Planning a boating trip on Georgian Bay? Some boaters claim they just “look out the window.” But is that really enough?
While determining where to go is easy with tools like the Navionics App or your favourite chart plotter, figuring out when to go and what to do on the water is a different story.
A recent Facebook survey showed that most boating enthusiasts rely on various weather, wave, and wind apps—typically three or four—to decide the best time to hit the water. There was no standard answer for those providing their response. Interestingly, a few respondents said they simply look out the window. This might work for quick local trips, but it’s not ideal for planning ahead or longer journeys.
Georgian Bay is a premier boating destination, attracting enthusiasts from all over. Two such boaters, tech professionals from Waterloo, Ontario, now living in Penetanguishene, were frustrated with the planning chaos. They aimed to create a better solution—a standard app for determining the best times to go out and what activities to engage in.
They started by gathering numerous data points—weather, waves, winds, water levels, and temperatures. They quickly realized that different activities have different optimal conditions. For instance, strong winds might be perfect for sailing or windsurfing but unsuitable for small powerboats or kayaking. Larger boats handle waves better, while smaller ones struggle.
Existing weather apps didn’t cater to their specific needs, so they developed NautWise, a web app that consolidates all this information into an easy-to-read display. NautWise provides hourly and daily forecasts for your boat size and preferred activities, using a simple green or red indicator to mark favourable or unfavourable conditions. These are called the Daily and Weekly Planner and are designed to help you plan whenever you travel on the water.
With NautWise, you can customize the app to reflect the size and type of your boat and your favourite water activities. Whether you have a 28-foot powerboat, or a dinghy, or love to kayak and swim, NautWise tailors the app to your needs, including your location. Instead of juggling multiple apps, you get a clear, concise Daily or Weekly Planning forecast.
Clicking on an indicator gives detailed information on why it’s a good or bad day for boating or your chosen activity. It will tell you the wind speed, wave height, air and water temperatures, and precipitation chances, giving you a comprehensive view of the conditions.
NautWise does all the heavy lifting by performing thousands of calculations based on your preferences and location. It also continues to update the information as the conditions change, providing a new update every few minutes. This simplifies your planning process, helping you avoid information overload and ensuring you don’t miss out on that perfect sunset kayak or smooth cruise on flat waters.
If you keep your boat at a cottage or marina, NautWise is an excellent tool for planning your visits and activities in advance. It even offers a morning update feature, sending you a daily email with the best times for boating, sailing, kayaking, or swimming for each hour and day of the upcoming week.
Spend less time planning and more time enjoying Georgian Bay with NautWise. Don’t miss another great day on the water!
Try a free, fully functioning version of NautWise at nautwise.com. Or visit this link to sign up for a free Account. Join the hundreds of users already using NautWise for their Georgian Bay boating planning.
