iNavX is (as I’ve previously mentioned) a terrific product. It’s one greatest shortcoming is it’s inability to import grib files when the iPad is not directly connected to the internet. Since this is going to be our primary electronic navigation device, I needed to remedy that before we left. Luckily, the solution is neither painful, nor overly technical (one in the same?). It does require jailbreaking your iPad though, so if you have trouble breaking the rules, you had better stop reading here.

Step 1. From your iPad (IOS version ≤ 4.3.3) go to jailbreakme.com. Click on Free, then Install.

Step 2. Find the Cydia program (brown icon) and use it to install openssh and NetAtalk (hint: use the Search Function).

Step 3. Restart your iPad (hold down the Home and Power button until the red swipe comes up, then swipe)

Step 4. On your iPad go to Settings -> Network -> WiFi -> and click on the blue arrow next to your active network. Write down the IP Address.

Step 5. On your Mac (god I hope you’re using a mac) go to Spotlight and search for Terminal. Type “ssh root@<IP Address>” (no quotes). When it prompts you for a password type alpine. when you see the <your iPad’s name here># prompt, type passwd and hit return. Now type your new password in (twice) and close terminal.

Step 6. On your Mac, open a Finder window. Find your iPad under SHARED and click on it. When it prompts you for your username and password it will be Username=root and Password=<whatever you just set in step 5>

Step 7. Now comes the tricky part, start by clicking on root. Next navigate as follows private -> var -> mobile -> Applications. Next you have to find the directory that contains the iNavx application. You’ll notice that the directories at this level (Application) have hexidecimal names (looks like gibberish). Open them one by one until you find one that contains iNavX. Inside that directory is one called Documents. Make a shortcut to that on your desktop or dock by holding down <command>+<option> while dragging. Once you’ve dragged it you can rename it to something like iNavx Documents.

Step 8. Request your gribs in the normal way. Once you have them, drop them into the iNavX Documents folder and open iNavx. You should see your grib files under the Forecast tab.

That’s it. Hopefully I didn’t miss anything or glaze over a difficult step. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments.

p.s. If you do have a PC look for an ssh program like PuTTY. Install that and then follow along from “ssh root@…”