routing.
From what I’ve read of Tom Cunliffe though, him being one of those old school guys that crossed the Atlantic multiple times in the 70s, 80s and 90s with only paper charts, he’d say that’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

 

[Eric Gordon]

I keep getting ads for this on instagram. (“They’re" listening, watching——waiting).

https://www.maptattoo.com/product/maptattoo/

It’s obviously a small startup…..

 

[Pete the Cat]

There was a small but positive writeup about this in the Nov. 2024 Practical Boat Owner.
The article called it a "great take on the art of navigation" which might be a bit of hype, but OTOH something that puts useable charting on the iPad or even the small screen on my iPhone would be very nice.
Like the authors of the app, I much prefer the reality/information of a raster chart, over the "layers" approach of a vector rendering.

Opinions welcomed and experiences, etc...

AngelNav

I have been using iNavx on ipads for some time as primary chartplotters (I have backups installed). iNavx folks caught the old raster chart collection before NOAA stopped producing them and allowed us to download it and use it with their app. I really hate vector charts--they are ugly and confusing and the layering of detail seems dangerous to me because some plotters do not alert you to the fact that a more detailed chart might be available. iNavx (and perhaps others) do alert you.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

. . . I really hate vector charts--they are ugly and confusing and the layering of detail seems dangerous to me because some plotters do not alert you to the fact that a more detailed chart might be available. . . .

We just had this happen recently in a part of Narragansett Bay where we rarely go. Approaching the passage under Mount Hope Bridge from the west I knew there was supposed to be a red buoy to the right but couldn't see it on the water or our B&G chart plotter. I finally zoomed in a lot and found Musselbed Shoals. But no hint that it was in a layer before zooming. Oddly, Bristol Point Rock showed up on the chart first, several powers of magnification less. We currently only run the charts that came with the B&G. They got us through cruising this summer but I'm not crazy about them.

This screen shot is from my phone running Wärtsilä iSailor. I got it years ago when it was free and you bought the charts once. They've since switched to an annual chart subscription. I've only used it as a small portable map, not for any real navigation so I can't give a review one way or t'other.

 

[Loren Beach]

Wärtsilä iSailor.

Interesting! I just looked it up at the App Store. I find it worrying that it has not been updated in 5 years. But, yours works fine? Also, and sadly, it sez it will not run on my MacBookPro. i-devices only, I presume.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Interesting! I just looked it up at the App Store. I find it worrying that it has not been updated in 5 years. But, yours works fine? Also, and sadly, it sez it will not run on my MacBookPro. i-devices only, I presume.

I didn't realize it hadn't been updated in while, Loren. Hopefully the charts are up to date. It was interesting to follow the arc of my own reaction to reading that. First was a bit of panic. Then as I thought of it, some of the words I've come to dread most are "New and Improved". Most times I never encountered the bugs a developer claims to fix. Frequently features I like are removed, or they make you start paying for them. I actually become a crotchety old bastid when I need to update an app. But, the actual charts are another thing.

We're still figuring out what works best for nav and charts and value everyone's input here at EYo. We've always sailed with other folks using their systems. Except for Donna, way back in the day, in another life on another boat, used Loran. I wouldn't use iSailor as my primary nav software, but it's simple, clean, and doesn't crash so I'll probably keep it as a backup for the time being.