2016

Simple design, few rivers. NavShip was still developing in 2016. Many more rivers were quickly added, and later coastal areas and lakes, which could also be navigated as the crow flies using a special algorithm.

Germany in particular was the focus in the first few months. By the way, the first river was the Main, followed by the Rhine. This was primarily for personal reasons. This was followed by rivers suggested by the Boats Forum community. The contributions can be found here.

On July 19, 2016, version 1.0 was released in the Play Store for Android.

2017

A year later, numerous functions such as water levels, wind and weather data and gas stations near the water were added. The algorithms have been optimized to enable even better route calculation. At the end of 2017, an estimated 90% of waterways in Europe had been implemented.

After the app was free for almost a year during development, the first subscriptions were introduced in April 2017 to finance the project.

In June 2017, the iOS app was released in the Apple App Store. Under similarly fair conditions as the Android app, the iOS app was also offered free to everyone in the first year.

2018

Visually, little has changed in the Android and iOS versions compared to last year.

Many new channels were added and North America was covered – initially only sporadically.

In June 2018, NavShip installations of Android and iOS exceeded 100,000.

A depth line recording project was started, but it is still making difficult progress. An AIS integration was also planned, which – hopefully – can be completed in 2019.

In addition to the mobile apps, Boatrouting.com is launching a free web app that allows you to plan and view boat routes on your PC.

Beiboot.org, a small social network where people can meet for trips, is launching at the same time.

2019

Visually, a little has changed again. Layouts have been optimized for many devices, voice output has been added and the last teething problems have been eliminated. An estimated 95% of water bodies in Europe and North America are now covered. One or two missing locks or side channels are added every week.

The web app has also changed a lot visually, is still free and routes can be transferred from the PC to the smartphone apps after prior registration.

However, the community project for special points of interest (such as marinas, boat slips, etc.) will not be further developed for the time being, as the amount of data is still far from sufficient to offer users a good experience in the app. The dinghy project was also suspended because the number of users here was also insufficient.

2020

Most people will generally remember the year 2020 with a bitter aftertaste. Uncertainties as to whether a port is even open during the Corona crisis or whether you are even allowed to travel by boat in your area.

This year saw the biggest step in the company’s history: NavShip became part of the newly founded CproSoft GmbH and, for the first time, employees were hired to provide support and data capture. We have started to record the previously recorded areas even more precisely and have integrated many functions that were requested by users. Among other things, the graphical representation of water levels, the better integration of messages for inland shipping, more precise wind and weather data and the consideration of the flow of rivers in the route length.

2021

We have further refined the foundations already laid in 2020 and expanded support even further. Thanks to our marketing staff, we were able to be much more productive and publish more posts.

Graphically, we have updated the app and integrated a cleaner design. Especially with iOS, we have replaced many of our own components with the system components, so that well-known gestures can now be used, e.g. to open menus.

With account management, it was now possible to supply all of your devices with the purchased premium version – regardless of the platform. We installed Marrekrite berths, released the integration for smartwatches and broke the 500,000 user mark for the first time in May 2021.

2022

In 2022 we have improved the offshore routing so that lakes are now also taken into account as the crow flies and additional coastal areas and bays are recorded.

In the iOS version, the person overboard function can be found for the first time in order to further increase safety on the water. The first depth data is available selectively, but is still in beta mode.

The boat routing website has been redesigned so that NavShip Web now runs smoothly on Mac and PC. In addition, the first Mac app was loaded into the store so that NavShip can be used directly as an app on newer Macbooks.

There are now eight different types of boats to choose from, including various motorboats, rowing boats, canoes and sailing boats. The choice of boat is included in the route and, for example, a warning is issued if you enter a prohibited area with a motorboat.

2023

With the new boat routing web app and the new route system, routes can now be planned at lightning speed. The route is calculated on our server, so there is no longer any need to select driving areas.

The features we have integrated include the mileage display, slip ramp display and connection to the Apple Watch.

In addition to Lake Constance and Masuria, we have revised many areas. The depth data map is now available in North America and the BPR is now available in the Netherlands, which must be carried. The biggest feature we have integrated is cruising and water filling stations, and tide information is now also available.

In terms of design, we have now brought the app up to date and we now also display images for many markers.

Feedback still remains important. Every day countless emails reach the NavShip inbox with new feature ideas. Unfortunately, not everything can be implemented, but I remain committed to designing the app in such a way that everyone (or almost everyone) is happy.

Here’s to a few more beautiful years on and by the water.

Chris

Der Beitrag The Evolution of NavShip erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

If you notice incorrect or incomplete data during the trips, please report this directly via the NavShip app or send us an email to: support@navship.org. We will then take care of the corresponding issue as soon as possible.

Best regards

Your NavShip Team

Der Beitrag Preparations for season 2022 – France, Poland and Belgium erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

In the past few days we have adapted and optimized our site www.boatrouting.com. The main focus for us was to reduce the loading times. Thanks to the update, these are now up to 10x faster and in the blink of an eye the planned route is ready.

The planning on the site is simple. On the start page you will find the button “Plan routes for free now!”

You confirm the following note and then you can select the desired sailing areas / waters. The more you narrow down the search, the faster the corresponding loading times.

You can confirm your selection by simply clicking on “Start NavShip Web! Afterwards you will get to the navigation. Here you select your start and end point and by confirming with the Enter key, the route planning begins. On the left side you will see all important information about the planned route.

If you have registered with a free account on Boatrouting, you can easily transfer the planned route directly to your smartphone.

Do you have any questions, problems or suggestions? Feel free to contact us at any time by e-mail at: support@navship.org.

Best regards

Your Team NavShip

Der Beitrag Optimization of Boatrouting.com erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

Today we take a look at our neighbors in the Netherlands. Also here we could already revise a lot of routes, so in the future you will have an optimized and more detailed navigation with NavShip.

As you can see, we have been busy here as well and are perfectly prepared for the season 2022.

If you notice incorrect or incomplete data during the trips, please report this at any time directly via the NavShip app or write us an email to: support@navship.org. We will then take care of the corresponding issue as soon as possible.

Best regards

Your Team NavShip

Der Beitrag Preparations for season 2022 – The Netherlands erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

we hope you had some peaceful holidays and a good start into the new year. Our batteries are recharged and we are busy preparing the new season. We can’t wait to get back on the water, can you?

As announced last year, we are currently working intensively on the revision of the entire map material.

Today an overview, which waterways we have already worked on in Germany.

But it is not only in Germany that we have already been able to bring the data up to date. We have also been able to tick off France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland on our to-do list. You will find out more details about this in the coming days.

If you notice incorrect or incomplete data during the trips, please report this at any time directly via the NavShip app or write us an email to: support@navship.org. We will then take care of the corresponding issue as soon as possible.

Best regards

Your Team NavShip

Der Beitrag Preparations for season 2022 – Germany erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

Since the regulations are once again very different, we have prepared a short summary from different travel areas for you.

Note: Although many countries do not require a driver’s license, we still recommend that you get one. On the one hand, you have a greater level of knowledge as a boat driver and a certain prior experience in terms of technology and regulations and it offers you a greater choice of destinations and boat types.

Germany

Here, a license is required for all motorboats with a power greater than 15 hp and a length up to 20m. However, other boats such as inflatable boats up to four meters in length, small cabin boats and boats with GRP hulls can be rented without a license.

Even if no license is required, the driver must be older than 16 years and must know how to behave on the water. Otherwise, there is a risk of danger for oneself and other participants on the water.

Special regulations within Germany apply to the following areas of water:

Netherlands

Boats up to 15m in length, which do not exceed a maximum speed of 20 km/h, can be driven on inland waters without a license.

Spain and Italy

Here the same rules apply as in Germany – boats up to 15 hp may be driven without a license. It should be noted that for a tourist from Germany, the German regulations also apply. An Italian may drive e.g. on the Gardasee up to 40 HP without a license. This does not apply to visitors from abroad.

France

Here the free driving is generally permitted up to an engine power of 6 HP. In addition, sailboats can be driven without a license. Nevertheless, you should have previous experience in sailing.

Great Britain

Boats up to 15 hp can be rented on sea waters. For inland waters you need a driving license. Furthermore, some waterways are subject to a fee.

Greece

Here the regulations are a bit more relaxed. The 15 hp limit applies to inflatable boats with outboard motors. For all other motorboats there is the possibility to drive them up to 30 HP without a license.

Croatia

Compared to Greece, Croatia has very strict regulations. No boat may be steered here without a valid driving license. Often a radio certificate must be shown, if the boat is equipped with appropriate technology.

Of course, there can always be changes in the current regulations. Therefore, our information is without guarantee. To be on the safe side, always inform yourself before departure about the regulations on your route to avoid problems during the trip early on.

Der Beitrag Taking a boat for a trip without a license – get started in water sports erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

Remedy and more security you get by our “anchor alert” in the app. The handling is simple – you drop the anchor and set your position in the app. This is then displayed as an anchor symbol.  Then you can set a radius and a check interval in the settings (settings depend on operating system). NavShip will automatically monitor the position of your boat at regular intervals. If the boat has extended beyond the set movement radius, the app will send you an alert.

Please note: the app is a support, but in no case replaces the classic anchor watch! This is required by law in many countries (with exception of sport boats, which anchor on specially designated anchorages). Not keeping an anchor watch can be considered a major violation of the maritime duty of care and may result in legal consequences.

Der Beitrag Tips and tricks – anchor watch erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

In the following we give you the answers to the most important questions about dogs on board.

1. If you rent a boat, talk to the owner

Since not all owners allow dogs on board, it is important to clarify this before to avoid unpleasant surprises if your dog is not allowed on the boat. This will prevent unnecessary misunderstandings upon arrival at the port.

2. Familiarize the dog with the boat before start of the journey

The best way to do this is to equip yourself with favorite toys and treats and show your dog how great the environment on a boat is. In the best case, you stay in the harbor for the time being, so that the dog can gain confidence in the new surroundings. You will see, after a short time your dog will be happy to be on board. Then there is nothing to stop you from going on your first little trips.

Important: Even on the boat, the dog needs his “feel-good place” to which he can retreat. Especially suitable for this is usually a quite low-lying place, because there the ship’s movements are the least.

3. Ensure safety on board

Even though dogs are usually good swimmers, it is important not to underestimate the dangers of water. Here it is advisable, for example, to equip the dog with a suitable life jacket. Another important topic is the sufficient sun protection for the animal. Even a dog can get sunstroke if it spends the whole day in the blazing sun. Therefore, send your dog from time to time in the shade and pack best also a sun umbrella.

4. Enough food supplies

Sufficient food and fresh water – especially on hot summer days, your dog needs enough water on board to avoid dehydration.

5. Variety during the journey

If the dog just lies on the deck for hours all day and is not kept active, he will quickly lose interest. Therefore, it is important to provide an exciting activity program. This includes regular walks on land incl. bathing and playing units. A longer time on board can be covered for example with small seeking games. This challenges the animal and provides variety.

6. What to consider in foreign countries

Unfortunately, as often happens, there are no standardized regulations on this point. Normally, it is no big deal to travel the world with your dog. However, some port authorities require a lot of paperwork. The requirements are always a complete vaccination certificate (EU pet passport) and the appropriate papers and proof of deworming. To be on the safe side, you should always inform yourself about the different entry regulations before leaving for a foreign country. Even within the EU there are different regulations. In Italy, for example, a muzzle must always be carried. Depending on the employee of the authority, more or less strict attention is paid to compliance with the rules.

Good to know: Dogs can also get seasick! The following symptoms may occur: Sickness, salivation, vomiting, panting, restlessness, uncleanliness.

This can be prevented by making enough stops and giving the dog small amounts of food. If the pet gets seasick, only a break will help. The symptoms usually disappear after some time by themselves.

Summary: With the right preparation and planning, a boating vacation with your dog is possible without any problems and is a great thing for both humans and pet. However, it is important not to force the animal to do anything. If the dog feels uncomfortable and reacts with fear, for example, accommodation with friends during the vacation is the more appropriate decision.

Der Beitrag Boat trip with your dog: tips and tricks for a perfect vacation with your pet erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

What are the Marrekriten berths anyway?

The blue signs can be found in many places in the Friesland region. They indicate a free berth. In addition to footbridges and sheet pile walls, buoys can also be designated. Our data set includes almost 700 positions with a total of well over 3000 berths. Special regulations apply there, so you can often only use them for one to three days free of charge.

How do I activate the view in my NavShip app?

You need NavShip Android 1.34.5 or NavShip iOS 1.17. These updates are expected during June 5, 2021. Select “Marrekrite” in the settings in the NavShip app. There should now be special blue markers with the logo of the Recreatieschap Marrekrite in the Friesland region.

This function is available free of charge to all NavShip users.

Der Beitrag Marrekrite berths erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.

England by water is a fabulous way to spend your vacation, as canals and waterways meander through idyllic countryside, past picture-perfect towns and villages. The extensive canal network dates back to the Industrial Revolution and is a testament to human engineering skills.

To make your vacation a complete success, we have the perfect companion for your trip – NavShip. Our boat navigation allows you to plan routes on rivers, lakes and coasts. In addition, you will receive useful information during your trip and you will always be up to date about important warnings, lock information, AIS and much more.

Der Beitrag Cast off – discover England by water erschien zuerst auf NavShip Boat Routing.