Using an iPad as a navigation tool has become a practical and reliable option for many cruisers, including us. With the right setup, an iPad running Navionics provides excellent charts, positioning, and situational awareness for inland waterways like the Rideau Canal.
Navionics on iPad
Navionics is a subscription-based navigation app that provides detailed marine charts, depth contours, route planning, and GPS tracking. In Canada, the current subscription cost is approximately $79.99 CAD per year for the US & Canada region. This includes full chart coverage, offline chart downloads, and regular chart updates during the subscription period.
A single Navionics subscription can be used on multiple devices, such as an iPad and an iPhone, as long as they are signed in using the same Apple ID. This allows a primary navigation display at the helm while keeping a backup device available.
External GPS for Accuracy
While some iPads include built-in GPS, we use an external Bluetooth GPS receiver for improved accuracy and reliability. The DUAL XGPS160 SkyPro Bluetooth GPS Receiver pairs wirelessly with the iPad and provides fast, consistent position updates. It works independently of cellular service, making it ideal for inland cruising where coverage can be limited or unavailable.
Using an external GPS also helps reduce power consumption on the iPad and improves performance when tracking routes or navigating narrow channels.
This iPad-based navigation setup is very popular among cruisers on the Rideau Canal. Many Rideau boaters rely on Navionics paired with an external Bluetooth GPS and a dedicated depth sounder because it is reliable, flexible, and well suited to slow-speed inland navigation. It has become a common alternative to traditional chartplotters for boats that cruise primarily on the canal system.
Depth Awareness and Safety
Navionics provides charted depths and detailed contour information, which is useful for route planning and identifying shallow areas. However, charts should always be treated as a reference rather than absolute truth. For real-time depth under the boat, we rely on a dedicated depth sounder rather than trying to integrate depth data directly into the iPad.
This approach works well in practice: the iPad shows our position relative to charted depths, while the depth sounder confirms the actual water depth beneath the hull.
Power Considerations
Navigation apps are demanding on battery life. Navionics runs continuously with the screen on, GPS active, and charts updating in real time. On battery power alone, an iPad will typically last only a few hours.
For this reason, the iPad should be powered externally while underway using a 12V marine USB outlet or a hardwired charging solution. The internal battery then becomes a backup rather than the primary power source.
Sunlight and Screen Visibility
Direct sunlight is one of the biggest challenges when using an iPad at the helm. High brightness settings increase battery drain and can cause the device to overheat. Positioning the screen out of direct sun where possible, using a shaded mount, and disabling automatic brightness can significantly improve usability.
A screen protector designed to reduce glare can also help improve readability in bright conditions.
Why This Setup Works Well
An iPad running Navionics, paired with an external GPS and supported by a dedicated depth sounder, offers a flexible and cost-effective navigation solution. It provides excellent charts, easy route planning, and redundancy through multiple devices, without the cost and complexity of a full chartplotter system.
For our style of cruising on the Rideau Canal, this setup strikes the right balance between capability, reliability, and simplicity.