Australian boating app launches in the US

Australian company Deckee announced the official launch of their free app and safe boating platform in the United States. This coincides with a new partnership with the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), which will see the organizations collaborate on promoting safe boating and responsible boat ownership across America. Deckee, the recommended boating app of the Boating Industry Association (BIA) of Australia and various government authorities,  provides boaters with the tools to stay safe and informed on the water. 

The app, which is continuously augmented, contains maritime data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over 54,000 aids to navigation from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), 4000 nautical chart features and weather information such as wind, tides, and swell. Deckee promises the app will remain free for all users.

“Our mission at Deckee is to keep everyone safe and informed on the water. Everything we do aims to make a positive impact and ultimately reduce loss of life, injuries and accidents through assisting boaters in taking proper safety precautions when out on the water,” said Deckee Founder and CEO Mike McKiernan. 

The USCG reports there are 15.8 million recreational boats in use in the U.S. Within the past year, there has been a significant increase in boating accidents and fatalities. According to the 2020 Boating Safety Statistics Report, there were 767 boating fatalities in the USA in 2020, an increase of 25.1 percent from 2019. Deckee provides the tools necessary for new or experienced boaters to help them take proper safety precautions before getting underway and while out on the water. 

Founded in 1958, the National Safe Boating Council Serves as a national catalyst for developing a safe boating culture by providing educational resources, outreach programming, and training opportunities for industry partners and the boating community to influence safe, secure, and responsible boating.

“A strategic partnership with Deckee has the potential to equip the NSBC with unprecedented boating insights. Current and relevant data can be used effectively to inform our recreational boating safety marketing and outreach strategies and initiatives,” said Peg Phillips, Executive Director of the National Safe Boating Council.

Features and benefits of Deckee include: 

• Displaying speed, distance, and heading in real-time to improve situational awareness and assist with navigation
• Usage of satellite mapping that provides clear imagery of waterways, updated regularly with crowd-sourced information
• Access to current conditions, weather forecasts, tide information and points of interest i.e. public mooring locations, anchorages, boat ramps and speed zones
• The ability for users to contribute their own knowledge, by providing updates on points of interest, marine facilities and services, to help improve the map for the community.