Do you guys use smartphone apps on a boat?

[northroad]

Hey there! I'm just curious, do you use any apps while boating, and if you are, what are they?
My list is very short, I use only two: a weather app and Spyglass navigation app.
I hope to make my list bigger with youк help. Thanks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I use the app that allows me to call people - the phone app. I also use my browser to check tides

most smart phones are too dim to see on a boat anyway in direct sunlight.

 

[tpenfield]

I use the SeaTow app for tides, weather and in case I get stranded.

 

[northroad]

SeaTow sounds legit, I need to check it out! thanks, Ted!

 

[airdvr1227]

I use an app called RadarNow! Nice to just be able to pull up a quick view while we're out and about.

 

[southkogs]

I have several weather apps, Tow Boat and Navionics. You can see a couple apps I played with a while ago HERE.

 

[SDSeville]

Coast Guard app, compass, GPS, weather, Tides... I also use Pandora/Spotify to play music through the boat stereo. Great on most lakes around here, but only work to about 10 miles off-shore (I never go farther than that in my little boat).

 

[Starcraft5834]

I use the app that allows me to call people - the phone app. I also use my browser to check tides

most smart phones are too dim to see on a boat anyway in direct sunlight.

+1 on this one. I too have found smart phones in direct sun nearly impossible to see. have to dive in cuddy to see the screen, with that said, most ff/depth/gps units (if you have one, or buy one) offer best solution.

 

[oldjeep]

Only Perfect Pull and that isn't really in use except to do initial set up the cruise/ballast presets that appear on the screen.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Coast Guard app, compass, GPS, weather, Tides... I also use Pandora/Spotify to play music through the boat stereo. Great on most lakes around here, but only work to about 10 miles off-shore (I never go farther than that in my little boat).

holy streaming data batman. I use an old laptop with my digital music library plugged into the aux port of my stereo - 135gig of songs (or about 45 hours of play time) or allow people to pair via bluetooth.

 

[Tnstratofam]

Like some above I have the Coast Guard App as well as TVA Lake info app. A knot tying app. Two fishing knot apps, Pandora. Two local weather apps. A compass and speedometer app, an app for mixing " Adult Beverages " called cocktail flow, as well as using my phones camera regularly.

I like Scott's idea of using my laptop or ipod for streaming music when we're relaxing versus fishing. That would save phone battery, although I did add a dual usb charging ports to both our boats a few years ago which allows anyone on board to charge their devices if they remember their chargers.

Almost forgot I also have a CMC Rescue field guide app on my phone which could come in handy in an emergency.

 

[littlerayray]

I don't use any

 

[thumpar]

My stereo has Ipod control so I listen to music with it. After about 10 miles down the lake I lose cell service (all providers) so the internet required apps don't always work. I always check the weather before I go on my phone.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, when I am out in the boat, I have my cell phone in case I need to call someone (like Seatow). I will never answer a call. Other than that, it has no place on a boat, as I am there to relax. Radios and GPS' have all the info I need.

BTW - I see folks looking at their smart phones while riding their Waverunners. That makes no sense, at least not to me.

ABTW - Their was a survey...35% of single women said that a cell phone was interfering with their relationship with their boyfriend. The rest of the story is that the cell phone that was the problem was their own cell phone.

So 35% of women allowed their own cell phone to interfere with their personal life. How dumb is that? I am sure that is not limited to women...

 

[thumpar]

The only time I answer the phone is when I am "supposed" to be at work. Otherwise it is just for music and pics.

 

[roffey]

I boat on a large inland lake, 500 miles of shore line. I am new to the lake and need some sort of GPS and did not want to drill holes in my new boat (http://forums.iboats.com/forum/othe...ng/9931492-got-lost-on-the-water-this-weekend). I use my phone with the Navionics app. LOL, you guys who use your phone for just calling people.. FYI your smart phone does a bunch more than just call people, this is 2015.

 

[thumpar]

I boat on a large inland lake, 500 miles of shore line. I am new to the lake and need some sort of GPS and did not want to drill holes in my new boat (http://forums.iboats.com/forum/othe...ng/9931492-got-lost-on-the-water-this-weekend). I use my phone with the Navionics app. LOL, you guys who use your phone for just calling people.. FYI your smart phone does a bunch more than just call people, this is 2015.

Most people don't even want to call people when on a boat. It is family time. We rock out and swim. Best place in the world.

 

[southkogs]

Phone's in the glove box 95% of the time I'm on the water. Every now and again Navionics helps me out ... especially when it's dark and I'm in an unfamiliar part of one of the lakes. There are some clever applications for smart phones ... Facebook ain't one of 'em though.

 

[northroad]

I don't answer the phone calls while on a boat, too! But I do believe in a power of technology and I'm sure that smartphones today are decent piece of gear. For example, my fav Spyglass app includes a compass, speedometer, sextant, viewfinder, maps, stars finder, it helped me navigate in thick fog, not once. 10 years ago no one could even imagine that. Weather apps are now more accurate than they were before, that's for sure. So thank you guys for your suggestions, I'm itching to check out those apps.

 

[scipper77]

I will be the first to admit that I spend too much time with my face in my smartphone but....

When I'm on the boat the phone is only there to be a phone.

The one app that I have used in the past is Ulysis speedometer (No doubt in my mind I misspelled that). My current rig doesn't even have a speedometer and I keep meaning to check my top speed with this app.