Carver Owners Forum

One of the items on my acquisition list this year is some kind of portable GPS to take with us on our dinghy excursions.
Garmin as a great selection of portables which I am sure would fit the bill but I am also looking at the Navionics app for my iPhone / iPad mini. The question I have not been able to get a firm answer on is; Does this app require a constant connection to the internet (DATA) to work or do these devices have the ability to access the satellites directly?

Thanks in advance
Fraser

I have the app on my android phone and android tablet. No you don't need internet. You can download maps of your navigation area with the size of your area depending on your amount of memory for your device. I had the app installed on my tablet and was assisting my friend in getting a recent purchased trawler from Knoxville, TN to St Petersburg, FL. On the 2nd day out on the Tennessee River his GPS Chart plotter went south. We used my tablet with Navionics app to navigate all the way to Pensacola, FL where he received a replacement chart plotter. The Navionics app worked perfect and made me a believer in having a backup GPS system.

I have been using the app for a few years now. I have a built in chart-plotter and use them in tandem. In all the traveling i have done the Navionics seems to very closely match the chart-plotter, usually within a few feet. Works great and does not need a data connection. I have used it in areas of no cell service with great results. A couple of things to consider. The device you are using it on either needs to have a built in GPS (so iPad needs to be the 3g model), or you need to buy a separate GPS antenna. Also, when using it you need to turn off the auto lock feature of your iPad. This will cause the battery to drain down in a short time unless you have it plugged in to an external power source. A couple of things that may make it convenient for use in a dingy is that it is very easy to plan routes.. just touch the screen where you want to go and save the route. Also it has a handy tracking feature so if you are just out exploring you can track your adventure. You can also play back the track once you get home..

Thanks Guys,

I will give it a try this season.

Fraser