Sail with an iPad on a large classic yacht

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Training week-end onboard the 6 and 7 July 2013 " Navigate with an iPad » aboard Owl, a classic ketch gaffer 21 meters high, built in 1909, departure from Agde.

The crew (Skipper + Sailor and hostess) takes care of the manoeuvre, food and cleaning. Cabin linen is provided.

I was on board to give the training on how to use the apps with iPad : iNavX, Weather4D PRO, AyeTides XL mainly. On the program : routes preparation, routing optimization, Optimized route tracking, Refreshing the routing, etc,. A great moment to combine the latest technologies with yachting of great tradition. Read more …

3G/4G tethering [Update]

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In coastal navigation, sometimes it's easier to connect to the 3G cellular network than to get a WiFi connection with a land-based hotspot. Cellular transmission antennas are becoming more and more numerous on the coast and on the islands. But as you follow my recommendations scrupulously (¹), I have no doubt about it, you have a WiFi+3G iPad without having taken out a subscription, i.e. without a SIM card, and you are quite right. So how do you do it ? Read more …

MaxSea TimeZero on iPad

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Announced for three months, The first version of TimeZero has been available for iPad for a few days. Under the brand Nobeltec, bought by Signet S.A., MaxSea holding company (¹), this free application contains a simplified design suitable for the tablet technology that has made the reputation of the French publisher.

I was waiting with curiosity for a while the position taken by MaxSea about the iPad phenomenon. The least I can say is that I am not disappointed. Read more …

The aiShell waterproof case for iPad Mini

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This time, it came up ! The new waterproof case for iPad Mini by Andres Industries, to whom we owe the famous iPad Case, is finally available.

Smaller, lighter, more discreet, but just as robust, it is ideal for protecting your iPad Mini on boat, on beach, under the rain or in the desert (¹). With this funny name “ aiShell " , literally “Coquillage Andres Industries”, the manufacturer offers a case with all the tips of the big brother for iPad : a waterproof power connector, windows for cameras, adaptation to existing REM mounts. It even added two retractable legs to facilitate its use on a flat surface. A completely Germanic design. Read more …

ENCs, Routing and sailing shaves stone

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The relationship of a recent experience of an iNavX user and Weather4D PRO routing function invites me to bring a warning to the attention of novices boaters in computer use.

A regatta course, departure from St Helier (Jersey) to arrival Granville, optimized with Weather4D PRO using fine grid GCWF model and MyOcean currents prediction, gave the following route in iNavX :

routage 1

The optimized route transferred to iNavX

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Mirror iPad screen… in the cabin. [Update]

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Hey yes, this is the world upside down ! At the beginning of iPad use in a boat, the tablet was used to capture the screen of a PC fixed to a chart table for display applications such as MaxSea in the cockpit. The solution has been - and still is - widely used. But since I've been working with a few accomplices to demonstrate that the iPad is capable of providing a perfectly autonomous navigation solution (¹), These tablets are increasingly installed at a fixed position in the cockpit.

Once attached and connected to a waterproof power supply, on a wheel column or close to the tiller, disassembling the iPad may seem tedious for a few minutes to spend inside the cabin. The solution would it not mirror its screen to display on a single PC screen via WiFi, in order to monitor the progress of the boat on the electronic chart while we are active in the galley ?

[Update September 24/08/2020]

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Weather4D PRO 1.3.3 further improves routing

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weather4d proImprovements…

No respite for this application : two and a half months after integrating the currents into the routing calculation, this latest version provides significant advances on this function. The improvements bring greater precision to the calculation of the optimized route and new parameters allow for fine-tuning.

… and two pieces of good news :

They concern currents, follow the leader… Read more …

Install a WiFi network onboard

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Request more frequent from boat owners is for the installation of a WiFi reception onboard. The proliferation of computers, tablets and smartphones on boats incentive to maintain a connection with the Internet, even while sailing. Exchange emails, Follow social media, Receive weather files, and how many other reasons lead to an irrepressible addiction. C’est la vie !

I have already mentioned on my website, in chapter about means for receiving GRIB files, some available solutions : Read more …

Combine instruments NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183

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Actisense ngw-1In a previous entry I talked about NGW-1 by Actisense company (¹), an NMEA 0183 gateway converter to NMEA 2000 bidirectional.
Since then, This footbridge has been declined in several versions. Each of them allows you to connect to the NMEA network 2000 A range of special instruments, and so combine their data with other NMEA 2000 instruments already present on the network. This can be particularly interesting, in an installation mixing both protocols, to facilitate data transfers in iNavX. Read more …