Nowadays, all of us carry smartphones and tablets everywhere. And being on the water sailing is no exception, writes Saša Fegić.

We can put these gadgets to good use if we install the right sailing apps.

But it has become increasingly difficult to navigate your way between thousands of apps of questionable quality, so here is my list of some of the best sailing apps that I’ve personally found useful.

All of these sailing apps are available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

1. Navionics Boating

This is probably the best navigation app out there. It has the same feel as using an onboard GPS.

It provides detailed charts, information about harbours and anchorages, tides, aerial photos and useful user comments.

The user can also navigate point-to-point based on the boat’s draught.

Price: A two-week trial comes free, then the subscription varies depending on the chart region and costs from £39.99/€49.99 per region.

Contact: www.navionics.com

2. Navily

Essentially an online pilot book based on Google Maps providing information about bays, anchorages, harbours, and marinas in all of the popular cruising areas.

The app has a large and highly active user community which is useful for regular updates, especially for less-known areas.

Price: There is a free version, although upgrading to premium, which costs £16.89/€19.99 a year, unlocks extra features such as automatic itineraries, 72-hour weather forecast, maps, filters and distance calculation at sea.

Contact: navily.com

3. PredictWind

A weather forecasting app developed especially for sailors.

It’s user-friendly and lets you choose between different forecast models and data you wish to see (wind, waves, electrical potential, cloud, rain, pressure, and temperatures).

PredictWind is one of the best tools for passage planning.

The free version is good but subscribing gives more options, including tracking and weather routing.

There are three options: basic, standard and professional.

Price: From £6.99-£93.00/€4.51-€112.68 a month depending on the option.

Contact: www.predictwind.com

4. Marine Traffic

The most popular app for real-time tracking and AIS data.

It has an extensive database of ships and covers marine traffic worldwide.

Marine Traffic also allows pleasure boats without AIS radio transponders to self-report their position, so a vessel detail can be displayed on the map, just as if an AIS transponder was on board.

This allows other boats using this app to see you.

Price: A free version is available but the paid premium option includes extended vessel details and route predictions. From £9.49/€19 a year.

Contact: www.marinetraffic.com

5. mySea

This app lets you book a marina berth, a buoy, or a restaurant or buy tickets for national parks in Croatia, Greece, and Turkey online.

It also provides information about marinas and anchorages in these areas.

Price: Available free of charge.

Contact: my-sea.com

6. weather&radar

This app focuses primarily on the radar side of weather rather than the basic features like forecasts.

The best features are radar images in real-time and the forecasted movement of local thunderstorms.

Price: The free version means you’ll have to put up with adverts. You can pay £1.29/€1.59 a month to go ad-free.

Contact: www.weatherandradar.com

7. Ankeralarm

Ankeralarm monitors the device’s current location and informs you if it moves too far away from the anchored spot.

There is a free basic version but the paid-for full version has a remote monitoring function which will send an instant message or an email if your boat’s anchor drags, giving you peace of mind while you are ashore or away from the boat.

There is also an anchorage search feature to help you choose your next destination.

Price: The full version costs £2.59/€ 3.09 a year or there is an option for a one-time purchase for £16.99/€19.99.

Contact: ankeralarm.app/en/

8. Colreg 72: safety at sea

All the navigation lights, shapes and rules of the road in one app.

It’s both a great learning tool and a quick reference guide.

Price: Free (Android)£3.99/€4.75 (iPhone)

Contact: Search your phone’s app store

9. Knots 3D

An easy and fun way to learn how to tie 190+ different sailing knots.

The app lets you see the knots in 3D, rotate them and provides information about knot usage.

Price: From £5.49/€6.53

Contact: knots3d.com

10. Nautide

All the information on tides, surf, fish activity, sun and moon, barometer, wind, weather, and marine forecast in one useful app.

Price: The basic version is free but for £1.69/€1.99 a month, you can subscribe to the pro version which is ad-free and gives access to the SeaQuery Advanced Planner to help with passage planning.

Contact: nautide.com

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