A phone or tablet can be a useful addition to the navigation equipment on a Motorboat. With the right apps, you can check charts, plan a route, look at tidal conditions, follow changing weather and get a better picture of vessel traffic before leaving the berth.
Not every app does the same job. Some are primarily electronic charts, while others are better for passage planning, weather or traffic information. For UK coastal boating, it often makes more sense to choose a small number of apps that complement one another rather than looking for one that does everything.
Here are seven worth considering and, more importantly, what each is useful for.
1. Navionics Boating
Navionics Boating is one of the better-known marine charting apps and can be used for both planning and following coastal passages.
Charts can be downloaded before departure, allowing them to remain available when mobile coverage is poor. The app provides electronic chart information, route-planning tools, depth information and details about marinas and other locations.
For Motorboat owners who want straightforward electronic charts on a phone or tablet, it is a useful place to start.
Be cautious with automatically generated routes. A suggested route still needs checking against depth, tidal height, local restrictions and the characteristics of your own boat before you use it.
2. Savvy Navvy
Savvy Navvy brings charting, weather, tides and tidal streams into the same planning environment.
That can be particularly useful in strongly tidal areas. Around the Solent, for example, changing the departure time can alter the tidal stream you encounter and affect both the route and duration of a passage.
Being able to compare those factors together makes Savvy Navvy useful when considering different departure times or looking at how conditions may develop during a trip.
It also includes route-planning and connected-navigation features. As with any calculated route, check what the software is proposing rather than assuming the suggested course is automatically suitable.
3. Imray Navigator
Imray Navigator is particularly relevant to UK coastal boaters because it uses Imray’s raster chart presentation.
If you already use Imray charts, the appearance is likely to feel familiar. Routes and waypoints can be created, tracks recorded and charts downloaded for offline use.
It can be a good choice for someone who prefers a more traditional chart appearance on their tablet rather than a heavily simplified digital display.
Check that the chart coverage you need is current before a passage, particularly when visiting unfamiliar harbours or coastal areas where buoyage, restrictions or local information may have changed.
4. Aqua Map
Aqua Map combines electronic charts and route planning with options for connecting a tablet to compatible equipment already aboard the boat.
Depending on your setup, this can include information such as AIS data, making Aqua Map worth considering if you want a tablet to work as an additional navigation display rather than simply as a planning tool.
Its flexibility means there are more settings to understand. Download the required charts and check units, alarms and any connections with onboard equipment before leaving the berth.
If you plan to use a tablet regularly while under way, spending time setting it up properly beforehand makes a considerable difference.
5. Windy
Windy is a weather forecasting app rather than a marine charting app, but it can be useful when deciding when and where to go boating.
It allows you to look at wind, rain, pressure, waves and different forecast models. Rather than checking a single forecast shortly before departure, you can see how conditions are expected to develop over several hours.
For coastal Motorboating, pay particular attention to wind direction as well as strength. The same wind speed can produce very different conditions depending on shelter, fetch, the direction of the tide and the part of the coast you are using.
Windy is best used as one source within your weather planning rather than as the sole basis for deciding whether to make a passage.
6. MarineTraffic
MarineTraffic provides information about vessel movements using AIS data.
It can be particularly useful when planning trips through busy commercial waters such as Southampton Water and the approaches to Portsmouth. Looking at vessel movements before departure can help you understand the type and volume of traffic you are likely to encounter.
It is not a replacement for onboard AIS equipment or a visual lookout. Internet-delivered vessel positions can be delayed or incomplete, so the app should be treated as an additional source of traffic information rather than proof that an area is clear.
For boaters who regularly share the water with ferries, container ships and other commercial traffic, it can still be a useful addition to the planning process.
7. SafeTrx
SafeTrx has a different purpose from the charting apps on this list. It is designed around passage safety and recording details about a boat and its intended trip.
Depending on the service available in the area where you are boating, it can provide a way of recording a planned journey and giving somebody ashore useful information if the boat becomes overdue.
That makes it particularly relevant when making coastal passages where another person knowing your intended route and expected arrival time provides a useful additional safeguard.
It is not intended to replace your normal navigation or communication equipment. Think of it as a supporting passage-safety tool rather than another electronic chart.
Which navigation app is right for you?
The best choice depends on what you actually need.
If your priority is electronic charting, Navionics Boating, Imray Navigator and Aqua Map are worth comparing. If you want tides, weather and passage planning brought together, Savvy Navvy takes a more integrated approach.
Windy serves a different purpose by helping you assess the weather around a planned trip, while MarineTraffic can add useful context when boating around busy commercial waters. SafeTrx is more focused on recording and sharing passage information.
There is no particular advantage in filling a phone or tablet with boating apps that you rarely use. It is better to have a small number that suit your cruising and know where to find the information you need quickly.
Set your apps up before leaving the berth
Whichever apps you choose, spend some time with them before relying on them under way.
Download charts that need to work offline, check subscriptions and updates, and make sure the device can be kept charged aboard the boat. If you use a tablet at the helm, think about how it will be mounted and protected from water.
Plan the passage before departure as well. That gives you time to identify shallow water, harbour approaches, tidal restrictions and other navigational features without trying to make those decisions while the boat is moving.
Once under way, the app should help you follow and check a passage you already understand.
Navigation apps can make coastal boating considerably easier, but choosing the right combination matters more than having the longest list of features. Start with the information you regularly need on the water, choose apps that provide it clearly and become familiar with them before you need to use them in a busy or unfamiliar situation.
FAQs about coastal navigation apps
Does GPS still work on a phone or tablet without mobile signal?
Yes. A device with its own GPS receiver can normally determine its position without a mobile data connection. However, charts and other information may still need to be downloaded in advance if the app requires internet access to display them.
Is a phone or tablet better for navigation on a motorboat?
A tablet usually provides a larger display that can make charts and route information easier to read, while a phone is smaller and easier to keep with you. The best choice depends on the helm position, available mounting space and whether the device is being used as a main additional display or simply for reference.
What should you do if your navigation device fails during a passage?
You should still have another way of establishing your position and continuing the passage safely. This might include another navigation device, suitable charts or onboard navigation equipment. Familiarity with the route before departure also makes an unexpected device failure much easier to manage.
Can navigation apps be used for coastal passages at night?
They can assist with navigation at night, but the display should be adjusted so that it does not interfere with your night vision. Electronic navigation does not remove the need to maintain a proper lookout, identify navigation lights and understand the marks and hazards around you.
Is it worth carrying a second device with navigation apps installed?
A second suitably prepared device can provide useful backup if the main phone or tablet is damaged, loses power or develops a fault. If you intend to rely on it as a backup, make sure the necessary charts and information are already available rather than assuming you will be able to download them when needed.