Boat Beacon 5.0.3

Boat Beacon is an AIS ship tracking app designed for iPhone and iPad that serves as an internet AIS receiver and transmitter. It offers unique features such as Collision Warnings, the ability to share your boat's position, and real-time AIS data.

This app connects to the largest network of AIS shore receivers worldwide, providing coverage for major ports, harbors, and popular coastal areas.

One App Store review describes Boat Beacon as "an outstanding app with great potential." It is hailed as interesting to use and very user-friendly. The reviewer believes that Boat Beacon could be a life saver, especially for small boat users, recommending that everyone who goes on the water should have it.

Boat Beacon is specifically designed for boaters. It offers continuous Bearing, Range, and Closest Point of Approach (CPA) calculations, as well as alarms. These features are available even when the app is in the background. Importantly, Boat Beacon does not require any external AIS transponder or receiver equipment.

The key features of Boat Beacon include over-the-horizon collision avoidance within a 30-mile radius. It uses continuous CPA calculations to identify boats on a potential collision course and alerts users with an alarm.

The app also continuously transmits and receives position information via the internet, even when running in the background. This ensures that CPA calculations continue to function correctly. Furthermore, Boat Beacon allows users to share their position with Internet AIS systems, other apps, and fellow Boat Beacon users in real time.

Boat Beacon includes a real-time ship map view with options for displaying the map with north up or heading up. This allows users to locate ships on the map more easily. The app also provides a navigation display that shows speed, course, heading, and position information for the user's boat.

In addition to these features, Boat Beacon offers extra capabilities such as Man Overboard tracking, SART Alarm, Anchor watch, and Theft alarms. The app also includes an Apple Watch companion app and supports Siri voice commands. Users can export tracks and take advantage of Boat-to-Boat and Boat-to-Group Messaging.

The app allows local AIS and GPS via Wi-Fi. Furthermore, several InApp Add-ons are available, including LiveView, which offers an augmented reality view with ships, compass, and horizon overlaid. This add-on is compatible with FLIROne Infra-red cameras, enabling users to see ships and people in the dark and fog. Another add-on, "AIS Sharing," allows users to share AIS data with other apps like Navionics and iNavX. There are also InApp purchases available for US, UK, and IE Marine raster charts.

Boat Beacon encourages users to let friends and family see their position using the free Boat Watch app or web-based AIS systems such as MarineTraffic. This allows them to keep track of where the user is and where they're headed. Additionally, Boat Beacon can be used for real-time updates on race positions for all the crews in a race or for staying in touch with other boats in a flotilla when sailing in a group.

It is important to note that Boat Beacon requires internet access to work. In most popular coastal areas, there is cellular data access available up to 12 miles out to sea.

Boat Beacon offers subscriptions for its additional features. The "AIS Sharing" subscription is available monthly ($5.99) or yearly ($16.49). It automatically renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Subscriptions can be managed through the iTunes account settings.

Boat Beacon provides links to its Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and support can be contacted via help@pocketmariner.com.

It is worth noting that while Boat Beacon can be used for basic navigation reference, it should not be solely relied upon for precise location, proximity, distance, or direction. It is also important to understand that using GPS running in the background can significantly decrease battery life. Additionally, Boat Beacon does not make users visible to other ships on VHF only AIS systems.