I made a video on the best navigation apps. At that time.
This is an update on that video. I will warn you, there are many new faces these days.
I've avoided mentioning prices as they change often without notice and from country to country. Also, I've chosen apps for both iOS and Android with one exception. Now I will tell you I have bought a tablet and loaded one of these apps. See if you can surmise which one it is. I'll tell you at the end. So in no particular order here are 5 of the top navigation apps...
1.Savvy Navvy
Savvy Navvy is a sophisticated app with all the key information ready to be switched on or off at your fingertips. It is the only app that has a routing algorithm that has inputs for wind and current (although bizarrely not leeway)
The biggest issue with Savvy Navvy is that the sophistication of the programming for its route planning has not been matched by that of the seamanship. It shows impossibly detailed wind patterns and uses performance settings that cannot be adjusted - both of which make the app interesting to look at but of little practical use.
Savvy Navvy points to the future, and if a healthy dose of seamanship is added to the algorithm it will leave the others trailing in its wake. But for now its seductive-looking route plans need to be treated with caution.
2. Nav X
A well-established GPS app that provides free US NOAA raster charts along with an array of other maps and charts (sold separately)?
When installed, the charts are found in a conventional table menu that categorizes charts as per the region. Once you select a chart, your position is shown in real-time with zooming and panning capabilities.
To choose a different scale chart, simply zoom in and out or go back to the chart menu and select the relevant chart.
The app has route management, weather forecasts, waypoint management, tides and currents, GPX export and import, and port search. It can sync with NMEA data via WiFi that will connect with other devices such as depth sounders
3. Navionics (owned by Garmin)
As one of the top navigation apps, Navionics is a force to be reckoned with. It’s compatible with iOS and Android gadgets and features the exclusive state-of-the-art Navionics Gold vector charts that come with terrain overlays, maps, and satellites. And the best part is that you get to enjoy these perks for free. The user interface is intuitive with the ability to zoom and pan.
You can share the tracks across social media platforms or email. For further navigation, handy features that range from sonar charts and in-app enhancements (at a price) to automatic routing, are a lifesavers.
Navionics recently released an advanced version of the app known as Navionics Boating. It’s packed with the features of the initial app and then some. For instance, you’ll stumble upon Plotter Sync. It allows the wireless transfer of waypoints and routes from a plotter to the app.
4. Marine Navigator
At a budget-friendly price, you can get the Marine Navigator app on your Android tablet or smartphone. As the advanced counterpart of the Marine Navigator Lite, this app comes with a bunch of handy features that will make your experience on the water a pleasant one.
The app uses NOAA raster charts and the KAP/BSB navigational charts. Marine Navigator shows a vessel’s COG (Course Over Ground), position, and SOG (Speed Over Ground) while allowing you to throw in routes, tracks, and waypoints in the mix. These are all recorded when the app is active or operating in the background.
The exportation and importation of routes and waypoints occur courtesy of GPX. Depending on the boat’s location, charts update automatically and link seamlessly. Furthermore, Marine Navigator shows a compass with features that come in handy for MOB situations.
5. C-Map
C-MAP produces great charts, with just the right amount of detail for spot depths, enlarged navigational marks on land and sea and clever colouring.
Wind data via GRIB (General Regularly distributed Information in Binary form) files is easily overlaid and the colour shading system both makes it easy to see predicted wind speeds and discourages the user from trying to extrapolate unrealistic detail.
Strangely, there is no tide and current overlay, which is frustrating for most sailors, and it is also a disappointment that there is no satellite imagery overlay.
C-MAP’s automatic routing system is fairly easy and intuitive to use however since you can set a minimum depth of 3m, it would then suggest routes that contravened this limit, so watch out!
It felt more like a routing system adapted from land-based technology for small motorboat users and many sailors were a little uneasy about trusting it. The app provides a useful distance and bearing measurement tool and the ability to overlay AIS (Automatic Identification System) data is useful,
7 июл 2024
