Planning your next sailing adventure? This article reviews twenty of the best mobile sailing apps for iPhone and Android, covering everything from detailed navigation and charting (like the top-rated Navionics® Boating) to essential weather forecasting for sailors. We've hand-picked apps offering crucial features like route planning, tide predictions, and safety tools, highlighting standouts such as the intuitive Sail Expert and the community-focused SailTies to help you find the perfect app for your needs.
Top app for sailing
1. Sail Expert
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Cost: Free (Free), Premium ($9.99/year)
Sail Expert is the ultimate app for sailing, ditching the bulky chartplotter for your phone. Unlike other sailing apps that only offer basic features, Sail Expert boasts over 73,520 downloads and integrates a complete suite of tools – from GPS navigation and weather forecasting to a detailed logbook and maintenance tracker – all in one place. Its seamless integration with NMEA instruments and wear OS watch compatibility makes it superior for ease of use and information access. I chose Sail Expert because its comprehensive functionality and proven popularity make it the clear winner for any serious sailor.
Key Features:
- Integrated navigation tools for optimal routes.
- Detailed weather forecasts for informed decisions.
- Comprehensive logbook for recording sailing data.
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2. SailTies
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SailTies is a game-changing app for sailing, praised for its clean interface and ease of use, making it the perfect digital logbook to replace cumbersome paper records. Users love its ability to track sailing routes across various locations and easily share their experiences, likening it to a "Strava for sailing." While lacking features like GPX file import, its intuitive design and community-building aspects make it a strong choice for many sailors. Ultimately, the simplicity and streamlined experience of sharing sailing adventures outweigh its current limitations for many users.
Key Features:
- Detailed voyage logging and tracking.
- Seamless crew management and communication.
- Comprehensive sailing resume builder.
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3. Navionics® Boating
Download:
Cost: Navionics+ Subscription (USD 10.99/month (or equivalent local price)), Free Plan (Free)
Navionics® Boating is a powerful app for sailing, boasting phenomenal map data with incredibly detailed nautical charts and bathymetry—zero complaints there. However, its clunky interface and lack of basic features like map orientation hinder its usability; markers are difficult to select, and the absence of a night mode significantly impacts night sailing, despite user requests spanning years. While the detailed charts are invaluable, the high subscription cost and occasional GPS inaccuracy in challenging weather conditions make it more of a supplementary tool rather than a primary navigation system for serious sailors. The persistent community-added markers further detract from the overall experience, leaving me conflicted about its value despite its excellent cartography.
Key Features:
- Detailed nautical charts for safe navigation.
- Offline access for areas without internet.
- SonarChart™ HD for precise depth contours.
✨ Read more: app for kayak navigation
4. Navily
Download:
Cost: Free (Free), Premium (See in-app pricing)
Navily is a popular mobile app for sailing, boasting over 850,000 users and providing crucial information for planning and executing safe and enjoyable trips. Its key benefit lies in its comprehensive database of over 35,000 marinas and anchorages, complete with 300,000 user-submitted photos and reviews, ensuring informed decisions about destinations. While the easy booking feature for 700+ marinas is a major pro, a potential drawback is reliance on user-generated content, which may occasionally lack consistency in quality or accuracy. Overall, Navily offers significant advantages for sailors but requires users to critically evaluate the information provided.
Key Features:
- Extensive database of anchorages and marinas.
- Community-driven reviews and photos.
- Easy online booking for marina berths.
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5. GO SAILING
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GO SAILING is a mobile app designed to connect sailors of all skill levels, fostering a vibrant community around the shared passion for sailing. It boasts features like trip creation and joining, expense splitting, and crew finding, streamlining the logistics of sailing excursions and significantly reducing the hassle of coordinating with others (as evidenced by user reviews praising its ease of use). While the app provides a convenient platform for socializing and sailing, a potential drawback is its reliance on user participation for trip creation and the limited geographical reach of its active user base; for example, a user in a less populated sailing region might find fewer available trips. Despite this limitation, GO SAILING offers a valuable service for sailors seeking companionship and efficient trip management.
Key Features:
- Connect with fellow sailors globally.
- Organize and join sailing trips easily.
- Share expenses effortlessly after each trip.
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Other app for sailing
- Mariner Sailing GPS & Logbook
- AFTrack Sailing Edition
- Yapp Sailing Course
- PredictWind
- Weather
- Garmin ActiveCaptain®
- Boatspeed
- SailPro for Yacht Racing
- YachtWorld
- SailFreeGPS
- iNavX
- i
- Sailings
- Top Sailor sailing simulator
- Wavve Boating
The most important factors when choosing a app for sailing
- Accuracy and reliability of navigation data.
- Comprehensive weather forecasting capabilities.
- Ease of use and intuitive interface.
- Relevant features for your sailing style and experience level.