“NavLink is a low cost app designed for use with an iPhone or iPad. It transforms your iPad into a full function chart plotter with detailed electronic charts and an overlay of your boat’s position, track and heading.”
NavLink is a low cost marine navigation app designed for use with an iPhone or iPad. It transforms your iPad into a full function chart plotter with detailed electronic charts and an overlay of your boat’s position, track and heading. It’s purchased through the Apple app store and includes detailed Admiralty UKHO charts covering the whole of the UK & Eire. Additional USA (S57 NOAA), French, Benelux, German and Danish charts can be added via an In-App Purchase. The NOAA S57 charts cover the whole of the US.
The app presents charts north up or course up and the user can create and edit routes and waypoints using a simple touch screen interface. Real time navigation shows your current position, track, course, speed, ETA, VMG, bearing and distance to next waypoint. There’s a simple A-B chart ruler too and you can tap on an object such as a buoy or nav-aid and get a pop up data window of its characteristics. Can download current weather data and local conditions from weather buoys (will require an internet connection). This is great for last minute local weather before setting off on a voyage. The S57 Admiralty UKHO charts are vector based so the user can layer and enable/ disable data allowing de-cluttering of charts as appropriate.
NavLink also helps with your watch keeping and lookouts. In HorizonView mode, you can use the camera on the iPhone/iPad to scan the horizon. You’ll get an overlay on the camera screen of nav-aids, AIS targets and waypoints which serves as a great visualisation aid.
It’s also designed to work seamlessly with Digital Yacht’s NMEA to WiFi devices so will integrate with your boat’s GPS and AIS systems. If AIS data is available, you’ll see AIS targets overlaid with all their identity information and a heading line as well as alarms for CPA and TCPA.
Utilising your on board GPS with these wireless servers means you don’t need a GPS enabled iPad. Even if your device does enable GPS, it significantly reduces battery drain when using an external source. It also means your iPad/Phone can be used below deck and generally, the boat’s GPS is superior for marine based navigation.
You can download a document which explains this marine navigation app by clicking here.