Modern sailing increasingly relies on apps on your phone or tablet to find your way. We have tested the latest and best navigation apps on the market.

iNavx

iNavX can be frustrating to use at first because there is so much to customise that it can be tough to get into. Persevere, however, and you’ll find a good app. It has a range of chart options including Navionics, C-MAP and NOAA. They partner with Waterway Guides, which gives micro level detail for marinas and other facilities, although the UK version is yet to arrive.

While all the information is there, I didn’t find interrogation of chart data as easy as, say, the Navionics app, but this may just be personal preference. I also found building and adjusting routes frustrating. There is a very comprehensive manual that can be accessed and a range of excellent YouTube instructional videos – but honestly, I’d rather just be able to work it out quickly and easily on the app.

It has a GRIB viewer but to get tides and current requires another app to be synced to it. It has a decent tool to measure distance or bearing, which also gives the latitude and longitude of each point. AIS data can be overlaid but costs extra. The anchor drag alarm is a good addition. iNavX can also work as a mobile repeater for your boat’s main navigation system.

Pros

Ability to connect to NMEA data from boat
AIS overlays with internet connection or through NMEA
Customisable waypoint icons

Cons

Tidal information requires subscription to other app
AIS overlay expensive
Making routes was unintuitive

Get iNavx app from the Apple App Store
Get iNavx app from the Google Play Store

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