Sailing apps we recommend, navigation, weather, tides, safety & more
Sorry for the late issue of this week’s blog, we’ve had a hectic week, with lots of courses running and customers getting in some last-minute charters before the kids go back to school.
We get asked a lot about which sailing apps work well on smartphones, and what we use or recommend ourselves. There is so much choice out there, and a lot of it comes down to personal preference. Here’s a quick overview of the categories we find most useful:
- Navigation & passage planning
- Weather
- Tides & tidal flow
- First Aid & Safety
- Learning & fun
One thing to remember, the last thing you want is to damage or lose your expensive phone while sailing. We always recommend a waterproof case and lanyard, ideally attached to you. Yes, we’ve all had a phone go overboard at some point, and despite what the manufacturers say, none of them like saltwater.
So, onto the apps we think are useful. We don’t get paid to recommend any of these, we just think they are genuinely handy to have.
Navigation & passage planning
Navionics
This is a brilliant app that uses the same charts you’ll find on most chart plotters fitted to yachts, including our charter fleet. It’s free to download but you need to create an account with Garmin (who own the app now) and there are annual subscription costs. You get a live, constantly updated chart which is handy as a quick reference, particularly for zooming in on marinas to see pontoon layouts and berthing details. But remember, it should not be used for primary navigation.
There are other options like iBoating and iNavX, but we find the familiar look of Navionics works well, especially since most multi-function displays on modern boats use Navionics charts as standard.
RYA safetrx
This is a brilliant free app from the RYA that helps you plan a passage and lets loved ones track your progress. You set your estimated start and finish times and locations, press “Set Sail” and away you go. If your passage doesn’t go to plan and you overrun your arrival time, it alerts your emergency contacts on shore, who can raise the alarm with the Coastguard if needed. You can also add crew members and store information about the vessel, passengers, departure and destination points. Well worth downloading if you have non-sailors at home who worry about you.
For those building towards their first coastal passages, our RYA Day Skipper course covers passage planning in detail, including the use of electronic aids alongside traditional navigation.
Weather
There are literally hundreds of weather apps out there, although many won’t give you offshore wind conditions. You need to pick carefully if you intend to go offshore or plan that first crossing of the English Channel. We recommend downloading two or three different wind apps and cross-referencing them, as some aren’t updated as regularly as others.
Windy
The most popular one we see sailors using is Windy. There are loads out there, and most give pretty similar results, so it’s really down to what you find useful and easy to navigate. The great thing with Windy is that when you download it, the setup process asks what hobbies you’re planning for, how detailed you want the weather data to be, your preferred units of measurement and so on, then sets everything up as you need it. The downside is that it’s not free. You get a 7-day trial, but after that it’s £89 for one year or £199 for lifetime use. That’s a lot, but if you need reliable wind forecasts regularly, it may be a sound investment. If not, there are free alternatives.
Xcweather
Another great app we see sailors use regularly. This is Jonno’s go-to wind app. It has a beautifully simple, easy-to-read interface and provides everything you need to plan a weekend’s sailing quickly and without hassle. Best of all, it’s free to download and use.
Met office
A nice and easy-to-use app from the Met Office. Well worth downloading, and it’s also free.
Tides & tidal flow
Again, there are plenty of tide and tidal flow apps to choose from. Here are the ones we use most often.
My tide times
A great app with two versions, a free one with adverts and a paid version for £2.99 without adverts plus a few extra features. The app shows an overview of your location (if you let it track you) and displays all tidal stations in the area. Tap one and you’ll see high and low tide times, sunrise and sunset, moon phase and current wind speed. You can save locations to your favourites for quick reference. The main limitation is that it only shows tide times up to 7 days ahead, so for longer-term planning you’ll need an alternative source.
Istreams
For those who need to know tidal flows over the course of a few hours, this is a nice quick-reference instead of delving through tidal stream atlases. There are apps for all sorts of locations, the ones we use most are the Solent, English Channel and Channel Islands. Easy to use: just tap in your chosen date at the top and scroll left or right to show high water plus or minus through the day. The app costs £3.99 to subscribe, which can add up if your sailing waters cover a wide area and you need two or more regional apps. But for the average sailor who sticks to local waters, it’s a great tool.
If you’re new to tidal planning, our RYA Day Skipper practical and Coastal Skipper courses both cover tidal theory and passage planning in the Solent’s challenging waters.
First aid & safety
This subject covers a lot of ground, but we’ll focus on what we feel is most important when out sailing, first aid. We strongly recommend you undertake an RYA First Aid at Sea course with us, but there are some helpful apps that can guide you through typical injuries on board. The British Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance both offer excellent free options.
British red cross
This is one of Jonno’s go-to first aid apps, designed in an easy-to-read format. You simply choose whether you want to watch or read the guides, and you’re presented with a clear list of common injuries or medical events. Well worth downloading, and it’s free.
St john’s ambulance
Another of Jonno’s go-to apps (not that he’s accident prone!) is the one from St John’s Ambulance. They’ve designed this free app with a beautifully simple interface that gives short, straightforward guides on dealing with injuries on board. It does tend to recommend calling for an ambulance quite readily, which isn’t always practical once you’re in the Solent or further afield, but the basics are solid.
Learning & fun
This one is all down to what you enjoy. One skill we’d recommend everyone practise in their spare time is knots, you can never get too much practice. Ask us for an offcut of rope, download a knots app and go for it.
Knots 3d
This is by far the best knots app we’ve found. It’s been designed really well, letting anyone learn knots at their own pace. The app presents a selection of hobbies, you pick boating, and it lists all the typical knots you’ll come across. Click on a knot and it shows an animated sequence of how to tie it. On the right side there’s a slider so you can speed up or slow down the animation. There are also notes explaining where you’d use each knot, the history (sounds boring but it’s genuinely interesting), other names it goes by, and related knots to learn next. The app isn’t cheap at £5.99, but it’s a one-off purchase, once you’ve bought it, it’s yours.
Summary
With so much choice out there, it really comes down to picking what works for you. The apps above are what we use, and most see action every time we go sailing. That said, we still recommend you plan passages and navigate using proper charts, pre-plan for weather and the usual unforeseen changes like berth availability, and, most importantly, undertake the right level of training for the sailing you want to do. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to build sea time, our Mile Building weekends are a great way to gain experience with professional guidance.
And of course, most importantly, embrace the mantra that is Jonno’s six P’s: “Preventive Planning Prevents P**s Poor Performance”!
Keep on sailing!
The Commodore Chronicles
About sailing with commodore yachting
Commodore Yachting has been delivering RYA-accredited sailing courses from Gosport Marina on the Solent since 1999. Over the past 25+ years, our qualified instructors have trained thousands of students in the challenging tidal waters of the South Coast, building genuine sailing competence that transfers to any destination worldwide.
The Solent offers one of the UK’s most rewarding sailing environments. Its complex tides, diverse ports of call, and changeable weather conditions create a proper classroom. Navigating the shipping lanes near Portsmouth Harbour, picking up a mooring in Newtown Creek, planning a passage across to the Isle of Wight, every trip teaches lessons you simply cannot learn in calmer, non-tidal waters. Training here means your skills are tested in real conditions, making you a better, more confident sailor wherever you choose to cruise.
We offer courses from RYA Competent Crew through to Yachtmaster Fast Track. Our all-inclusive pricing covers tuition, accommodation on board our Bavaria yachts, all meals (full English breakfast, lunch, dinner), snacks and soft drinks, wet-weather gear and lifejacket hire, all safety equipment, and free marina berthing at Premier Marinas (worth £50–80 a night). Group sizes are capped at 5 students per course, ensuring you get proper one-to-one attention from your instructor.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Do I need previous experience? A: No. RYA Competent Crew is designed for complete beginners. You’ll learn everything on the course, sail handling, deck work, safety procedures, and living aboard a cruising yacht.
Q: What type of yachts do you use? A: We maintain a modern fleet of Bavaria cruising yachts, 36 to 44 feet, fitted with the latest Raymarine navigation electronics and regularly serviced. Each yacht has multiple cabins, a galley, chart table, and full safety equipment including liferaft and EPIRB.
Q: How many students per course? A: Maximum of 5. This gives you plenty of time at the helm and proper individual attention from your RYA-qualified instructor. Some schools pack 8 or more students onto a boat, we keep our groups small for a reason.
Q: What’s included in the price? A: Everything. Tuition, accommodation, all meals, wet-weather gear, lifejackets, safety equipment, certificate, and marina berthing. No hidden extras. Many schools charge extra for food (£20–40/day), accommodation (£30–50/night), and kit hire (£15–25/day) — we don’t. Our prices are genuinely all-inclusive.
Q: Can I do theory courses online? A: Yes. RYA Day Skipper Theory, Coastal Skipper Theory, and Yachtmaster Theory are all available online through Commodore Yachting. Work through them at your own pace and complete the practical course when you’re ready.
Q: What happens after I qualify? A: You can build experience with our Mile Building weekends, charter yachts from our fleet (available to qualified sailors), or progress to the next RYA level. Many of our students return year after year for advanced courses and cruises.
Why the Solent is the uk’s best training ground
The Solent is widely regarded as the finest sailing training area in the United Kingdom. The stretch of water between mainland England and the Isle of Wight offers everything a sailor needs to develop genuine competence: strong tides that demand careful planning, busy shipping lanes that teach collision avoidance, a wide variety of ports and anchorages that build pilotage skills, and weather patterns that can change from flat calm to a solid Force 6 in a matter of hours.
Sailors who train in the Solent develop skills that transfer anywhere in the world. The tidal planning you learn here prepares you for cruising the Channel Islands, the coast of Brittany, or the deep waters of the Atlantic. The IRPCS knowledge you practise daily in the Solent’s traffic keeps you safe in any shipping lane worldwide. The weather interpretation you master in these changeable conditions makes you a more confident and capable navigator wherever you sail.
Our base at Gosport Marina puts you right in the middle of it all. Within minutes of casting off, you’re sailing in the Solent with Portsmouth Harbour, Spithead, and the approaches to the Isle of Wight all within easy reach. Gosport itself is well served by road and rail, and we recommend familiarising yourself with our joining instructions before your course starts.
Our fleet and facilities
Commodore Yachting operates a modern fleet of Bavaria cruising yachts, ranging from 36 to 44 feet in length. Each yacht is fitted with Raymarine chart plotters, autopilot, VHF radio, and full safety equipment including liferaft, fire extinguishers, and EPIRB. Our yachts are serviced annually and undergo rigorous safety inspections. Recent upgrades include new sails from Hyde Sails, new sprayhoods and stack-packs from Tecsew in Lee-on-Solent, and engine upgrades including the latest Volvo Penta D1-30 engines.
Our maintenance team works year-round to keep the fleet in peak condition. All lifejackets are serviced annually to manufacturers’ standards by factory-trained technicians. Our marina berths at Premier Gosport Marina give us direct access to the Solent and include free berthing for our students, a benefit worth £50–80 per night that most other schools don’t offer.
In addition to our yachts, we provide full sets of Henri-Lloyd or similar quality wet-weather gear, Baltic automatic lifejackets with sprayhoods and lights, and all safety equipment free of charge. We also stock the boats with generous provisions, all meals, snacks, and soft drinks are included, so you can focus on sailing rather than worrying about catering.
About the author
Scott Drinkwater is the IT Manager at Commodore Yachting, one of the South Coast’s leading RYA-accredited training centres. Scott manages the school’s online systems, course booking platform, and digital learning resources, ensuring students have seamless access to training information and services.
For official information on RYA training standards, course content, and certification, visit the Royal Yachting Association website at rya.org.uk.
Get in touch
Ready to start your sailing journey? Contact the Commodore Yachting team on 023 9250 4443 or visit commodore-yachting.com to browse courses and book your place. You can also follow us on social media for the latest news, course availability, and special offers. Our friendly team will help you find the right course for your experience level and sailing goals, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced skipper looking to take the next step.
For more information and guidance, explore our RYA Day Skipper course and RNLI.
About the author
This guide was written by Tom, RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and owner of Commodore Yachting. With over 15 years of Solent training experience, Tom has taught hundreds of students from complete beginners through to Yachtmaster level. Based at Premier Gosport Marina, our team is dedicated to providing the highest standard of RYA training on the South Coast.
