MacGregorSailors.com

I don't know anything more than what is in this article (http://tinyurl.com/2dtm783) but it sounds as if your computer (Mac) navigation system could be running safe in the cabin and the iPad would give you wireless screen and control. No wires to fish, and easily removed at the dock. What do you think

Sounds like it would work, but a few things to consider;
1. Do you really want to expose your nice new shiny ipad to the salty elements?
2. Double power drain... your ipad may last "all day" but I bet your MAC laptop does not?
3. Sounds like you are still going to need an external GPS arial to get a good fix down below


Thoughts?

If you can live without NOAA vector charts, iNavX is a standalone app for the iPhone and iPad. But as said above, I'm not sure I'd want to have my iPad 3G in the open cockpit of any boat.

[edit] Regarding an external antenna for down below, we spent many a night at anchor in the 26X with the internal antenna Garmin 178c on the table, with good lock on the satellites. Watching the boat stay in the huge arc of swinging at anchor was actually comforting.

I think most modern GPS units will receive below decks in Macs without an external antenna. My Garmin 76CS handheld does this fine - I do recall the generation before did need some help below decks (new Rockwell chip might have been the technology divide?)