De SailProof in practice

We are aware that we are the only reseller of Sailproof in the Netherlands we must be vigilant for the 'We at WC-duck recommend WC-duck' thought. We take this as our starting point.

Why are we charmed by this tablet?

The possibilities with our Quark-Elec WiFi Multiplexers are legion. There are numerous apps available, both for navigation and dashboard functions, that cost a fraction of the annual purchase of a new map for a regular plotter. This offers freedom of choice and budget, without being tied to the ecosystem of a particular manufacturer.

Disadvantages of an iPad or Samsung tablet as a plotter

We have sailed for years with an iPad and a Samsung tablet with super OLED. However, in direct sunlight they did not perform well, and the battery life always required long USB cables running through the cockpit or extra USB charging points. In addition, we regularly experienced that the heat became a problem, causing the tablet to switch itself off spontaneously.

For those reasons we came to Sailproof, a tablet that does not seem to suffer from these problems. The pleasant contact with Jean Michel, CEO of Sailproof, and his shared enthusiasm for sailing and boating are infectious and fit in with the mission of Smartmarine. But critical as we are, we still found the purchase price to be a barrier. I now say: “found”.

Over the past two weeks we have Sailproof SP08X extensively tested and experienced. There was enough comparison material and benchmarks.

Our experience with the Sailproof

De Sailproof was ready to use straight out of the box with a full battery. Navionics was easily downloaded from the Play Store. We connected to the Quark-Elec A34b and immediately set a static IP address to avoid connection problems, a typical Navionics 'thing' where the connection sometimes drops when using a dynamic IP address.

De Sailproof connected immediately and showed the depth gauge display, which it receives from the NMEA2000 network. The GPS data also comes from the network, so the internal (very good) GPS antenna is not needed.

It was immediately noticeable that the Sailproof a robust and high-quality impression; it is a beautiful tablet to look at. The screen is very nice and sharp, but more importantly: it is also easy to read in full sunlight. This is certainly comparable to the Axiom 7.

De Sailproof while sailing

De Sailproof fits perfectly in the Railblaza-holder and is immediately firmly attached thanks to the rubber casing. Even with 20 knots of wind and a considerable sea state off Harlingen it remained excellently in the bracket.

After a trip of over 7 hours, during which the screen was at 100% brightness and did not turn off, the remaining battery capacity was still 38%. This is not only very good, but also very convenient because no charging cables are needed. Compared to the iPad, the battery performance is fantastic; it needs to be charged after less than 3 hours. Despite the warm weather and the full sun, we did not have any problems with overheating during the test weeks.

Zooming in and out was smooth and flawless thanks to the fast processor and ample memory, and the screen is a pleasure to look at.

We are now completely convinced: the Sailproof is a fantastic tablet and the mobile nature is incredibly handy. Its permanent place on board is more than deserved.

De Sailproof SP10X in practice

We have been sailing with the new one since August 2024 Sailproof SP10X as successor to our trusted SP8X. The latter worked out very well, but for demonstrations and as a show model at HISWA and Boot Düsseldorf, the larger screen of the SP10X turned out to be a big plus.

When unpacking, the new, sleekly designed branded box immediately caught the eye – a professional look that perfectly matches the high-quality character of the Sailproof-tablets. The brand name on the front also contributes to that look.

The larger screen really adds value

After six months of intensive use we can say: this one too Sailproof lives up to its name. It is heavier than the 8X, but that makes sense given its larger size. The weight took some getting used to, but it royal screen makes up for that more than enough. In navigation, that is a real added value. What is noticeable is that the battery life is slightly shorter than with the 8X. With the screen constantly at 100% brightness and continuously connected to our Quark-Elec A034B (for boat data), it lasts for about seven hours without recharging. Fortunately, charging is top-notch on this model: even waterproof charging is possible. Ideal for sailors who regularly have to deal with spray water.

Freedom in application choice

What remains the big advantage for us is the freedom in app choiceOn the Markermeer and IJsselmeer we usually use Navionics, but during the Standing Mast Route it turned out that WaterkaartenApp indispensable thanks to all the bridge, lock and port information. Really perfect. Our Axiom has now been downgraded to a purely passive display – that actually says everything about the ease of use and flexibility of the Sailproof in combination with the right apps.

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