iPhone GPS?

[March]

Hello, everyone!
We're planning a trip down to Florida this June and to the Bahamas, weather permitting.
What is your recommended GPS program for an iPhone.?. We have the Garmin as the main unit, as well as Explorer Charts, but it would be nice to have a backup unit--
My understanding is, the iPhone GPS would work even when we do NOT have a phone signal. Is that correct?
Thank you in advance!

[tewharaunz]

I like Navionics. I wouldn't use it as a primary chart plotter but it is excellent for setting waypoints and getting an ETA.

Cheers.

[Don T]

+1 Navionics

[RichardChCh]

To answer your questions, yes an iPhone's GPS will work even when outside cellular coverage

What won't work is updating maps (so have them pre-loaded), which can be an issue if the app only loads the area you are in at the time (fine if you can load all maps for a region in advance).

As a back up - works well. As a main device, well, less so.

[grady]

Since you have a Garmin. Is your model compatable with Blue Chart? That would work as a backup and give you some other features and integrate well.

[whgoffrn]

NAvionics works great however id opt for a bigger screen like a tablet ....phones and tablets don't have have very bright screens so it's hard to see in the glaring sun....a large tablet compensates for this slightly...i tried using a phone and it didn't work out was constantly putting the phone inside my shirt (dark so I could see) and putting my head in my shirt to look at it....not the safest way to sail in traffic
Most i important thing you'll need is depth and to know if you're headed towards a shoal the bigger screen is helpful here

[ris]

We used the garmin blue chart mobile app on our iPad for over half of the great loop and still use it. We are on the St Johns River using it right now. The iPad is a much better device for charts. We have our iPad in the life proof case so no moisture problems. The mobile app charts were $45 when we purchased them. The active captain overlay on the charts help a great deal in finding anchorages and marinas.

[sailboatmike]

This review of mobile apps may throw some light on things

http://www.sailmagazine.com/diy/electro ... app-world/

[March]

Thank you so much everybody! This site is truly the best.
I have looked into Navionics, as suggested. Seems that the Navionics Plus maps are $175.00 Ouch! The Platinum service is even MORE than that
For a mere cellphone that doesn't have a lot of display, it seems a little excessive.
Could there be some cheaper alternatives as a mere back-up? Or am I just dreamin'?

[mallardjusted]

Not sure if you are looking at the right prices for iphone apps? Sounds too high. Looking at several of their options should be 14.99 to 54.99? I know the USA one I use on my android was 14.99, and covers quite a bit.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/developer/n ... 13906?mt=8

[Obelix]

Nothing beats the Navionics app, love the features.
The prices you're quoting are not for the app, they are for the chart-plotter charts.

Obelix

[sailboatmike]

Whats the go with Garmin Blue app, only available for IOS,

To me shows Garmin isnt keeping up with the times, IOS devices make up only around 10 to 12% of all smart devices, over 80% are android

Big fail for Garmin,

I can see the meeting now
Marketing manager: "Lets make a mobile app and exclude 80% of the possible market"
CEO: "Yeah great idea Larry, that will really drive sales and profits and get people using our product, who needs that other 80% of the market anyway"
CEO: "Ohh by the way Larry, tonight on the way out dont forget to empty your desk - You Idiot"

Its exactly this sort of thing that ended up killing companies like Kodak, who had the first digital camera but failed to develop it because their film division was making huge profits, Kodak lasted less than 15 years after that, and although they tried to play catch up once they lost the marker their was no way back for them.

Even my daughter (a teeneager and once the bastion of "I" product sales) is dumping her Apple for a Android as my $200 LG phone is faster, better and can do more than her I phone and the screen doesnt break if you look at the wrong way.

[March]

Got it, Obelix. Thank you. Looked at sailboatmike's comprehensive review which changes everything--even my ideefix!

Garmin... now that's a queer duck. I bet they made a s*tload of money with their blue charts that you had to buy on top of of their earlier GPS that came with their laughably basic maps... and get a code, unlock only one area, yadda, yadda... and pay again if you wanted to sail elsewhere. My 188 Garmin takes one expansion thumb-drive that they do not sell them anymore. Two years ago Navionics made their pitch with Garmin-compatible maps that work very well... but I guess they were pulled off the market. At Larry's suggestion, no doubt.

When Garmin works... it works good. But when it don't, it's like that doggerel with Mary Mary so contrary. Since it intrerfaces well with my Raymarine AP, I'll stick to it. For the time being

[sailboatmike]

Dont but the Lowrance plotters if you want background maps, the USA is better covered but according to the Lawrance background map I somewhere in the Southern Ocean with no land for many many miles down the bottom of Australia.

I too have a beautiful Garmin plotter that is 10 years old and you can no longer get the maps in the format, so in reality its just a bit of land fill, I still use if for my MFD on the ST50 instrument panel, but now I have removed the WheelPilot+ I may just remove the Garmin as it has no purpose

[romden35]

Another Navionics user here. I find it very handy tool with my mobile phone. Its GPS detail is accurate.