I mentioned this in another thread and after a quick search, was kind of surprised that this topic hasn't been discussed here.
If you own an IPhone you can download an app from Navionics that has complete marine charts showing depth, markers, marinas, etc and it uses the phone's internal GPS to show you exactly where you are in the water.
I live in the Keys where shallow water is all over and had been looking for a marine GPS. Nothing I could find was less than $300 when loaded up with the maps I need so when I found the app in the Apple store, I wasn't expecting too much for the $4.99 cost. Thats what the whole east coast map cost.
Boy was I wrong.
This allows me to use my IPhone to track where I go, mark fishing spots, dive sites, restaurants, shows me the depth of the surrounding water, bridge clearances, even points out marinas. It gives tidal information and even allows you to take pictures and mark the spot where you took the photo. You can even email your tracking info to a friend if you want to share where the hot fishing spots are.
It is without question the best $5 I have ever spent on anything boating related. Hell, it even justified the price of the IPhone!
Here are more details on this app - http://www.navionics.com/Headlines_09.asp?ID=307
And a few other articles on it -
http://www.panbo.com/archives/2009/05/iphonetouch_nav_yet_more_news.html#more
The only thing I don't care for is that without a holder, I pretty much have to hold the thing in my hand when navigating the shallows. That and it sucks battery power, but I have a 12v outlet on the boat so even that isn't rally an issue.
For the price, I'm really surprised this hasn't been discussed.
If you own an IPhone you can download an app from Navionics that has complete marine charts showing depth, markers, marinas, etc and it uses the phone's internal GPS to show you exactly where you are in the water.
I live in the Keys where shallow water is all over and had been looking for a marine GPS. Nothing I could find was less than $300 when loaded up with the maps I need so when I found the app in the Apple store, I wasn't expecting too much for the $4.99 cost. Thats what the whole east coast map cost.
Boy was I wrong.
This allows me to use my IPhone to track where I go, mark fishing spots, dive sites, restaurants, shows me the depth of the surrounding water, bridge clearances, even points out marinas. It gives tidal information and even allows you to take pictures and mark the spot where you took the photo. You can even email your tracking info to a friend if you want to share where the hot fishing spots are.
It is without question the best $5 I have ever spent on anything boating related. Hell, it even justified the price of the IPhone!
Here are more details on this app - http://www.navionics.com/Headlines_09.asp?ID=307
And a few other articles on it -
http://www.panbo.com/archives/2009/05/iphonetouch_nav_yet_more_news.html#more
The only thing I don't care for is that without a holder, I pretty much have to hold the thing in my hand when navigating the shallows. That and it sucks battery power, but I have a 12v outlet on the boat so even that isn't rally an issue.
For the price, I'm really surprised this hasn't been discussed.
