Once you’re out there in the open sea, there’s no one to rely on. No traffic officers to ask where the right direction is, no one to tell what the weather is going to be like, or how strong the currents are. Luckily, for boaters like you, there’s always a boat app for that.

Living on a boat can be challenging. This is why apps with functions like navigation, weather forecast, fishing or sailing tops the spot for the best boating apps. Check out this list of smartphone apps that deserve a few MBs on your phone.

For marine navigation

Neither Waze or Google Maps is reliable on water. But these following apps were made to help you navigate better while boating.

navionics boating appNavionics

When it comes to sea navigation for your boat, Navionics seems to be leading the game. Aside from being the most popular, its functions and features are comprehensive and unmatched. Among them is a dock-to-dock automatic routing that helps you create a route from your beginning and end points. 

This smart boat navigation app also considers your boat’s draft and other navigational aids during routing, letting you travel from point A to point B seamlessly. Navionic user reviews are great, offering a pricing that starts on a two-week free trial with succeeding subscription fees. 

boat gps appSeapilot

A boat navigation app that connects to Facebook? Yes please! Seapilot lets you navigate through the open seas while connecting with friends on Facebook, displayed like AIS on the app. Yacht parties will never be the same again. 

Seapilot users reviews are quite outstanding when it comes to navigation and weather forecasting as well. It’s a good app to connect with friends with the same hobby.

boat navigation appiNavX 

Advanced navigation features make iNavX the better option among all other other apps. It doesn’t stop at doing simple navigationals tasks, for a first, it can overlay GRIB files on your chartplotter screen making it work seamlessly. 

Also, because of its eight different providers in the app, it can provide you with amazing latitude in the charts you prefer to navigate with. 

For fishing

An olden pastime with a touch of new technologies– fishing can be as exciting as these apps suggest. Here are some best fishing apps to get hooked on.

boat appFishbrain

Access a crowdsourced database which gets you to millions of fishing locations. As you find them Fishbrain will tell you what kinds of fish swim in there, what baits are working and what fishes are baiting. You can help others as well by recording your experiences on your favorite fishing spots.

 

FishidyFishidy

Discover a fishing map to 17,000 waterways in Fishidy. This app lets you share your experiences, record fishing sites and share a photo of your catch with other users. 

It’s social features are unparalleled, so you, your friends and other anglers can view each other’s recommendations. You can use it free but a paid subscription gets you to use more of its features.

Fish TrackFish Track

Saltwater anglers, this one’s for you! Fish Track provides useful data that includes sea surface temperature charts (SSTs), complete with satellite imagery and weather forecasts, all plotted on a layered map.

It offers a free trial for 15 days, but with features that also lets you check out tides and solunar tables, maybe you’d want to upgrade to premium.

For sailing

While sailing needs one to be fully equipped with the right knowledge about navigation and whatnots, these apps do the hard work for you.

boating weather appPredictwind

Knowing where the wind blows is essential for every sailor. Good thing Predictwind gives you accurate wind forecasts, with live wind observations around the world. 

It also offers two apps to forecast the wind: the inshore and coastal sailing, and offshore sailing. While the inshore app allows it to work on WiFi connection, the offshore app lets you download forecast GRIB data via a satellite or an SSB connection.

best boating weather appAyetides

Tides are one of the biggest hazards in sailing. It’s one of the reasons why some sailors get stuck somewhere or go home with a damaged boat. With Ayetides, you can access real-time and accurate tide data to keep you away from the dreaded shallow areas. 

 

boat app Go SailingGo Sailing

Connect with other sailing enthusiasts with Go Sailing app. It’s a social tool that lets you find other sailors, connect with them and be part of a community. It also lets you connect with locals if you’re new in the area, attend events or locate stores where to buy parts.

 

With the best marine apps to help you better, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t set out into the open seas. Though before you begin any trip, you should also check your boat for damage, especially if it’s your boat windows we’re talking about.

For boat repairs and window parts, send us an inquiry at Peninsula Glass – Motion Windows and let our experts assist you.