Navigation: Orca Navi app revises weather forecast. Model selection and animated display - even in the free version

Until now, sailors had to navigate with one system and check the weather on a separate device. The Orca sat nav app takes a different approach and offers weather information directly in the app. However, it was previously not possible to see which weather model was being used and the display was limited to simple wind plumes. The update places high-resolution weather forecasts directly over the nautical chart. Animated weather layers show at a glance how weather systems move and develop. Wind, rain, waves, currents and tidal heights are all just a tap away. The manufacturer uses leading global and regional forecast models and automatically selects the most suitable model for the sea area displayed.

Route planning with weather context

The new display in the sat nav app shows how weather systems develop as the route is travelled. This makes it possible to recognise whether the wind will calm down exactly when the destination is reached - or whether a plan B is necessary because a front is passing close to the planned route. This context should be particularly practical in areas with strong and complex currents. By visualising the course of the currents and comparing them with the waves, the navigation app should be able to identify dangerous wind-against-current situations at a glance, according to the manufacturer.

• Navimetrix: Professional weather routing at a low price

Full resolution even without a subscription

While other sat nav apps and navigation products often offer models with low accuracy in their free and entry-level tariffs, Orca says it takes the opposite approach: the best models are available to all users - even those with the free Orca tariff. Which models are available in the sat nav app depends on the current sea area. For northern European waters, the ICON-D2 and ICON-EU models are currently available with a resolution of two and seven kilometres respectively. The two-kilometre models from the UK Met Office and the global ECMWF model with a resolution of nine kilometres are also available.

Users with the free tariff and the Plus tariff receive forecasts up to five days in advance. Orca's Smart Navigation tariff unlocks forecasts for up to ten days, depending on the model, as well as manual model selection. The price for the Orca systemThe free basic navigation app package is available free of charge, the Plus tariff costs 49 euros per year, Smart Navigation 149 euros per year. The Orca Core (black box with NMEA2000 integration) is available as an option for 549 euros and the Orca Display 2 for 999 euros.

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