London , England ( CNN ) -- Setting sail this weekend and want the latest information to help you along ? Well look no further than your phone for everything you need . There is a wealth of data available through the thousands of apps on the market . But how do you know what is best for you ? Joe White from AppAdvice says it 's important to consider whether you will have cellular coverage on your journey to determine which apps you should use . `` If it 's a navigation app that requires GPS then you 'll need to have good cellular coverage , '' White explains . `` But there are other apps out there that can be used offline . '' Here 's a list of some of the best apps to set sail to . 1 . Navionics Marine , available for $ 9.99 . While this is one of the more expensive marine apps on the market , it is one of the most comprehensive and popular . `` They were working with marine software before the iPhone was even invented , '' says White . There is a wide selection of Navionics apps to choose from for the region in the world you 're after such as the U.S. , Africa , and Asia , with more specific ones on offer as well including the U.K. and Holland . Features include information on tides , currents and winds . It also allows you to take a photo while cruising and send it to your friends . It will then show the image in Google Earth so they can see exactly where you were when you took it . Despite it being more costly , experts say it 's a worthwhile investment . `` They continuously update the app , '' says White . `` So after you 've bought it , they keep enhancing it . '' 2 . Boating Suite -- Log Book and Expense Book , available for $ 6.99 . This is the ultimate app for mariners who are in need of organizing their boating admin . The Boating Suite app allows captains to track their expenses , log their fuel and keep records of maintenance . It also contains `` to do list '' and `` shopping list '' options to ensure there are no excuses for forgetting to complete the essential tasks for all your sailing journeys . 3 . TideApp , available for free . `` If you do n't want to pay for a more fully featured application , take this app for a spin , '' says White . The TideApp is a simple to use application for the iPhone , iPad and iPod touch , making it very attractive even to the less tech-savvy sailors . Tidal data is available for more than 4000 ports across the world and its features include sun and moon schedules . Developers say TideApp is far reaching , having been used in all seven continents . However like many apps on the market , a downside is that it requires network coverage to use . 4 . The Weather Channel , available for free . If you 're considering hitting the water , then a weather check is a must before heading out on your cruise . The Weather Channel app will give you all the forecast information you need to know . Developers pride themselves on having some of the most accurate weather information around . The app is regularly updated and with the free price tag , it is hard to go by . 5 . What knot to do , available for free . For the Boy Scout in everybody , this app gives you a step-by-step guide on how to tie all the knots you need to know . `` You can even enter the exact situation you 're in and it 'll tell you the knot to do , '' says White . This app is perfect for leisure sailors who may have forgotten what they learned at Scouts . 6 . Find My iPhone , available for free . Do your friends and family want to keep track of you while you 're setting sail ? While this app is not designed specifically for sailors , it does allow for your loved ones to follow your journey . `` This is can be used as an added safety precaution , a family member can find your location should something go wrong , '' says White . However he does emphasis that this app is n't without its downfalls for sailors . `` It does require a network , so having a good connection is paramount . '' 7 . Anchor Alarm , available for $ 7.99 . The Anchor Alarm app is handy to make sure you stay on course while anchoring for day or night . It allows you to set your boat 's position to a point , if you stray too far from it , an alarm will sound . `` The application remains active during use , '' says White . `` We recommend that users plug their iPhone into a power source when running it . ''
Consider whether the app requires network coverage . If you are using a mobile device, consider how much data your phone is consuming and what kind of apps it uses to do that. TideApp is simple to use and it 's free .