Mailport: April 2012

Droid Apps

My son turned me on to a neat app called MarineTraffic.com for Android phones. It’s based on the AIS system, and once installed, shows any vessel with AIS on your smart phone in real time. Ships are identified by name with heading and speed. It also shows where it’s been and where it’s going, the specs, and even the captain in some instances, plus the MMSI number and photos.

On the south shore of Long Island, we frequently race our Catalina 42 in the ocean. The buoys are far between, so sometimes, we use anchored ships as our turning marks. Knowing the heading and speed of approaching commercial vessels can be very useful. Giving you photos to help identify each ship in a crowded harbor or inlet is a bonus. And did I mention it’s a free app?

It works anywhere (from anywhere). It’s also great for trip planning to see how crowded a commercial harbor is.

Fred Schenker

Fortysomething, Catalina 42

Harbor Isle, N.Y.

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