Portable Chartplotter options

I'm involved in a similar operation on the West Coast. I operate primarily in the S.F. Bay and Sacramento/San Joaquin River area with occasional coastal deliveries between WA and CA. For the past year, I have been using an iPad with a C-MAP program you can get from the app store. The program has some very useful features for measuring distance as well as an Auto Routing feature. So far, I have found it to be very accurate for my areas of operation.

My iPad is about 3 yrs old and has cell service capability which I believe you need.

I never like counting on computers. Too rough an environment. I always carried a Garmin handheld. Had it loaded with the entire east coast with routes and tracks for the dicey areas. It gave me 8 data boxes and never had a problem with signal strength or accuracy except inside a steel wheelhouse.

I should have been more clear. The reason I don't like to use computers for navigating is because they don't do well with water or getting bounced around. When you do deliveries or work as an independent you might be on a 70 footer one day and a 30' open CC the next. Can't tell you how many times my Garmin got soaked or bounced down the cockpit floor. Wouldn't want to subject my laptop or phone to that.

No kidding. Whatever works for you. I like a dedicated GPS. Guess I'm a belt and suspenders type.

Quite frankly a dedicated GPS today is a waste of money. Your phone has lots more computing power, if you don't like the Garmin app get c-map one. There's tons of app's. Your sure to find one to suit. Use an Android tablet or phone, use an apple
The world's your oyster.

Having said that, on my 23ft Center Consoles I use 9in MFD s as they're out in the exposure.
My big boat, a NUC with a Large daylight monitor. Again change my software at will if I choose. In 20 years not a single OS or hardware failure .

You don't need cellular capabilities on your tablet. All you need is a portable Bluetooth GPS receiver that will work for your table and iPhone. Bad Elf Pro is one of these portable receivers and much cheaper than getting a cellular plan on your table.

Or most (?) Android devices have built-in GPS; used to be approx 2/3rds the cost of an equivalent iThing.

Mostly run the same nav apps: AquaMap, Navionics, etc... AquaMaps USA/Master is possibly most useful for rivers, since they can include recent USACE survey data (at least we've found that useful for AICW travel).

FWIW, I've gotten in in the habit of first searching for protective cases (Otterbox, etc.) then choosing the largest device model based on what cases are available.

-Chris

THIS, needs to be a cellular capable one, doesn't need a plan. I use an IPAD mini for navigation sometimes and I like it. But it does have it's draw backs. Not totally waterproof, battery life only 4-5 hours if you don't have a place to charge it, and direct sunlight is no good for it.

That being said I also use a small Garmin handheld and put all of my routes in there. It's totally waterproof, floats, has replaceable 2-AA batteries that last 12-16 hours, and has a small map......it's indestructable and cheap around $200 on sale, I have the 78SC. It's great for a tender to just grab, jump on it, and not worry about. Garmin makes a new one that's rechargeable and has all of the maps in it. I tend to use BOTH items on yachts with no electronics.

I don't like anything rechargeable that you can't afford to have down while recharging. The older version of this is what I carried. https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...&ved=0ahUKEwiMiczTn8nvAhXJJzQIHUoFAEsQ9pwGCAs
This has a lithium ion battery, but also takes AA batteries. It' large enough to give you a good view even when you have the data boxes (which I found invaluable) on the screen, but it's also small enough to carry. It had an attachable sand bag base so it sit on the helm and generally not bounce around, but it's also rugged enough to stand the bumps when it does jump off. Sunlight visible and water resistant made it perfect for my uses.
Because I've mostly stayed away from the phone and computer navigation apps let me ask: With them can you save routes, tracks and waypoints. I believe the 276 holds 50 routes and DK how many tracks and waypoints. Saves you from having to replot courses every time you go out. It's expandable. I had every chart from the NE to So. Florida on mine.