Henry Bomby: My favorite apps

Henry Bomby, 23, is one of Britain’s most promising young offshore solo sailors. Bomby uses an iPad for everything from navigation and AIS to weather forecasts and routing. In this report on Yachting World, Bomby shares his favourite apps…

Few new products have changed the way I navigate at sea so much as the tablet computer. In my case that means the iPad, although most of the yacht apps I mention here are also available for Android tablets.

Although iPads should only be used as a back-up or as an aid to a standalone navigation set-up, their high GPS speeds and accurate charting applications make them really useful as chartplotters. Only the 3G iPad has a built-in GPS aerial (lower spec models use wi-fi). This will pinpoint your location regardless of whether or not you have a mobile phone signal.

However, even those with a wi-fi only iPad can buy a GPS Bluetooth receiver that plugs into the iPad Air’s lightning socket. I use the GNS 2000 MFI, which costs £89.50. Although it is a bit of a bulky set-up, it has a super-fast GPS speed and is a cheaper option than upgrading to a new iPad 3G.

There are two ways to use an iPad, or other tablet device, on board: as a standalone computer using apps or as a remote display link to another computer (or as both). All yacht apps can be downloaded from the likes of iTunes or Google Play and manufacturers’ websites are provided for more information.

Bomby’s list includes:
– Best iPad apps for navigation
– Best iPad apps for race starts
– Best iPad apps for weather forecasting
– Best apps for wind tracking
– Best apps for tides

Full report… CLICK HERE