Marinemate app needs more work

A new marine app is now available for Iphone and Android devices. MarineMate was developed with funding from Maritime NZ, the ACC, Land Information New Zealand and regional councils to provide information on boating regulations as well as tide times, boat ramp locations and essential information on safe boating practices.

The first few i-tunes reviews have not been particularly complimentary however with users claiming "tiny text, inconsistent navigation and information architecture with a uninspiring user experience" and having issues with maps, the GPSand a poor representation of boat ramps.

In theory, no matter which region you're in, Marine Mate has local information such as speed limits, mooring zones, towing access lanes, boat ramp locations, local area notices and tides right at your finger tips.

The 'area notices' button brings in the very latest notices for the region, keeping you up to speed with what's happening in the region.

It's a good idea but to really get traction, the regional councils need to take note of the user feedback and comments given it's effectively taxpayer money they are spending.