Navigating a Greener Future: How is Technology Transforming the Boating Industry 

Innovations in technology are playing a pivotal role in reshaping the boating industry, offering more advanced solutions to minimize its environmental impact. With the growing concerns for climate change and environmental impact, the call for a more sustainable boating industry is getting louder. 

The transformative power of technology is evident in its ability to streamline processes and enhance overall efficiency. From operations to customer experiences, technology is proving to be the driving force toward a greener future. 

At Boatbookings, we value this role of advancing technology and take a look at some of the ways it is doing so here: 

Reducing Emissions 

One critical step toward a greener boating industry is the reduction of carbon footprints. Technology comes to the fore by providing tools to measure and mitigate these impacts. At Boatbookings, we have been ahead of this for years with our carbon emissions calculator, enabling clients to offset emissions of their crewed charter catamarans. With the technology in place, the industry can easily calculate and minimize emissions. This also helps with the increasing regulatory landscape, allowing companies and clients to implement targeted strategies for emissions. 

Digitizing Processes

The digital revolution has been transforming how the world of yachting operates, including marinas. The move toward digitization significantly reduces paperwork and manual processes, which enhances efficiency. Platforms like Dockwa and Seasy lead the charge in facilitating online marina bookings, allowing bareboat catamaran charter clients to easily book their stays. Not only does this simplify the booking process, but it also contributes to reducing waste associated with traditional paperwork. 

Enhancing Efficiency 

Advancements in GPS technology and automation are revolutionizing boat navigation. Smart navigation systems are now integrated into boats to improve efficiency and safety. These systems provide precise routes, optimizing fuel consumption and ensuring boats can navigate with the least environmental impact. The integration of technology is making navigation not only more reliable but also more environmentally conscious. 

Collaboration and Community 

Technology also fosters a sense of community and environmental responsibility within the industry. Apps like CleanSwell are empowering communities to collaborate in beach clean-up efforts. Individuals can now actively participate in conserving the marine environment by leveraging technology to organize and coordinate these initiatives. 

Sustainable Provisioning 

New apps such as Paradise Foods, a grocery delivery service in the Caribbean, are now providing an innovative way for crewed charter catamaran and bareboat charter catamaran clients and crew to deliver their provisions directly to the boat. This technology is also facilitating a shift toward more local and seasonal eating, minimizing the carbon footprint associated with food miles. This app allows users to enjoy fresh, locally sourced produce, contributing to the promotion of sustainable practices. 

Technology is undeniably at the forefront of transforming the boating industry into a more sustainable and environmentally conscious sector. As it advances, we hope to see even more positive changes. Contact the team at Boatbookings today to book your greener crewed charter catamaran and be part of this positive change. 

Download Boatbookings’s brand new iBook ‘Yacht Charter 101’ on iTunes for FREE!

Front Cover Yacht Charter 101

Boatbookings is very pleased to announce the publication of our new  iBook – Yacht Charter 101:  Planning the Perfect Charter Vacation. Now you can read all about luxury yacht chartering from the comfort of your iPad.

The book has covers the basics of planning a yacht charter, provides extensive information on all of the key yacht charter regions, and discusses contracts, pricing and how to choose the right yacht for you.  We are  offering you the download of Yacht Charter 101  free as our way of helping give you the information you need to go on a yacht charter this year.

The Founder of Boatbookings.com has used  his vast expertise of the yachting industry to create a concise yet comprehensive guide to chartering a luxury yacht anywhere in the world. The book is written for  first-time charterers but also valuable for any experienced charters who are thinking about a new destination or type of boat.

The Chapters are: The Allure of a Yacht Charter, Types of Yacht Charters, Charter Destinations, How to Charter a Yacht, Next Steps and an Extensive Glossary

Yacht Charter 101Inside

The Destinations chapter covers the key ports in the Caribbean (including the BVI, Grenadines, St Barths, St Martin, Bahamas, etc), Mediterranean (including the French  Riviera, Corsica, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Spain), SouthEast Asia, Tahiti  and more, with pictures of the charter areas and notes about things to do, the cuisine, climate and best times to charter.  Download Yacht Charter 101 as  a trusted source of yachting info.

Yacht Charter 101: Planning the Perfect Charter Vacation is available for free download on iTunes now!

Top Six Best Sailing Apps – Part 2

Top six best sailing appsFollowing on from our previous blog post, here are the last ten apps that we will be looking at before selecting the Top Six Best Sailing Apps in the third and final installment. Apps today range from the the incredibly useful to the darn right ridiculous withBoatbookings app ‘Hold on’ claiming pride of place as an app whose objective is to track how long you can keep a finger on a static position on the touchscreen! Unbelievable! These following apps are much more useful and will eventually make up Top Six Best Sailing Apps.

First of all comes one of our favourite yacht charter apps. It is of course the Boatbookings app! Our team at Boatbookings has over 8000 yachts at it’s disposal. We are an online retail broker which means we have no bias as to which yacht we recommend. It is all about satisfying the client and we will find the very best boat for you, where as other suppliers will try and push you towards one of their own boats, rather than showing you a range.  The Boatbookings app is a wonderful way to have access to Boatbookings on the go. It is compatible for both iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and will provide you with information on destinations all over the world. It also shows you the nearest boats to your current destination with all the information you need to make informed choices on chartering. Not to mention it’s FREE! A sure fire bet to get in the Top Six Best Sailing apps…or is it?

Next comes Aye tides. It is essential for the sailor to know everything there is to know about what the ocean beneath your feet is Aye tidesdoing and aye tides as the names suggests, gives you up to date and detailed information on the world’s tides movements. It is based on information on over 10,000 tide stations worldwide and you don’t need connectivity on the boat to use it, as it stores all the data on your device! You can choose a station alphabetically, geographically, or near your location. You can set up your favorite stations, or pick a recently opened station so that the information comes immediately. One draw back of this app however is it’s price. It is one of the most expensive apps I am reviewing at £5.49 but could well be worth it for someone who regularly works around tides and a contender for inclusion in the Top Six Sailing Apps.

NOAA Buoy and Tide Data app is a delightfully simple app that. As the name suggests, it uses the data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration buoys and enables you to have all their information at your finger tips. It is invaluable. It measures wind speeds, gusts, and their direction as well as pressure and tide movements. It costs £1.49 and as a general overview NOAA Buoy and Tide Data appis  fantastic! Another app that is competing with this one is World Tides 2013 – an app that uses the Simply Harmonic Formula and harmonic constants provided by the UKHO to give 7 day tide predictions without the need for an internet connection. It uses historical measurements taken at various locations to determine values. It works without an internet connection and keeps you up to date with tide levels, proving a useful companion. It could be an interesting and useful comparison to use in conjunction with another app and costing just £1.49, it could well be worth it for those interested.

SailGrib could well be such app to have along side a tide app of your choice, however it must be stressed this app comes only as an Android version. It comes in a free and paid version – the difference being you can only download up to 48 hours of forecast data with the free app and 14 days worth with the £4.50 paid version. It is all done through your e mails through Saildocs – you simply send a request and open up the following attachment that will be sent back to you to view the data.

Now, everyone has those small games on your iPad or iPhone that fill those small moments of the day when you are on the bus or waiting for someone – highly addictive, but fantastic fun. Here is just one of those games that will get you in the mood for your up and coming charter or help you envisage the next overtake  you will perform the following day as you relax after a hard days sailing. It is called Sailboat Championship. You can compete online with players from all over the world or against bots and you Sailboat-championshipcan upgrade and unlock new boats as you play and complete reasonably extensive courses for trophies and gold awards. It has some of the best graphics I have seen in a sailing game app and the online feature means that beating your friends becomes very addictive!

Another app that perhaps is so obvious that you wouldn’t think to select it for Top Six Sailing Apps is Flashlight. On a yacht at night, having a torch to hand is a necessity, as you never know what might happen. Therefore having a simple app such as Flashlight on your phone is something that is incredibly useful and practical!

If you have made the decision to actually go out and purchase a yacht – no matter the size, it will inevitably be your pride and joy. Just as you have baby monitors to check on your newly born baby, many yacht owners quite understandably want the equivalent for their yacht – especially if  they are chartering it out for the first time or perhaps have lent it to friends. With such an investment Boat wardenyou would be a fool to not have more than a passing interest in what is happening to your yacht. Therefore there are several apps that can help you here. We have selected three of this genre to give you an idea of what is on the market at the moment; Anchor Watch, Boat Warden, and Siren Marine Pocket Calculator. To take them in order, Anchor Watch is a very handy and simple app – it does exactly what it says on the tin. Namely, that if your yacht moves out of set limits, then an alarm will go off or a phone call will automatically be made to another phone. It is only a dollar and will provide you with a good nights sleep! Boat Warden is in fact an app that goes hand in hand with Boatwarden sensors. These are a series of sensors that you purchase and install on your yacht, which will monitor anything from bilge alarms to security perimeters to anchor dragging, or even battery usage. They cost upwards of $695 but provide complete remote control of a wide range of systems. This app comes with baggage in the form of $695 to purchase the initial set up but the app is a must if you are serious about the security of your yacht! Siren Marine Pocket Calculator is very similar to Boat Warden but does not have as many addable options – it is however cheaper at $499 but in my opinion you will either go the whole hog or not at all.

Now what did you make of all those apps? Many of which could be potentially vital and of great use to the sailor. In the next installment, we will select our Top Six Best Sailing Apps. Make sure you stay tuned to find out!

Luxury Items for a Christmas Yacht Charter

With Christmas coming up, it is the perfect time for a luxury yacht charter, and why not accessorize with some luxury items too? Perfect as Christmas presents, or just to treat yourself, they are sure to add a fashionable edge to your Christmas yacht charter. Nikki Beach St Barth would make a perfect stop-off point during your charter, with events running throughout Christmas and New Year. Why not join the jet-set clientèle  sit back and relax on the beach and show off your new goods?

CHANEL SUNGLASSES:
With a pair of Chanel sunglasses you can never go wrong. With a range of sunglasses in many classic styles to pick from, there’s a pair for everyone. There are simple styles in a range of colours or the more out-there, statement sunglasses which will surely catch everybody’s eye. A pair of timeless sunglasses are fantastic for shading your eyes from the rays while relaxing in the sun.

iPAD MINI: 
Apple’s new iPad mini would make a brilliant Christmas present for absolutely anybody. The new, smaller size makes it easy to carry with you, so the world is at your fingertips whenever you want it, so a perfect way to connect while topping up on a Christmas suntan. With a range of yachting apps to choose from, such as checking the weather forecast or as a means of navigation, the iPad mini can be well equipped for all your yachting needs.

SEAFOLLY BIKINI:

Holidays and beach escapes are the essence of the Australian brand Seafolly. They offer a fun array of swimwear world-wide, and emphasise the beach lifestyle in their designs. This nautical style bikini embraces the theme of a yachting lifestyle, with blue and white stripes which anyone will quickly associate with sun, sea and sailing. With a range of bikini separates, you can create the perfect look to suit you.

For more information about chartering in St Barthelemy, please have a look at our Leeward Islands Yacht Charter Overview.  If you’re interested in chartering a yacht, please go to boatbookings.com or email us at [email protected] and one of our Charter Specialists would be delighted to help you.

A cool iPhone App – Anchor Alert – Know if Your Anchor is Dragging!

Anchor Alert for iPhone to see if your anchor is draggingThere seems to be no end to the uses of iPhones on Yachts – we’ve just come across an app that does one thing well – tell you if your anchor is dragging!  Think about how many times you’ve looked at the shore to see if it’s getting closer, without being sure. This app – Anchor Alert – simply uses the iPhone’s GPS to establish where the boat is anchored, and if you drift more than the normal length of your anchor lead, it sends you an alarm. So you can sleep in peace knowing you will be alerted before you drift into a rock!

Cool app for $3.99 at the Apple App Store.

We compile a list of cool yachting and boating iPhone and iPad apps on the Boatbookings site – which we’re constantly updating. If you know of useful apps for yachting, please go to the page and leave us a note.