TZ iBoat Updated

February 4, 2023

I have used a bunch of iPad navigation software over the years, but TZ iBoat, by the same folks who have been doing navigation software on computers for some 30 years, is by far the best.

Lots of reasons, but the most important is that it’s the only app that I can enter and edit a route on without being driven to distraction. No, not as easy as a computer with a mouse, but way better than a plotter.

Anyway, TZ iBoat has just been upgraded with three new features, two useful, and one that should be avoided like the plague:

Autopilot Output: TZ iBoat is now able to send information to your Autopilot (NMEA0183 sentences via TCP) when a route is activated. Make sure to check out their user guide for more information under the “Help” section.
- We definitely don’t want to go near this one
Bluetooth Mouse support: Many of our power users on iPad wanted a way to control TZ iBoat with a mouse. This is now possible.
- This is a wonderful upgrade. A finger is just too blunt an instrument for entering waypoints and routes, and a mouse (or track ball) is best.
Instruments Damping and Offset: TZ iBoat offers new settings to offset and damp instruments (course, speed, wind…). Speed damping can be especially useful in some cases to stabilize the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).
- Probably useful, depending on setup.

I haven’t tried out these latest upgrades on TX iBoat but have had very good experience with earlier versions. Easy navigation on an iPad Mini using either BadElf or Garmin Glo external GPS (I have both – the Garmin became the back up.) Cost effective, easy to update (both vector and raster charts). For me it eliminates the need for a sophisticated plotter, at a much lower price. Because of the vulnerability of the iPad to weather it tends to live below with “lower resolution” info needs met by the Standard Horizon unit on the pedestal. The Bluetooth mouse should be a great addition. One fly in the ointment John, at last look, some months ago, and conversation with their customer support people, they didn’t offer a chart package that covered Bermuda which would have been very useful!