iPad Onboard - Protecting Your iPad

This is the first in a series of blog entries that will explore what you need to do to set up and use your iPad on board your boat. Up until now I have blogged a lot about marine apps but have not spent alot of time on setting up the iPad itself for marine use.

The iPad has taken the world and the boating community by storm since it was introduce a few years ago.  In the few short years that it has been around it has been rapidly adopted by major manufacturers in a wide range of areas.  It has revolutionized the music industry, e-publishing, movie downloads, textbooks, e-commerce, photography and video just to name a few. It amazes me everyday how this device is changing the way we do things.

The iPad itself is amazing but it is the legion of app developers that have truly made this device a game changer.  Other companies have developed similar hardware but none have the support of the app developers like the iPad does. So tell me something I don't know, Mark, the iPad is awesome!

Many have scoffed at the idea that the iPad could be used prime time in the marine environment. I hear from many cruisers and boaters throughout the world that are successfully using the device in a variety of ways.

So, how can you set up your iPad to become a trusted and useful companion on board your boat? First we must explore how to protect the iPad from the marine environment.

Protecting your iPad

The Marine environment is harsh and not friendly to most electronics. To protect your iPad from the salt air, rain and splashes of seawater you are going to need a waterproof enclosure.

Scanstrut has developed a waterproof case which is on the market now. It's new line of LifeEdge cases are a must if you are taking your iPad on board or out in the elements.

The case features include 100% waterproof and shockproof, anti-glare screen, great sound transmission, fully functional screen, camera and video, four great colors, comfortable hand strap, and it floats. The case is now available on Amazon.com for about $125.

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative the iLoc iPad case is a good choice. These are sealable heavy duty pouches or bags that provide minimal protection for your iPhone or iPad. I have not used these but they appear to be splash proof and allow full use of the touch screen capabilities. The bags are clear but may cause pictures and video to be a little blurry.

You can purchase a set of 2 for about $5.00. They have many styles available for a wide variety of phones and tablets.


LifeProof is another great case. I have one for my iPhone 4s and am waiting for the iPad case to become available.

The enclosure is a two part case that snaps together with an integral O-ring seal. It has double AR coated glass so the camera and video images are crystal clear.  It has clearvoice technology which easily lets you hear music and and voice transmissions.

The ultra flat screen protection allows use of all multi-touch functions. This case is designed to military specification IP-68 for water and dust. Schock resistant to for drops up to 2 meters or 6.6 feet.

The iPhone case is available right now for $79.00. The iPad case will be available soon.

Check out the video below of this guy snorkeling with his Lifeproof case to10 feet.



Most cases are bulky and inhibit the full use of the device. The next company has a product that does away with all cases.  Liquipel is a revolutionary process created to make electronics waterproof with no case. The process coats the internal electronics with a thin film of nano waterproofing particles.

Liquipel has approved the following devices with their process. I noticed the iPad is not on the list yet but hope one day they will be able to do the process on my iPad.  They do offer the process for an iPhone 4s for $59.00

Apple iPod Shuffle

Apple iPhone 4s

Apple iPhone 4

Apple iPhone 3g/s

Galaxy S2 (T-Mobile)

Galaxy S2 (AT&T)

HTC Evo 4G

HTC Evo Shift 4G

HTC MyTouch 4G

Motorola Droid X/X2

Samsung Charge

Once we have our device protected we can then focus on using it for the many fun and entertaining things it was developed for. My next blog entry will focus on camera and video.

~~~Sail On~~~
Mark