Comparison

Sailing Master M vs SkippWay

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Sailing Master M

This app provides comprehensive sailing data and performance optimization on various Apple devices. It displays over 35 sailing measurements from boat instruments, polars tables, and nautical charts, offering detailed wind, route, and map views. Connectivity is established through NMEA 0183 Wi-Fi gateways.

Highlights
  • Configurable data displays
  • 35+ sailing measurements
  • Wind, route, and map displays
  • NMEA 0183 Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Polars table integration
  • Nautical chart overlays
Features
Read full description

Sailing Master M offers comprehensive sailing data and performance optimization information on iPhones, iPads, iWatches, and ActiveLook smart glasses. The application provides configurable pages and data displays, utilizing over 35 sailing measurements from the boat’s instruments, polars tables, and nautical charts. On phones and pads, the Data and Analog Displays can include minimum and maximum values and time series graphs. The Wind Display provides wind, heading, route, and speed information. The Route Display shows the expected wind conditions on the next legs. The Map Display shows the vessel with direction, tacking and downwind laylines on a nautical chart, or the wind laylines in another location. The connectivity is through NMEA 0813 Wi-Fi gateways such as B&G Vulcan, Zeus, GoFree, Yacht Devices, Signal K, Actisense, and ShipModul. The application has evolved from its initial focus on NMEA data display to encompass a comprehensive suite of features. Consequently, the app’s name has been revised from 'Display0183M' to 'Sailing Master M'. For further information, please refer to the user’s guide available on the app’s website or within the app itself. Terms of use: The app is delivered under the Apple End User License Agreement (EULA, https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/) The following libraries and services are used: - Kitura/BlueSocket, published under the Apache 2.0 license - A modified version of GPX package, published under BSD 3-Clause License and copyrighted by Ioannis Silks - OpenStreetMap licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL, https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/) by the OpenStreetMap Foundation Licence, and ©OpenStreetMap contributors. OpenSeaMap, which is licensed under the Open Data Commons (ODbL) license, and ©OpenSeaMap contributors The supported NMEA 0183 sentences are: - BWR: Bearing and distance to waypoint - DBS: Depth below surface - DBT: Depth below transducer. - DPT: depth of water. - CGA: Global Positioning System Fix data - GLL: Geographic position Latitude/Longitude - HDG: Heading magnetic - HDM: Heading magnetic - HDT: Heading true - MWD: undocumented, wind direction, wind speed - MTW: water temperature °C - MWV: Wind speed and angle (A,T) - RMB: XTE, range to destination, bearing to destination, destination closing velocity . - RMC: Speed over ground - RSA: Rudder sensor angle - VHW: Water speed and heading - VLW: Distance travelled through water - VPW: Speed - measured parallel to wind - VTG: Course over ground (T or M), speed over ground - VWR: Wind direction (A), wind speed (A) - WCV: Waypoint closure velocity - XDR: air temperature (°C), water temperature (°C) and barometric pressure (mbar). - XTE: Cross track error The data items from NMEA and polars are: - Waypoint bearing - Waypoint distance - Time to Waypoint - VMG waypoint - Cross track error - Depth - Heading - Heading - Course - Course - Water speed - Speed over ground - Water temperature - Air temperature - Air pressure - Wind speed apparent - Wind angle apparent - Wind speed true - Wind direction - Wind direction - VMG Wind - Latitude, Longitude - Waypoint laititude, longitude - Water Distance after reset - Total water distance - Ground distance after reset - Total ground distance - Velocity made good towards wind - Heel - Rudder - Boat target speed through the water - Boat speed of target speed (%) - Beat VMG boat target speed through the water - Run VMG boat target speed through the water - GPS based trip distance - Leeway

About

SkippWay

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SkippWay turns your iPhone into a clean, focused sailing companion. NAUTICAL CHART VIEW See OpenSeaMap sea marks — buoys, lights, fairways — overlaid on the map, with light characteristics the way a sailor expects them. DEPTH NUMBERS Chart-style depth figures in meters appear across the water at sailing zoom, powered by the EMODnet European bathymetry model. TRACK RECORDING & PLAYBACK Record your trips with live speed, distance, and time. Browse your track history, review any trip on the map, and play it back with adjustable speed. ANCHOR ALARM Drop the hook, arm the alarm, sleep better. If your boat drifts outside your chosen radius, SkippWay alerts you — with a loud notification even when the app is in the background. (Keep your volume on: iOS mutes notification sounds with the silent switch.) MEASURE TOOL Long-press anywhere to measure the distance from your boat — updated live as you sail. YOUR UNITS, YOUR APP Knots, km/h or mph; nautical miles or kilometers; DMS or decimal coordinates. Dark mode for night passages. Keep-screen-awake for the cockpit. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No tracking. Your position and tracks never leave your device. IMPORTANT — NOT FOR NAVIGATION SkippWay is an aid to situational awareness only. Sea marks are community data (OpenSeaMap) and depth figures are model values (EMODnet), not surveyed soundings. Always carry official charts and use proper judgment. Never rely on this app as your only source for navigation.

Screenshots

Sailing Master M4 screens
SkippWay2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Sailing Master M at Free against SkippWay's $1.99. Sailing Master M also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 24 months). SkippWay's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Sailing Master M is free to download; SkippWay costs $1.99 up front. Sailing Master M sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $11.99 per year. SkippWay asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sailing Master M ships an update every 2 months, SkippWay every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Sailing Master M versus SkippWay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSailing Master MSkippWay
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 24 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS1716.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPekka LeppanenSIA e-risinājumi

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Sailing Master M

Subscriptions1
  • Pro annual14 Days trial$11.991 Year
None

SkippWay

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sailing Master M free?
Sailing Master M is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SkippWay free?
SkippWay costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sailing Master M or SkippWay have ads?
Neither Sailing Master M nor SkippWay shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sailing Master M or SkippWay?
Sailing Master M ships an update every 2 months, and SkippWay every 24 months. Most recently, Sailing Master M was updated on November 3, 2026 and SkippWay on November 4, 2026.

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