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Technology and boating often go hand in hand. Advances in technology mean that it is now much easier to control boats and make better informed decisions when it comes to avoiding travel to places with severely adverse weather conditions, for example.
One important piece of technology that many people have who operate all sorts of boats – from yachts to speed boats – are mobile devices; in particular, smartphones and tablets. Here are 5 must-have iOS and Android apps for boaters!
Boat Beacon
Using an iPhone, iPad or Android device, the Boat Beacon app provides range, bearing and CPA (closest point of approach) calculations as well as standard AIS (automatic identification system) information.
The app allows you to see and be seen, as it continually transmits and receives position information, even in the background. One of the coolest features of it is the over-the-horizon collision avoidance system, which will highlight boats that are potentially on a collision course and it alerts you with an alarm.
Download the Boat Beacon app for iOS (£6.99) and Android devices (£5.99).
BlooSee
BlooSee is an app designed for the ocean and all who enjoy it. Not only can you join a community that loves boating, sailing and watersports, but you can access free nautical tools, photos, videos, and more!
It features an interactive map that has filterable layers of information, such as anchorages, marinas, beaches, and other points of interest, and you can even track your boating progress using the app and share the results on the BlooSee website with other community members.
Download the BlooSee app for iOS devices (free).
Boater’s Pocket Reference
The Boater’s Pocket Reference app is a handy boating guide packed full of interesting and useful facts on a variety of topics related to boating. Designed for the iPhone and iPad, the app caters to people with varying levels of boating expertise.
It contains a wide variety of content including 800 photographs and illustrations, and a plethora of charts and graphs. The book version of this app is very popular with boaters around the world, and now that same information is available in this awesome app!
Download the Boater’s Pocket Reference app for iOS devices (£2.99).
WindGuru
The WindGuru website has always had comprehensive and useful wind, wave and weather data, and now you can enjoy the benefits of the website right on your iOS and Android device!
Note that this app has been designed exclusively for boaters, and is not your traditional weather app!
Download the WindGuru app for iOS and Android devices (free).
Pro-Knot
So you’re in your yacht, you’ve just woken up and are all warm and toasty thanks to your Butler Technik boat heaters. When you’re ready to set sail, one thing you will need to do is make sure you’ve got your sails sorted for your trip out.
If you’re not very clued up on knot tying, then you should download the Pro-Knot app to help you out! It’s also useful if you plan to do a spot of fishing too.
Download the Pro-Knot app for iOS (£1.49) and Android (£1.29).