Sea Alert is developed by the Polish company Arkona. The app is aimed at recreational sailors who previously had to manually gather navigation warnings from various sources – ranging from government websites and PDF bulletins to country-specific services. With Sea Alert The app provides navigation warnings: official notices from 21 European countries and NAVAREA zones, consolidated into a single interface, supplemented by proximity alerts and a translation function.
An overview of the features
Its core feature is the interactive map with up-to-date navigation warnings via the app. If the user approaches a reported hazard, Sea Alert automatically sounds the alarm. Warnings can be saved as favourites and shared with the crew. Users can also add their own reports.
Handy for trips abroad: a built-in instant translator that translates navigation warnings directly into German, English, French, Polish or Spanish. This is a particularly useful feature in areas such as the French Atlantic coast or Scandinavian waters, where official announcements are issued in the local language.
Offline mode for poor connections
Sea Alert offers an offline mode for use at sea without a mobile network connection. Anyone wishing to use navigation alerts via the app even outside mobile network coverage should download maps and alerts in advance whilst connected to the internet. You can customise the area, map name and zoom level – the higher the zoom level, the more storage space is required. You can switch between Google Maps and OpenStreetMap with a maritime overlay for the offline map.
Coverage and prices
Sea Alert provides navigation warnings via an app for 21 countries and NAVAREA zones, including Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Croatia, as well as NAVAREA zones I, II, III and XIX.
After a 14-day free trial – with no credit card required and no automatic renewal – there are three licence options to choose from. The licences are valid on up to three devices. Further information at www.sea-alert.com
Technical Specifications
| Platform | iOS, Android |
| Languages | DE, EN, FR, PL, ES |
| Cover | 21 countries/NAVAREA zones in Europe |
| Offline mode | Yes (maps and warnings can be downloaded) |
| Max. number of devices per licence | 3 |
| Automatic renewal | No |
Prices:
| Trial period | 0 euros (14 days, no credit card required) |
| Annual subscription | 29.99 euros per year (2.49 euros per month) |
| 30-day pass | 9.99 euros |
Further articles on this topic:
Hauke Schmidt
Test & Technology editor
