Best Sailing Apps Cruisers Actually Use (Navigation, Weather & Planning)

If you spend any time around cruisers, you’ll notice something funny: we all say we want to “disconnect”… and then we check three weather models before breakfast.

Apps won’t replace seamanship. But they do make life easier — especially when you’re planning a new route, trying to pick a calm anchorage, or just figuring out whether tomorrow is a good day to move.

This post is not a giant “Top 30 apps” list. It’s a simple, realistic guide to the apps cruisers actually keep using — because they help in real situations.

A quick note before we start

Most cruisers don’t rely on one app. The sweet spot is usually one main navigation app + one weather app + one “local knowledge” app. And if you’re going offshore, offline use matters more than fancy features.

Navigation apps cruisers actually use

Navionics Boating

Navionics is still one of the most common choices because it’s easy to use and works offline once charts are downloaded. It also supports connecting to external devices and syncing with some plotters, depending on your setup.

Who it’s best for: coastal cruising, Med island hopping, and anyone who wants a familiar, widely used chart app.

A calm reminder: even the best charts aren’t perfect everywhere. Treat it like a strong tool — not a promise.

C-MAP Boating

C-MAP is often mentioned as a serious alternative, especially if you’re already in the B&G / Simrad / Lowrance world and want smoother integration. It’s also known for visual chart layers that some sailors find easier to interpret.

Who it’s best for: sailors who like clean visuals and those with compatible electronics.

Savvy Navvy

Savvy Navvy is popular because it tries to bring everything into one place — charts, weather, tides, and a suggested “course to steer.” It’s the app many people recommend to newer cruisers who feel overwhelmed by switching between tools.

Who it’s best for: planning day sails and coastal hops, especially in tidal areas (as long as you’re using the right subscription level).

Savvy Navvy (official): https://www.savvy-navvy.com

Weather apps cruisers actually use

Windy

Windy is loved because it’s visual and fast for checking wind, gusts, rain, clouds, and waves. It’s the app many sailors open first when they just want to understand “what’s happening” before diving deeper.

Who it’s best for: quick decisions — “Do we stay another day?” or “Which side of the island will be calmer?”

PredictWind (especially for passage planning)

If you’re planning longer legs, PredictWind is one of the big names cruisers use for routing and GRIB downloads, including options designed for offshore use where you want to download data efficiently and review it offline.

Who it’s best for: longer passages, offshore legs, and anyone who wants routing tools rather than just a forecast.

If you’ve written about staying connected offshore, this is a good place to connect it to your satellite setup decisions — it’s one more reason sailors think hard about reliable internet onboard.

PredictWind Offshore App (official): https://www.predictwind.com/apps/offshore-app

Planning apps cruisers actually use

Navily (anchorages, marinas, booking, and comments)

In the Med, Navily is everywhere — because local knowledge is gold. It’s used for anchorage notes, marina info, and (in many areas) booking requests.

Who it’s best for: Mediterranean cruising, finding practical notes quickly, and reducing “surprises” when you arrive.

A small caution: community info is helpful, but it can be subjective. Always cross-check with charts, pilot guides, and your own eyes.

Navily (official): https://www.navily.com

Garmin ActiveCaptain (for Garmin users + community info)

If you’re running Garmin onboard, ActiveCaptain is useful for syncing data and accessing a community layer of marina/POI information, plus staying connected with compatible chartplotters.

Who it’s best for: Garmin users who want phone/plotter connection and community POI notes.

The “real life” way cruisers use these apps

Here’s what it often looks like in practice:

You’ll check Windy to see the big picture. Then you’ll confirm with a second source (often PredictWind if you have it). Then you’ll pick your destination using local knowledge (Navily). And finally you’ll navigate with your chosen chart app (Navionics, C-MAP, Aqua Map, or Savvy Navvy).

It sounds like a lot, but once it’s your routine, it’s quick.

A personal note (because this is real boat life)

I like apps most when they reduce stress. Not when they create it.

If you find yourself checking weather every ten minutes and feeling worse, that’s your sign to step back. Open the hatch. Look at the sky. Talk to another sailor on the dock. Then use the apps as a cross-check — not as a spiral.

And if you’re in that winter “closed-up boat” season right now, you might also like this related post:Is It Normal for a Boat to Smell After Being Closed Up?https://www.sailoscope.com/post/boat-smell-after-being-closed-up

What I’d recommend if you want one simple setup

If you’re building a “starter kit” of apps, keep it simple:

• One navigation app you trust and have downloaded offline charts for

• One weather app you understand (not just the fanciest one)

• One community/marina app for local knowledge

That’s enough for most coastal cruising.

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