iRegatta

This is a free evaluation copy of iRegatta Pro, where you can test the features for 4 minutes. You can buy access to the features you like to use as In-App purchases, or you can buy the Pro version to have Basic, NMEA and AIS features included.

The built-in GPS unit and the unique graphical possibilities of these devices, make them ideal for such an application.

IMPORTANT: iRegatta requires internal GPS or Bluetooth/WiFi connection to NMEA data, to get the sailing data required for calculations.

iRegatta has been available for iPhone/iPad for years, and has a lot of useful features.
Now the Android version has similar features, except that NMEA instrument data also can be used with a BlueTooth connection (or a Wifi connection).

If you have a Android phone anyway, this is a cheap way to introduce you to the benefits of a GPS device, to help you leverage your regatta sailing performance.

A downside is of course the fact that most phones are not waterproof! But there are products out there, you can put your device into, to make it waterproof and still be able to operate it while sailing. In this way you can either mount it near your other instruments on your keelboat or strap it to your arm if you are sailing a dinghy.

Features:

Main View.
Here you can see your 4 most important readouts, for instance Heading, Speed, VMG and Wind Direction.

By tapping and holding one of the 4 main readouts for 2 seconds, they become configurable. Scroll down the list to chose the information you want to display. Many of the possible readouts are only updated if you have NMEA input.
If navigating towards a waypoint, you can configure your readouts to display distance/bearing.

There is also a lift indicator, showing you if you have been lifted by a wind shift, and graphs showing the development in your speed and VMG over a configurable amount of time and a performance bar.

Wind direction.
Set your wind direction by storing your heading while sailing on upwind on starboard and port tack, or simply type it in.

Start view.
Here you have your count down (including sync), and you can mark your starting line and iRegatta will calculate the distance to the line and indicate the favorite line end, if wind direction is set.

Waypoints.
Navigate to your favorite pre-stored waypoints, create a route of waypoints or create a new temporary waypoint by distance/bearing.

Statistics view.
Here you can see your location, Max speed and Trip odometer. On the left hand side there is a polar diagram - tap it and it'll increase in size. Change the wind speed to see the different polars. These polars are the base for the performance bar in the race view.


NMEA
If you choose to turn on "NMEA input via BlueTooth" in the iRegatta setting, you will be able to receive instrument information from your boat, if it's able to transmit NMEA information using BlueTooth.

Be aware that information from different instruments can be transmitted in different NMEA syntaxes. Not all NMEA syntaxes are implemented in iRegatta.

AIS
If you have an AIS receiver that transmits AIS data as NMEA sentences, an AIS radar-like display will show all vessel information received.