Tom Cunliffe’s navigation app to make boat show debut

Tom Cunliffe’s recently launched navigation app, AngelNav, will be making its boat show debut at this year’s Southampton International Boat Show, 15-24 September 2023.

Sailing author and Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation, Cunliffe and his colleague Bill Aylward will be offering demonstrations of this interactive iPad-based chart plotter on the Chelsea Magazines stand (J178) on the first Friday, and during both weekends of the ten-day show.

“For years, I’ve been concerned that you can’t plot on vector-based leisure chart plotters,” says Cunliffe. 

“AngelNav answers this basic shortfall while delivering what I consider to be the serious advantage of high-quality raster charts and I’m looking forward to introducing it to the boating public at the Southampton Boat Show.”

Using UKHO data for raster charts and looking like a paper chart, AngelNav allows users to plot traditional chartwork easily.

“AngelNav’s unique strength is that the charts on its screen are exactly the same as the paper charts in your chart table,” continues Cunliffe. “You can actually plot position lines, courses to steer and estimated positions on the screen just as you would with a pencil and chart instruments on the paper equivalent.

“The app is suitable for literally anybody who is navigating in waters covered, at the moment, by raster charts.”

Since its launch in May (2023), the AngelNav app has been downloaded over 2100 times.

Cunliffe adds: “I’m thrilled and encouraged at the level of uptake and general enthusiasm for AngelNav among a thoroughly well-qualified customer base, and we’ve also had strong feedback from a number of instructors. 

“With AngelNav, the skipper really does remain in charge of his own destiny even should GPS fail or be jammed.”

The AngelNav app is free from the Apple App store for iPhones and iPads running iOS 15.0 and above. UK, Ireland and France charts are divided into affordable sections that can be bought in-app at £24.99.

Currently, AngelNav offers UK waters, Ireland and France with more areas coming online.