March 10, 2011 07:01
Kyle... It depends what you will be using it for. In-shore in fair weather is one thing, through the night cross-channel in fog is another. All advice is not to rely entirely on GPS but have some other back-up. Having said that, I have been predominately using iNavX on an iPhone in preference to the ship' GPS and paper charts, but I have the these to fall back on. The GPS in my iPhone 3G is not brilliant. I understand the receiver in the iPhone 4 and iPad is much better.
As a main electronic system, consider buying another MacBook with MacENC and interface to GPS etc. That should be cheaper than buying a dedicated plotter and much more flexible. And you can repeat the MacENC data to your iPad/iPhone. In the event the MacBook fails, the iPad/iPhone can take over using its own GPS, having been a 'hot standby'.
I am about to install a new Mac-based system - so far only bench tested at home. I am undecided whether to buy an iPad for cockpit use, as I will have a MacBook on the chart table. A hand-held iPhone may be more flexible than an iPad in the cockpit as it can be held in one hand or stuffed in a pocket, and I can do my main chart work on the MacBook. I will be assessing this soon.
Best of luck, Tony
As a main electronic system, consider buying another MacBook with MacENC and interface to GPS etc. That should be cheaper than buying a dedicated plotter and much more flexible. And you can repeat the MacENC data to your iPad/iPhone. In the event the MacBook fails, the iPad/iPhone can take over using its own GPS, having been a 'hot standby'.
I am about to install a new Mac-based system - so far only bench tested at home. I am undecided whether to buy an iPad for cockpit use, as I will have a MacBook on the chart table. A hand-held iPhone may be more flexible than an iPad in the cockpit as it can be held in one hand or stuffed in a pocket, and I can do my main chart work on the MacBook. I will be assessing this soon.
Best of luck, Tony