Having the best navigational tools at your disposal makes boating more fun, safer, and less work. As avid boating enthusiasts, our yacht insurance professionals want to share what they like about the hottest new plotting apps. Here’s our list.

Navionics: This comprehensive app is recognized globally for its ingenuity. We love that the maps are enhanced continuously and created from official, government, and private sources. The Sonarchart helps ascertain depth reliably (keeping yacht insurance claims for grounding to a minimum). Community edits allow users to add points of interest and other useful information. Prices vary, depending on what you want.

Seanav: This app promises the latest digital vector marine charts and is compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. You can select either SeaNav US or SeaNav UK – plus add on charts for other countries, including Canada, France, and Germany. This app makes planning your route easy, and it is competitively priced.

Boat Beacon: The last thing any of us want is a collision when we’re out on the ocean or a major waterway. This handy app is economically priced and gives you up-to-the-second AIS feeds on vessels near you. It works with Android, Apple iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. It provides bearing, range, and the closest point of approach calculations so you can figure out the safest navigation route for your vessel.

SeaPilot: This navigation app gives you the latest charts from around the globe as well as the opportunity to find friends in the boating community. The free version of this app offers most US charts, and the paid premium version is only a small annual fee.

Let us know which new plotting apps you try and which you like the best for navigation.

Before you head off on a marine adventure, contact Global Marine Insurance. We’ll ensure that you have the best yacht insurance coverage for your needs.