Im looking at buying a 12.5" tablet and using the navionics app with the paid yearly subscription to use as a navigation device on my bass boat. Has anyone done this and does it work well? My only real concern is seeing the screen in bright sunlight. Would like to have a dedicated screen for nav and I can do this way cheaper than buying two units.

Will it work without service ?

I've used my phone with the navonics app and it worked fine, I would think a tablet would work as long as it has the same brightness level and GPS like a phone

I know a pro who uses an iPad to run the FishSmart app with LakeMaster mapping because he prefers it over the mapping provided by his electronics sponsor which obviously isn’t Humminbird. I’d imagine others do it as well.

I use an ipad with the Navionics app. Works great. I was going to buy two units and my dealer asked if I already owned a tablet with Verizon service. I did so I just bought a RAM mount for it and it works great.

Do you have to have cell service? Bunch of places I fish do not have cell service.

You do have to have cell service to use some of the real time features like weather and so forth. If your device has a GPS chip in it, which most do, it should still be able to track you that way. You can download maps while on wifi as well that might help. I would reach out to their tech support. They are real quick and helpful.

I'm sure I have gone through some dead areas without service and my tracks have never dropped. I really don't pay much attention to the LTE signal status though.

Thanks!!