Sailing apps seem to be multiplying like rabbits, and since the idea of taking a phone or tablet out on the water no longer seems foolhardy (really, who doesn’t have their smart phone with them at all times), why not try some nautical apps? We’ve collected a few to get you started. If there’s one that you think is particularly good and we haven’t named it here, please let us know by emailing [email protected].
Regatta Recon is an economical alternative to an electronic compass. Developed by two racing sailors from Charleston, SC, Regatta Recon offers three essential functions: compass heading and directional trend, countdown timing, and the ability to log the elapsed finish times for up to six connections. For short-course racing sailors, it displays heading as well as the degree of lift (header) that the boat is experiencing relative to that initial number. And it's a simply touch of the screen to switch to a countdown timer with six settings. We fell in love with this app in a very short amount of time. $14.99
by Kelly Technology, Inc.
Here you can find the latest information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including satellite views of the United States and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, hurricanes and tropical storms in the Atlantic, the latest tornado and severe thunderstorm alerts, and the ultraviolet index for th
e U.S. Easily share what you find on social media.
From BoatU.S.
Instant access to 24-hour assistance on the water from the world's largest on the water towing fleet, with over 300 locations and 600 towboats. Call for a tow, and BoatU.S. will automatically know your location. You can also use the App to view your latitude and longitude, or to share your location, raft up anchorage, or favorite fishing hole via Facebook, text or email.
From takemefishing.org
Need a place to launch or dock her? This one features more than 35,000 boat ramps and marinas across the country. Some folks ask if there’s enough access to the Bay. This can help you find it.
Buoy Finder NOAA Marine Weather
By Elecont LLC
Over 700 buoy locations on the East Coast, Great Lakes, Caribbean, and beyond. The interactive buoy map reports current wave heights, wave periods, wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, water temperature, atmospheric pressure, pressure tendency, dew points, sea temperatures, current weather, and 10-day forecasts.
Marine Traffic Ships & Wind
Want to know more about the biggest boats on the Bay? Learn a ship’s name, type, speed, dimensions, and more. Choose from 80,000 vessels and build a custom list of ships to track. See real time ship positions based on AIS data. Fun to watch, but also could be helpful when entering busy harbors such as Baltimore and Norfolk.
By Verona Solutions, LLC
More live buoy data, this one with access to location specific forecasts and data on wind speed, gusts, and direction as well as pressure and other marine data. This one gives tide predictions and moon phases too. Weather data is retrieved from NOAA's National Data Buoy Center. Users can customize the search radius using GPS or a manually entered location, so that you only see the buoys you want. A map of buoy locations can be found here: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov.
