# Safe Skipper: Boating Safety — Emergency, crew & vessel guide

> Boating safety guide with practical tips and emergency procedures. (iPhone/iPad app by The Other Hat.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-skipper-boating-safety/id625297113 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [The Other Hat](https://appshunter.io/developer/573973071)
- Category: Navigation, Reference
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.67/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 4 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 36 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2013-03-29
- Data updated: 2026-08-31
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-skipper-boating-safety/id625297113/reviews.md

## What is Safe Skipper?

A practical boating safety app with emergency guidance, MAYDAY support, location tools, crew details, and quick-access to favourites. Safe Skipper is a practical boating safety companion designed to help skippers and crew stay prepared, organised, and ready to act when it matters most!

The app brings together essential onboard safety information in one easy-to-use place. Whether you are planning a trip, refreshing your knowledge, or responding in a stressful moment, Safe Skipper helps you reach the right information quickly.

Save key vessel details in advance, including vessel name, call sign, MMSI, vessel description, and persons on board, so they are ready when needed. A dedicated MAYDAY support section helps structure a clear emergency call, while current location tools make it easier to capture and use your position quickly.

Safe Skipper also helps with day-to-day preparedness, with sections covering PREPARATION, SAFETY, COMMUNICATIONS, DISTRESS & EMERGENCIES, with over 75 sections & sub-sections in total  -  search for topics such as engine failure, save your most-used pages as favourites, and keep important crew and vessel information close at hand.
Designed for real use onboard, Safe Skipper supports learning, readiness, and calm decision-making when every second counts.

KEY FEATURES
•	Emergency guidance organised for quick access
•	MAYDAY call support with pre-saved vessel details
•	Dedicated GET CURRENT LOCATION within the MAYDAY section
•	CREW REGISTER and VESSEL DETAILS section
•	Search to find topics quickly
•	Create FAVOURITES for one-tap access to key pages
•	Local on-device saving of important information
•	Personal ordering of saved favourites
•	Clear mobile-friendly layout for onboard use

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT!
•	Helps you prepare before every trip
•	Makes critical information faster to find
•	Supports a clearer, more confident emergency response
•	Keeps essential boat and crew details ready in advance

*****************************************

USER FEEDBACK

"Highly recommend this App, get it on your iPhone or iPad today"

"This app is full of really useful info for anyone going to sea (or inland waterways I would think). It's presented really well, and has some good graphics. Can't believe just how much they've packed in. Recommended."

"A well written and detailed app for yachts & inland craft also quite useful for ocean going vessels - well done."

"Downloaded the app, good stuff!"

*****************************************

Safe Skipper is a quick reference tool intended for all those who go to sea for pleasure, whether under sail or in powered craft.  

The app features carefully researched safety information and practical tips, with more than 100 graphic illustrations, photos and diagrams which have been produced specially for this app.

The app is in three main sections:

PREPARATION, including:
* Engine checks
* International regulations
* Man overboard drill
* Passage planning
* Rig check
* Safety briefing
* SOLAS V
* Tides
* Training
* Weather 
and more

SAFETY, including:
EQUIPMENT
* Anchoring
* EPIRB
* Equipment checklists
* Fire extinguishers
* Fire prevention
* First aid kit
* Flares
* Life buoys
* Liferafts
* Personal Flotation Devices
* Spares
* Safety harnesses
* Tool kit 

COMMUNICATIONS including:
* AIS
* DSC radio
* GMDSS
* Inmarsat C
* Signals
* Morse code
* Navtex
* SSB radio
* VHF radio

DISTRESS & EMERGENCIES, including:
* Abandon ship
* Dismasting
* Distress signals
* Engine failure
* Fire fighting
* Getting a tow
* Helicopter rescue
* Holed hull
* MAYDAY
* Medical emergency
* SAR signals

...and so much more - over 75 sections & sub-sections in total.

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***
Safe Skipper is designed to support learning, preparation, and practical onboard reference. It does not replace formal training, proper seamanship, required safety equipment, or official emergency procedures.

Find out even more by clicking the DEVELOPER WEBSITE link on the left.

## Key features

- Safety information & practical boating tips
- Over 100 custom graphics (illustrations, photos, diagrams)
- Advice on preparation, equipment, communications, and emergencies
- Quick reference tool for pleasure craft users
- Detailed sections on preparation, safety, and distress/emergencies

## Recent user reviews (4 of 4)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/safe-skipper-boating-safety/id625297113/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Error on tide section

*2018-09-11*

Please look at the tide section as it directs you to Training.

### 5/5 — Great app

*2017-11-29*

This app has a huge amount of information. It is well laid out and I'll definitely take it with me when I cruise the South Coast this summer. Good value too!

### 5/5 — Loads of useful info.

*2017-11-29*

Great app, packed with information and very useful to have with me out at sea. Worth checking out.

### 5/5 — Eugene

*2013-04-13*

A well written and detailed app for yachts and inland craft also quite useful for ocean going vessels well done.

## Frequently asked questions about Safe Skipper

### What kind of safety information does Safe Skipper offer?

Safe Skipper provides comprehensive safety information including preparation checklists, equipment advice, communication protocols, and detailed emergency procedures for various maritime scenarios. It covers topics from engine checks and weather to distress signals and helicopter rescue.

### Who is Safe Skipper written and illustrated by?

Safe Skipper is written and illustrated by Simon Jollands, a qualified yachtsman with extensive experience and media production credits, including work with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. His expertise ensures the content is practical and reliable for seafarers.

### What devices is Safe Skipper available on?

Customer feedback suggests Safe Skipper is available on iPhone and iPad. While specific device compatibility isn't detailed, it is designed for mobile use.

### How often is Safe Skipper updated?

The app was last updated on January 25, 2018, with version 5.0.2. While the description mentions the app will be updated, the frequency of these updates is not specified beyond the last known update date.

### What is the age rating for Safe Skipper?

Safe Skipper has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for users of all ages, with content that is generally appropriate and not restricted.

### What are the main sections of Safe Skipper?

Safe Skipper is divided into three main sections: PREPARATION, covering aspects like engine checks and passage planning; SAFETY, detailing equipment and communications; and DISTRESS & EMERGENCIES, which includes procedures for critical situations like fire fighting and MAYDAY calls.

### What is the user sentiment for Safe Skipper?

Customer feedback for Safe Skipper is overwhelmingly positive, with users highly recommending the app for its useful information, good presentation, and extensive content. It is praised as a well-written and detailed resource for various types of vessels.

### Does Safe Skipper have ads?

The provided data does not indicate that Safe Skipper contains advertisements. It is listed as a paid application, suggesting a premium, ad-free user experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 6.0.0 — 2026-07-16

How to use Safe Skipper
Added guidance explaining how to prepare before a trip, use Search and Favourites, keep vessel/crew details updated, and treat the app as a learning and reference tool rather than a replacement for training.

Home page search
Search directly from the home screen for topics such as engine failure, fire, collision, man overboard, first aid, or navigation lights.

Crew Register & Vessel Details
Added a practical onboard register for vessel details and crew information, including emergency and medical notes.

Favourites
Pages can be saved as Favourites using the heart button, then accessed quickly from the home page.

Search controls
Search results can now be collapsed, cleared, and reset cleanly.

Favourite ordering
Saved Favourites can be moved up or down, removed, and additional items are tucked behind a “See more” style dropdown after the first three.

Get Location section
A dedicated collapsible location tool shows the current position and supports saving/exporting location information.

MAYDAY Call Details
A new collapsible MAYDAY preparation section lets the skipper store key vessel details in advance: vessel name, call sign, MMSI, vessel type/colour, and persons on board.

MAYDAY location button
The MAYDAY section now has its own Get Current Location button, so the position can be inserted without using the separate Get Location section first.

Generated MAYDAY call
The app can generate a clearer preformatted MAYDAY call, with real-life prompts for distress type, assistance required, and other useful information.

Copy/share MAYDAY call
Generated calls can be copied or shared from the app.

Robust local saving
Important data is now protected with durable native-backed storage using Capacitor Preferences, helping preserve saved MAYDAY details, favourites, vessel details, crew records, and location logs through normal app updates.

Improved navigation
Top navigation now includes a clearer back button, page favourite heart, safer tablet/phone spacing, and improved hamburger positioning.

Tablet layout fixes
Extra safe-area handling was added so controls are not obscured at the top of iPad tablet screens.

Improved section design
Get Location, MAYDAY, Crew Register, Search, Favourites, and section tabs have clearer styling, better spacing, and more readable text.

Version and platform update
Updated throughout, with modernised iOS project support.

### 5.0.2 — 2018-01-25

This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included.

Improved user experience, better navigation.

### 5.0.1 — 2017-04-05

Completely rebuilt to give you a much better user experience.

### 4.0.0 — 2016-09-12

Now completely FREE, with code tweaks to give an even better user experience.

### 3.0.1 — 2016-07-12

FULL VERSION of our unique and detailed app now completely FREE

## More apps by The Other Hat

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All apps by The Other Hat: https://appshunter.io/developer/573973071

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*
