App Makes Boat Managing Easier

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When it comes to maintaining a boat, the devil is in the details, but where the devil are those spare fuel filters, and how often should they be changed? Questions like these vex even the most organized boat owner at some point. The folks at Intelligent Maintenance aim to change that with their latest boat management tool, ShipShape Pro.

ShipShape Pro

An iPad-only app for managing and maintaining boats, ShipShape Pro features sections for organizing boat details, maintenance scheduling, equipment inventory, an address book, tasks, costs, reports, trips, and more.

We found the app to be fairly intuitive once we got the hang of it, although we did have to refer to the embedded instructions from time to time, particularly when first using a certain feature. The apps modular design also means each feature works for any type or size of boat.

ShipShape Pro, $40 when downloaded from the Apple app store, provides users with the tools to manage one boat (additional boat management packs can also be purchased as needed). Current users of other Intelligent Maintenance apps, Whats On My Boat and ShipShape, can automatically upload entries made in those apps to ShipShape Pro.

Bottom line: A useful app that will help you get a handle on managing your boat maintenance needs.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.