Apps for Navigation & Weather

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Giving  — or hoping to receive — an iPad this holiday season? Here are the apps you’ll want to check out in order to maximize an iPad’s use on the water.

(And don’t forget to buy a DryCASE to keep your iPad safe from splashes while allowing full functionality!)

Navigation

• Navionics offers marine and lake charts. You can download charts to the iPad; once downloaded, they function without an Internet connection. Features tides and currents; route planning, waypoints and markers; route tracking; and satellite overlay on charts. Includes social aspects: you can read geo-referenced reviews by other users and share your trip via tracking, markers or photos with the Navionics community or with friends via email, Facebook or Twitter. (Also offers versions for the iPhone and Android devices.)

• Use iNavX to read up-to-date NOAA RNC raster United States waters marine charts on your iPad. Includes West Coast, Gulf Coast, East Coast, Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii, and US Virgin Islands. In addition to providing access to charts like the official CHS Canada charts, Navionics Gold charts, Fish'N'Chip charts, HotMaps, NV, the app is compatible with X-Traverse charts and maps, which may be purchased separately. These include Verlag charts, Hilton's Fishing charts, TRAK Canada lakes fishing maps and Solteknik European waters charts. Charts and maps are stored on the device so an Internet connection is not required to for navigation once charts and maps have been downloaded.  (Also works with the iPhone and iPod Touch.)

• Navimatics Charts & Tides supports ActiveCaptain, including offline updating and reviews so you can add to the community. In fact, the entire ActiveCaptain database is stored on your iPad  so you can access information about marinas, anchorages, hazards, bridges and points of interest at any time. •            Navimatics Charts & Tides supports standard NOAA vector charts; chart data is automatically updated with program updates. Includes integrated tides/currents, weather, sun/moon calendar and much more. (Also works on the iPhone.)

• Anchor Alarm warns you if your anchor drags and you move a certain distance from your starting point. When you drop your anchor, set your parameters and turn your alarm on. If you move beyond the set parameters, your iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone will sound the alarm.

Weather & Tides

• MyWeather – Features hour-by-hour weather forecasts for 7 days. The iPhone version (compatible with iPads) also shows radar maps and current conditions.

• Weather Alert USA – Includes NOAA weather monitoring service; free alert notifications (when enabled); and capable of multiple alert areas. Features seven-day “Forecast At A Glance.” Includes NOAA Marine Weather Module: coastal synopsis; NDFD coastal wave height maps; radars and warning indicators; offshore synopsis; high seas synopsis; and hurricane center satellites.

• AyeTides XL - presents the tides or currents (tidal streams). Features a two-day view with sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times; the current value of the tide/current; and a tide clock showing the time remaining until the next event. Station selection via a map is the only part of the app that requires an internet connection. You can also select a station from an alphabetical list or region, which does not require the Internet. All data is stored on the iPad.

For more app suggestions, read:

• An App (or 10) for Fishing

• "Mayday! An iPad Saves the Day" (safety apps) 

•  “Yacht-Centric Apps“ (many of these iPhone apps will work on the iPad, too)

Have we missed any great apps? Link to your favorites in the comments!