[Rhodes22-list] Bluetooth depth finder for Navionics

[Jesse Shumaker]

Hi Allyn, I think you could go without pairing the depth sounder to the
iPad since it sounds like you don't have a need to actually draw custom
charts using Navionics.  I was surprised to see that Navionics had data on
our tiny Lake Manawa.  I take that as an indication that they have data for
pretty much anywhere else in the U.S. that I might sail.

A few other notes regarding tablets: manufacturers of the GPS receivers
claim that using a separate purpose-built GPS receiver (rather than relying
on one built into a tablet) will give better accuracy.  You will also have
less drain on the tablet battery during use, but you'll need to charge the
GPS receiver in addition to the tablet at the end of the day.  There seem
to be fiercely divided camps regarding the fans of the tablet/smartphone +
app crowd vs. fans of the dedicated chartplotter.  It seems that each have
pros and cons.  As others have mentioned, tablets and phones can be hard to
view in the light.  You probably don't want to leave a tablet in the sun
anyway since they can overheat and shutdown as a safety mechanism.  There
are some great options such as LifeProof and Otterbox for cases to protect
against water and shocks.

Regarding the swing out mount, I came across this youtube video
demonstrating a DIY approach: https://youtu.be/YVB5bqiJUCI

The RAM mounts that Peter mentioned seem to be popular.  Here are a couple
links to other options, but I don't know if they would be up to the
"dynamic equilibrium" (as Roger would say) conditions of a sailboat on an
exciting day:
https://www.amazon.com/Bentley-Mounts-Universal-Tablet-Mount/dp/B010MGIWR4
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WWR998F/

I am curious to see how your mount setup comes together.  Good luck!

Jesse Shumaker
S/V Zephyr

On Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 5:11 AM Allyn Baskerville <allynb at adsne.com> wrote:

> Thank you, Jesse! Your email contains a lot of great info, and I
> appreciate all you said. I’m a bit confused about bathymetry charts - I’m
> not intending on making multiple runs in one area, so I don’t think so.
> Bathymetry charts are for created as you’re cruising  in one particular
> area, correct?
>
> I’m looking at using an iPad, and I’m looking for a swing arm mounted in
> the cabin that extends to the cockpit without dismounting it. I like the
> idea of a separate GPS received such as Bad Elf, because I think it’ll be
> more reliable in receiving a signal.  I did see the T-Box prior to sending
> in the email, but that was about all I could find, and I wasn’t sure if
> something was better. I may do the stand alone for the altering. Seems like
> a very good idea, as that’s why I want one.
>
> Thanks again
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Oct 10, 2020, at 9:14 AM, Jesse Shumaker <
> jesse.laten.shumaker at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Allyn,
> >
> > Are you looking to get a depth finder to incorporate with Navionics for
> > purposes of their SonarChart functionality that allows you to create
> > bathymetry maps?  If so, it appears you can use SonarPhone T-BOX with
> > Navionics for that purpose.  More info is available at the links below:
> > https://www.navionics.com/usa/company/supported-manufacturers/sonarphone
> >
> https://www.navionics.com/usa/support/compatibility-guides/sonarchart-live
> >
> > I just got Navionics before our trip to Michigan and found it very
> > helpful.  I was using it on my phone (Samsung Galaxy Active S8 running
> > Android).  About a year ago, my phone took a significant drop and I think
> > that may have damaged the GPS receiver inside since it sometimes
> > loses connection.  For that reason, and also because I'm a bit nervous
> > about having my phone out in the cockpit since I don't want it to go
> > overboard, I just got an iPod Touch that I'll pair with a Bad Elf Pro via
> > Bluetooth to catch the GPS signal.  I ordered a waterproof case for the
> > iPod touch and a wristband (
> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z76ZB8G)
> > to hold the iPod.  I found myself moving around and zooming, etc. so it's
> > nice to have the iPod immediately available.  Since the Navionics
> > subscription extends to all of your devices, I also loaded it on a tablet
> > which I use when planning navigation but I didn't actually have it
> mounted
> > in the cockpit.  I might try to add a mount for the tablet in the cockpit
> > of my R22 next summer.
> >
> > Of course the depth finder on the charter boat was not integrated with
> > Navionics on my phone, but I don't think that would have added much
> value.
> > I'm always keeping an eye on the depth finder in any shallow area anyway
> > and you can set alarms on depth finders so it will go off once you reach
> a
> > specified depth.
> >
> > Regarding the iPad setup, if you want a GPS receiver built in, you'll
> need
> > to get an IPad with Cellular (from what I have read, that also includes a
> > GPS chip).  If you go for the wifi only model, then you can pair that
> with
> > a GPS receiver such as one of the versions of Bad Elf or Garmin GLO.  You
> > can download the charts while still on wifi and they are available for
> use
> > when you're out on the water without wifi/cell connection.
> >
> > While I really like the digital charts on Navionics, I found the OpenCPN
> > preferable when I want to look at NOAA charts in digital format, so I
> have
> > both apps loaded.  The learning curve is steeper for OpenCPN.
> >
> > Perhaps you already know most of this.  I just researched this recently
> for
> > my own purposes so I figured I might as well share.
> >
> > It would be great if you can let us know what setup you end up going
> with.
> >
> > Jesse Shumaker
> > S/V Zephyr
> >
> >>> On Thu, Oct 8, 2020 at 7:56 PM Allyn Baskerville <allynb at adsne.com>
> wrote:
> >> I’m looking at doing some coastal sailing next year, and I’m leaning
> >> towards installing the Navionics app on an iPad. I’ve bred searching
> around
> >> for a depth finder that will integrate with this setup. I’ve been
> looking
> >> around but not really sure what works well. Any suggestions? Thanks
> >> Sent from my iPhone
>