A FRESH TAKE ON AIS
Let’s talk about AIS and how it can seriously enhance your boating experience.
You probably know AIS as a way to see and be seen on the water. Ditch is the first and only app to unlock a hidden potential in AIS data: seeing where everyone's been.
Chartplotters give you the fundamentals—they show where nearby vessels are and how they’re moving, like a real-time snapshot of traffic on the water. But Ditch takes it to the next level with two very different applications of how you know it today: as a key component of our Smart Path™ auto-routing algorithm, and as a layer on your chart to reveal historical boat traffic.
DITCH’S NEXT LEVEL
Getting Started
AIS Smart Path
When you fire up the app, just pick your navigation starting point and destination on the chart. From there, Ditch pulls together data and historical AIS to lay out a Smart Path for you—the orange line on your screen. We're the first to collate and analyze historical AIS data, revealing the paths other boats have taken to help you find the safest and most efficient routes. It’s like having a seasoned captain on board, guiding you with years of local knowledge and historical data. The dots you see? That’s where other boats have been before, the historical AIS data.
AIS Layers
In the top-right corner, you’ll notice the layers icon. This is where you can really customize things to fit your needs. If you’re more concerned with what boats are doing right now, you can choose the “view only last month” option to get the most current routes based on recent traffic. You can also filter to see just local vessels. This is super helpful—locals always know the best routes, and it’s a great way to check out any unusual tracks they’ve taken. You can even adjust the view based on your boat size, which makes sure you’re always following the safest, most efficient path for your vessel.
As you can see, Ditch is an incredibly valuable tool, especially when you're in unfamiliar waters. You can see where other boats have traveled with historical AIS data, giving you a new perspective on the waterways and helping you make smarter routing decisions. It’s the only app that provides this, making it the perfect companion to your chartplotter. So, what are you waiting for? Give Ditch a try! Download in the App Store or Google Play.
