Anyone tried an Ipad on a boat?

[007]

I was with Tom Hilton one day on the "Reef Man" and he navigated all the way out to the "Vancouver" and back on his IPAD. It was actually pretty cool. We went out to scout a few new spots for the reefing program.

[fuzzy]

Good GPS will get you anywhere.

[Swells]

If you have a pilot house enclosed on 3 sides, it might work as something to take along and plug it up to your GPS chartplotter network and stuff like that. A lot of us of techno-daddies and the graphics sure look cool. It's expensive as heck and very finicky, but if you got the gumption why not? If you have a GPS and depth sounder you already have computers on your boat anyway (and most of us take them off the boat anyway when done). I never saw a need for one but would never criticize somebody for using one. PLus, with a name like i-Pad, you can count me out!

[RSN]

We (dn17 and i) use an IPAD for swordfishing on our center console, we keep it in a handgun case. we use the google earth app. Our buddy Grant showed us how to rig it up....it works bad@ss when you're trying to find trenches for daytimers. The iPad is more important than your GPS plotter when daytiming

[dn17]

PLus, with a name like i-Pad, you can count me out!

Why not give yourself every advantage possible?

[Swells]

Why not give yourself every advantage possible?

I was kidding sir.

For swords, you want the bathymetric depth contour maps, of which Google Earth does a fair job. I am no swordfish expert and more of a deckhand on a marlin troller, but I heard you can load up Tom Hilton's satellite service to check for temperature, true color, rip currents, and upwelling, which is very cool. I believe one can add all kinds of apps like SPOT, a satellite tracking service that doubles as a safety feature. It's all good. I wish I had a deepwater boat and a ton of money for all that - let me know if you need a crewhand from SPI. I do pay my fair share for trip costs. -sam