If You’re a Maine Boater Than You Need to Have This App on Your Phone

Some people, and by some people I mean people from away, will try and tell you that there's 'nothing to do' in a state like Maine. However, as born-and-raised Mainers, we know that that is definitely not the case.

Whether you want to go hiking, camping, skiing, rock climbing or brewery-hopping, there is ALWAYS something fun to do in the Pine Tree State. And while everyone has that one thing that is their favorite, mine is 100% boating.

When it comes to boating in Maine, your options are virtually endless. From small ponds and waterways to massive lakes, rivers and even the ocean, you could spend all day every day boating here and never run out of new water to explore.

But, what are the best ways to stay safe and vigilante when you're attempting to navigate Maine's channeled waters? Well, you could spend thousands on a state-of-the-art marine GPS unit, use paper charts that never update themselves. Or, you could do what I just did and download an app from an ad you saw on TikTok.

My FYP is pretty well-trained to show me only things I'm interested in. Hunting videos, diesel pickup trucks, chicken fingers and boating videos are pretty much all I see. So naturally it's no surprise that they would show me an ad for a new boating navigation app.

Now, it's not free, but from what I can tell, it's super-legit. The app, called Waave, is basically Google Maps for channeled waterways including rivers, some lakes and the ocean. This is perfect for someone like me who usually boats lakes, but likes to run the Kennebec River to Boothbay Harbor a couple times a year. You'd be shocked how many shallow areas, shoals and rocks there are that could ruin your fun day on the water.

Like Google Maps, the Waave app is super-intuitive and knows exactly where you are, which direction you're heading, how much water your boat needs under it and where hazards, shoals and channel markers are in the area.

For example, when I plotted a route from Gardiner to Boothbay Harbor, the app asked a few questions about the size of my boat and then proceeded to plot a line for me to follow of the best, quickest and safest route to get to my destination.

Your Waave app will give you an ETA and make sure you remain on the desired course. You can plot your route manually using the built-in real-time charts, or you can put a start point and endpoint and it will plot the route for you.

And if you reach the mouth of the river and want to continue into open salt water, worry not, Waave has you covered.

Now the app isn't free, but why should it be? It's awesome! You do get a 30-day free trial, at least as of the writing of this article, then it's about $13 bucks a month. You can save a whole bunch of money buy purchasing a whole years for less than $60.

Or, do what I do and download it for the month that you're gonna need it and cancel until you need it again. And, as always, happy (and safe!) boating!