Simrad: Companion for Boaters

Our take on Simrad: Companion for Boaters from Appgk

I found Simrad: Companion for Boaters most useful when I treated it as a shared planning tool for time on the water rather than as a general-purpose road navigation app. It is a free Maps & Navigation app from Navico Norway AS, aimed at people who use Simrad equipment and want nautical charts available alongside their boating plans. The focus is clearly cruising, route preparation, and making chart information easier to consult before and during a trip.

That distinction matters in a household. One person may handle the helm, while another checks the route, watches the chart, or helps decide where to stop. In that situation, the app can give both people a common reference point instead of leaving all the planning on one phone or one person’s memory. I would not describe it as a replacement for proper onboard equipment or sound seamanship, but it can be a practical companion for preparing a day out and keeping everyone involved.

How it fits into a shared boating routine

A realistic use case is a weekend outing where one family member owns the boat and knows the electronics, while another person is more comfortable planning on a phone. Before leaving, I would use the app to look over the intended cruising area and discuss the plan together. That simple step has value: the person who is not steering can still understand the general direction, likely stops, and chart context instead of asking for updates every few minutes.

This shared-device role is where the app feels more distinctive than a standard navigation alternative. A road map app is designed around streets, traffic, and turn-by-turn driving. Simrad’s companion approach is built around nautical charts and boating decisions, so it makes more sense when the question is not “Which road do we take?” but “How do we want to approach this stretch of water?” The answer still depends on the boat, conditions, local knowledge, and onboard instruments, yet having a chart-focused planning screen can make the conversation clearer.

I also like the possibility of using it as a pre-departure discussion tool. Rather than opening the app only after casting off, I would check it while the boat is still at the dock. That gives the household time to agree on the broad route, identify the person responsible for monitoring the phone, and decide when the device should be put away. This is a small workflow change, but it avoids turning a shared outing into a situation where everyone assumes someone else is watching the navigation information.

The app has a broad Everyone content rating, which makes it comfortable to keep on a household tablet or a shared phone from an age-rating perspective. That does not mean every child should be responsible for navigation. A younger passenger might enjoy looking at the chart and learning basic orientation, but an adult should remain responsible for decisions and safety. The rating describes the app’s content context, not the user’s boating experience.

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What I would do before handing it to another person

My first recommendation is to establish one clear purpose for the shared device. Is it being used for route preparation, for following the chart while another person steers, or simply for looking up boating information? Those are different jobs. If the phone is expected to serve as a backup navigation display, it needs to be charged, visible, and protected from the everyday interruptions that come with a shared device.

I would also avoid assuming that every household member should use the same account or see the same setup. The app’s usefulness depends on how your Simrad equipment, chart access, and personal preferences are arranged, so the person who manages the boat should take responsibility for the initial configuration. Another family member can then learn the viewing and planning workflow without casually changing important settings.

This is especially important when several people use one tablet. A shared screen can be convenient, but it also creates boundaries: someone may open the app for a quick look, another person may change the route, and a third may expect the previous view to remain available. I would agree on a simple habit such as checking the active route and chart view before departure, then returning the device to the designated navigation user after casual browsing.

Because the app is free to install, it is easy to try without making the whole household commit financially at the start. However, the experience can include in-app purchases ranging from $14.99 to $89.99 per item. I would therefore make the purchasing decision with the boat owner, not leave it to whoever happens to be holding the shared phone. The range is significant enough that a family should understand what it is buying and why before confirming anything.

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Account boundaries and practical coordination

One of the less obvious issues with a companion app is that “shared” does not automatically mean “interchangeable.” If two people prepare trips separately, they may have different expectations about what should be visible, saved, or used during the outing. I would choose one primary planner for each trip and have the second person review that plan. This reduces the chance of two competing versions being treated as equally current.

For a household with more than one boat, I would be even more deliberate. The person preparing a route should verify which boat and equipment the plan relates to before relying on it. A chart companion can support planning, but it cannot remove the need to match the plan to the actual vessel, its capabilities, and the conditions on the day. That is a useful boundary when a family shares devices but not necessarily boats.

Coordination also includes deciding what happens if the phone becomes unavailable. I would not make one smartphone the only source of navigation information. Battery level, sunlight, water exposure, poor handling, and simple distraction can all turn a convenient screen into an unreliable one. The app works best as part of a wider routine that includes the boat’s normal navigation equipment, a sensible lookout, and a clear understanding of the route.

In my experience, the strongest household benefit is not that everyone becomes an expert navigator. It is that more than one person can understand the plan. If the usual navigator needs help, another adult can take over the basic chart-checking role more confidently because they have already seen the intended route. That is a meaningful advantage for couples, friends, or families who want to share responsibility without pretending that all users have the same skill level.

Where the app is stronger than familiar alternatives

The obvious alternative is a general map application, but that comparison is not entirely fair. General maps are excellent for getting to a marina by car, finding a shop, or coordinating the land-based part of a trip. They are not designed around the same boating perspective as a nautical chart companion. If your planning begins at the launch ramp and continues across the water, a boating-specific tool is the more natural fit.

Another alternative is relying only on the chart display built into the boat. That may be the better choice for active navigation because it is part of the vessel’s established equipment and is positioned for the person operating the boat. The phone app adds flexibility before departure and can give a second person access to the plan. I see it as complementary rather than competitive: the onboard system remains central, while the companion app helps with preparation and shared awareness.

Paper charts and local knowledge still have their place, particularly for people who prefer a broader physical overview or who do not want a phone exposed to spray. The advantage of the app is convenience and accessibility. The trade-off is that a phone is a personal device with limited battery and a screen that can be difficult to read in bright conditions. I would choose the app for quick planning and discussion, but I would not discard other navigation habits simply because a digital chart is available.

The developer, Navico Norway AS, gives the product a clear connection to the Simrad boating ecosystem. That makes it a sensible first option for people already familiar with Simrad equipment. If you do not use Simrad products and only want a completely independent boating map, I would first check whether the app fits your setup and expectations. Its identity as a companion is important; it is not presented as a universal replacement for every marine navigation system.

What it feels like in everyday use

The current version is 4.6.0, and the app has been available since May 20, 2020. Those details suggest a product with an established place rather than a brand-new experiment, but I would still judge it by the specific way you plan to use it. A mature companion app can be reassuring for regular boaters, yet it does not automatically solve the practical problems of screen visibility, device protection, or learning nautical chart conventions.

I would begin with a short, familiar trip instead of testing it for the first time on a complicated cruise. Open the app at home or at the dock, review the relevant chart area, and let the less experienced household member ask questions. This is also the best time to discover whether the available chart access and purchase options suit your plans. Doing that preparation away from moving water is safer and less stressful than trying to understand the interface while everyone is waiting to depart.

One useful habit is to separate planning from monitoring. During planning, the phone can be passed around and discussed. During monitoring, one person should be responsible for holding or viewing it, while the person steering keeps attention where it belongs. That division prevents the shared-device idea from becoming a distraction. It also makes the app more useful for a family because each person knows when they are contributing and when they should simply let the operator concentrate.

I would also keep the phone’s role modest. It can help answer questions such as where the planned route goes and what area the group is discussing, but it should not encourage passengers to make confident calls beyond their knowledge. A chart is information, not permission. Local restrictions, weather, depth, traffic, and the boat’s handling still require proper judgment. This is one of the most important limitations to understand before recommending it to a household.

Age, trust, and responsibility

The Everyone rating makes the app approachable for mixed-age households, especially when children are curious about maps and boats. I can imagine a young passenger following the broad route, learning how a chart differs from a road map, or helping identify the next planned stop. That can turn a routine trip into a useful learning experience without giving the child control over navigation decisions.

Trust should still be based on ability, not age alone. An adult who rarely goes boating may need more guidance than an older teenager who has spent years on the water, while neither should be left to improvise in a difficult situation. I would let family members explore the app during preparation, then assign operational responsibility to the person with the appropriate boating knowledge.

Shared use also raises a quieter privacy and ownership question. The person who pays for optional chart content or manages the main boating account should agree on who may use those purchases and on which device. Since individual in-app items can cost between $14.99 and $89.99, casual experimentation is not something I would leave to a child or guest. A quick conversation before installation prevents confusion later.

For guests, I would provide a short explanation rather than handing over the phone with no context. Show them the general route, explain which information is useful, and make clear that the skipper remains responsible. This approach gives passengers a way to participate without creating a false sense that the app alone makes them qualified to navigate.

Who should choose it, and who should skip it

I would recommend this app to Simrad users who want nautical charts available for boating and cruising, particularly households where planning is shared between the skipper and another passenger. It also makes sense for people who want to prepare around a phone or tablet before using the boat’s main navigation equipment. The free entry point makes trying that workflow relatively straightforward, provided the optional purchases are considered carefully.

I would be more cautious about recommending it to someone looking for a standalone, all-purpose marine navigation solution with no connection to an existing Simrad-oriented setup. I would also steer away from making it the only navigation method for a demanding trip, for a user who dislikes managing phone battery and weather exposure, or for a household that expects every family member to operate it independently without training.

It is not the right choice if your main need is road navigation to and from the marina. A conventional map app will usually be more convenient for driving directions and land-based errands. Nor is it ideal for someone who wants a purely offline, paper-based routine and does not want to manage digital chart access. The app’s value is strongest when its companion role matches the way you already boat.

My household verdict

After looking at it through a shared-use lens, I see Simrad: Companion for Boaters as a useful bridge between the person operating the boat and the people helping plan the outing. Its nautical-chart focus gives it a clearer purpose than a generic map app, while its phone-based format makes it easier to discuss a route away from the helm. The main benefits appear when the household agrees on responsibilities instead of treating the app as an automatic substitute for experience.

The average rating is 4.3 from around 1.9 thousand ratings, and the app has more than 100 thousand installs. Those figures indicate a reasonably established audience, though they do not tell me whether it will fit every boat or every navigation routine. I would use them as reassurance that the app is worth investigating, not as a reason to skip the practical setup and compatibility questions.

My final advice is simple: install it for planning, test it on a familiar outing, decide who manages the account and purchases, and keep the onboard navigation system and human judgment in charge. For a Simrad-owning household that wants better coordination, that is a sensible arrangement. For someone seeking a universal marine navigator with no ecosystem considerations, a different option may be a better match.

At no purchase cost to begin, an Everyone content rating, and a clear boating purpose, it is easy to see why I would suggest giving it a careful trial. Just remember that the best experience comes from treating the app as a shared planning companion, not as the sole authority on the water. The most valuable feature in a household is the shared understanding of the route, not simply having another screen.

Simrad: Companion for Boaters FAQ