The U.S. Coast Guard stresses the importance of following the guidelines provided by them to promote boating safety. Those guidelines advise boaters on how to be prepared and ready for almost anything on the water by taking the guess work out of boating safety; and among other things has determined what is considered required boating safety equipment and navigational aids.
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Marine navigational aids would consist of maps and charts, knowing the &#;Rules of the Road&#;, a two-way communication system, and a Global Positioning System.
It would be hard to find a person who is not familiar with what a &#;GPS&#; is and what they are used for. Many people have one in their automobiles and the number of those people with GPS for boats is growing.
Is it a good idea to have a GPS for boats, as part of the marine navigational aids on board your boat? Sure it is &#; but, maybe not as a stand-alone all in one navigational aid.
As a boater, you could use a regular GPS for your boat, whether it is a hand held or stationary mounted model. Since both the regular GPS and the GPS for boats will tell you where on earth you are and both will either have maps already downloaded or for a small fee, you can get maps downloaded from the Internet, either one would work in conjunction with the charts and maps.
But, when deciding which is best for you there are a few things you would want to keep in mind. Marine GPS for boats do have a few or a lot of other tricks designed for boaters, depending on the amount of money you want to spend, such as:
So, depending on the bells and whistles you require will determine the cost of the gadget. Any way you go, the GPS will be a good addition to your navigational aids.
It is said that maps and charts are the most important part of any navigational aids. Sailors have been exploring this world with the aid of maps and charts for centuries &#; that has not changed.
Maps and charts are very different from one another. Charts show what is beneath the surface of the water, what cannot be seen just by looking, but is necessary to know for safe and effective navigation, while maps only show the surface, and cannot be used to plot your course. There are too many things that weather and man has had effects on and maps are stagnate, charts are not. Charts and maps can be purchased online.
The next part of your Marine Navigational Aids is knowing the &#;Rules of the Road,&#; which is essential in boat navigation. The USCG states &#;Aids to Navigation Are the Waterways&#; Road Signs.&#; Safely driving a car would be nearly impossible if you did not know street signs, stop signs, barriers, detours and even stop lights.
The USCG has a pamphlet &#; U.S. Aids To Navigation System &#; which they recommend be printed and kept on board as part of the navigational aids.
It is important to know the basics at least, and the more you know, the safer you, your family, and your boat will remain. You will learn what to do when you have to interact with other boats and how to read the charts &#; symbols and colors &#; which you will encounter on the water.
For instance, when in a channel, and you are heading to shore with open water behind you, make sure the red colors and lights remain on your starboard side (right side) and when heading out to open waters, the green colors and lights remain on your starboard side; some boaters use the &#;3R Rule&#; which is &#;Red, Right, Returning.&#;
When coming up to another boat, head to head, each would preferably pass port to port side with one short horn blast to alert your intent, and one short blast for agreement. If it is necessary to pass starboard, then two short horn blasts from both boats.
It is always the preference to pass on the port side with one short blast.
It is also imperative to learn the colors and images for warnings. Each color and design is there to give warning that for whatever reason, a boat is not allowed or permitted in an area.
Taking these extra steps, learning the &#;Rules of the Road,&#; is only part of the Marine Navigational Aids.
It is also recommended to have a two-way communication system of some sort on board. We all know that cell phones do not go every where and often lose their connectivity when out on the water.
Keeping everyone on board your boat and around your boat safe is the responsibility of the operator and is required by the USCG and your boat insurance company.
A GPS is a near-essential piece of equipment for boating, but buying and installing a standalone GPS is an expensive proposition. Even when bought second-hand, the cost to install is an inconvenience. This is why boaters across the world are turning to their mobile devices to find a marine GPS app.
If you&#;ve turned to the Apple App Store or Google Play for a convenient solution to marine navigation, you know you&#;ve got plenty of powerful apps to choose from. Making the right choice is a tough call to make confidently. For some boaters, Navionics free navigation app might be the perfect fit. Others might find the cost of maps and charts too expensive and elect for more accessible options.
If you&#;re thinking about navigating your boat by app, we&#;re here to help you pick the solution that works best for you.
Why Do You Need A GPS on Your Boat?
Depending on where you are boating, you may feel confident enough to go out on the water without some kind of navigation system. However, even familiar waters can be dangerous, and a GPS or navigational aid makes it easier to stay out of trouble. Not only for avoiding danger, a GPS can help you discover and explore new areas on your favorite waterways.
Picking the right
marine GPS AppKnow your needs and make a short-list
Consider what you like to do on the water, then what you need from an app to do it successfully.
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If you spend most of your time fishing, you may want an app that focuses on depth markers and underwater contouring. If you are into water sports, then easy navigation and highlighted shallow areas could be all you need. Or maybe you enjoy cruising, seeing sights, and meeting up with others on the water. In that case, an app that allows you to see other boaters or interesting locations might be a good fit for you.
Take advantage of free trials
Nearly all navigation apps offer free or reduced-rate trials, allowing you an opportunity to try before you buy. When signing up for a trial, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get out on the water with the app.
Consider multiple apps
Often, one app just isn&#;t enough to meet all our needs, wants, and expectations. It&#;s better to have multiple apps dedicated for different purposes. Even paying for 3 or 4 apps is cheaper than a traditional chart plotter.
Navigating Marine GPS Apps
Navigation apps worth exploring
Start your search for the best app for you by exploring these options:
Navionics is one of the biggest names in marine navigation and the most popular among boaters. They have been a leader in standalone marine GPS devices for a long time and brought their charts to a marine GPS app. They utilize vector charts and allow users to connect to some chart plotters.
Their charts contain depth markers, buoys, beacons, bathymetry, relief shading, terrain, AIS, and more. All of that information is displayed on one map, so you may need to take time to learn how to read all the data and symbols to take away valuable information.
A Navionics subscription starts at $20.99 for nautical charts of the USA and has additional costs if you want charts of other regions.
One of the most popular handheld chart plotter apps is iNavX. They support one of the broadest selections of chart providers, with maps covering most of the globe from providers ranging from Navionics to NOAA. You can perform simple navigation tasks or more complex functions like connecting to AIS and compatible shipboard instruments via WiFi.
These features take some time to get used to, and some have found it overly complicated, but it is still a strong contender for a marine GPS app. Get iNavX for $29.99, billed annually. You can also purchase individual charts for an additional cost.
If you want an intuitive, easy-to-use interface from your navigation app, Wavve Boating is for you! We put critical features like depths, buoys, tides, and weather forecasts front and center and made it easy to use them. In addition to navigation features, Wavve Boating focuses on creating a boating community.
Wavve Boating&#;s map is shared between users, so you can find your friends on the water and share your location, favorite spots, and activities. With a focus on the critical information the average boater needs on the water, you may want a supplemental app if you are interested in more complex chart data.
Wavve Boating is available via two subscription options of $7.99/month or $45.99/year. New users are offered a 14 day trial to see if the app is a fit for them.
Looking for a boating navigation app that offers AIS?
Consider Boat Beacon! Connected to one of the largest networks of AIS shore receivers, Boat Beacon displays the positions of nearby ships in real-time. Covering most major ports, harbours, and popular coastal areas &#; Boat Beacon&#;s functionality rivals built-in AIS systems, fits in your pocket, all for under $30!
Boat Beacon is available on iOS and Android for $14.99 USD.
More apps to explore
Exploring every marine navigation app in a single blog article is too much for any reader, so we won&#;t try here!
If you&#;re looking to dig deeper into the apps available for marine navigation, take advantage of the wealth of consumer information available online to pick the one best for you. We&#;ve put together a few powerful sources to help:
Boats.com &#; An authority in all things boat-related, Boats.com writes an annual article exploring boating navigation apps. Hand-selected by the editors of BoatUS Magazine, picks are sure to help you find the app best for you!
Appgrooves &#; A publisher of the top apps in each industry, Appgrooves list of boating apps is updated every year to reflect newcomers to the market. They have just updated this article for their picks.
Wavve Boating is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store via two subscription options of $7.99/month or $45.99/year. New users are offered a 14 day trial to see if the app is a fit for them.
About Wavve Boating
Founded in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Wavve Boating (Wavve) is a mobile application designed for the recreational boater. With nautical charts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and Canadian Hydrographic Services, Wavve has been growing their consumer base across North America since May of . Available on all Apple and Android devices, Wavve offers a simple platform so anyone can boat like a local. For more information visit wavveboating.com.
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