Expensive and tired old technology?

[Graham W]

For those that have been following this thread, there is another one with slightly similar content, concentrating more on what is available in the world of navigation-capable tablets https://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/smf/index.php/topic,3311.0.html.  I think that the Tripltek 8” Pro (and the newer 9 Pro) which haven’t been discussed in the current thread, are quite interesting rivals to the Sailproof 8”.  Expensive though.

[Sea Simon]

Expensive...compared to the Sailproof?

[Graham W]

Yup.  The 9 Pro is approaching iPad country.

[Rob Johnstone]

Do I read this right that you can get UK charts using Navionics on a Sailproof 8 or 9? Navionics appear to have abandoned UK charts on their Android offering - or am I mistaken?
(Not that I need them for Lockdown but you never know what's in the offing.

[Willie The Rut Lander]

Rob
I have Navionics (for Northern Europe I think - can check if required) on my SP10 for about 34 quid a year and it works fine.
DM me if you are thinking of buying a SP10.
Willie

[Graham W]

The way it works with Navionics is that you download the app for free and pay an annual chart fee for one user (the amount depends on what geographical area you need) and can then use it on both Android (Sailproof) and iOS (iPad, iPhone) without extra cost.  Obviously the different operating systems require separate app downloads but there’s nothing to stop you from having the app on both types of OS at the same time.  You just log in to your account in the app and your current chart subscriptions are there to download.

I’ve just looked up Navionics Boating on the Google Play store for Android apps and it’s still available as a free download, with charts being extra, as above. Don’t do what I did and download the UK, French Mediterranean and Greek Ionian separately, substantially more expensive than buying the UK and the whole of the Mediterranean in one go.  You used to be able to get the whole of Europe (excluding the UK) as one package but they’ve now subdivided it.

[AndyB]

I have been using Navionics for sometime now on the Sailproof 08 ( 8 inch ). I think it is a very good solution. Please see attached an image of Navionics on said equipment.  I have Navionics on my mobile phone and another tablet for the same subscription - I believe you can have up to 6 devices but maybe wrong on that. My phone has Samsung Dex which allows me to plan at home on a large screen ( 26 inch). They all automatically sync.

Navionics provides up to date charts ( vector) for the area I sail in (southern England). You can purchase a set of charts and then have a year long set of updates. Post that you can still use the charts they just will not get updated. Updating is simply agreeing to the download of new updates and it all takes place for you. Local users can send in updates as well so quite often the depth measurements are augmented by users from their equipment so get the latest picture if you trust those readings. Being vector based you do not get the map switching to different charts that you get with raster charts but I do like the raster charts ability to display detail at a higher zoom level.

With the yearly update you get some extra facilities. If you have a WiFi output from your sensor instruments you can display these on the chart.  I have shown in the picture the SOG and depth and where the boat is heading. What is not shown is the most useful which are AIS details ( mine come from the radio).

I also like the tidal streams and tide height that you get with the package. I have tried other packages and the Imray one gets close but I keep coming back to this package. What it does not have is what AngelNav has which is the course to steer calculation so hoping AngelNav has an Android release soon otherwise it is back to paper for that option. Navigation Calculator Android app does do this for you.

Hope this helps.