The final version of this article has been sent to Mainsheet for publication and also added to this website.  The following are notes that were not part of the final document but which may be helpful.

Notes:

– I experimented with two different WiFi routers for this installation, with mixed results. I used a $30 Netgear router and a $120 D-Link router. They both work very well at home, but the Netgear router proved unreliable onboard the boat. Connection to the iPad took 30 to 45 seconds and frequently failed. Also, the NMEA data stream was slow and sporadic. Since it worked well at home I suspect that the Netgear router is more susceptible to electronic interference than the D-Link router when placed behind the nav desk with all the electrical wires and other electronic equipment.

– The following Raymarine article describes the process of adding a WiFi router downstream