Whether you're sailing coastal waters, crossing oceans, or looking for a weekend dock, having access to accurate marina maps can make or break your voyage. This guide explores the most reliable platforms to help you locate, reserve, or list boat slips, docks, and moorings anywhere in the world.
🌍 Navily
Navily is a top choice for European sailors. With over 1 million users and more than 38,000 listed marinas and anchorages, it offers detailed reviews, photos, and protection ratings. While exact traffic is private, its app presence and word-of-mouth popularity suggest strong adoption throughout the Mediterranean.
⚓ Dockwa
Dockwa is a reservation platform connecting boaters to hundreds of marinas in the U.S. and Caribbean. Marinas using Dockwa report increased efficiency and bookings, with an estimated 300,000 registered boaters using the system for slip reservations and event docking.
🧭 ActiveCaptain (Garmin)
ActiveCaptain is a community-driven platform embedded into Garmin marine devices and apps. While it's difficult to separate web traffic from Garmin’s broader ecosystem, ActiveCaptain’s global reach and chart integration make it an essential tool for route planning and hazard awareness.
🛰️ Navionics WebApp
Navionics offers a powerful chart viewer with marina and mooring overlays. Used by sailors worldwide for plotting routes and checking nautical data, the WebApp doesn’t show exact numbers, but it's widely cited as an essential tool for passage planning.
📡 NoForeignLand
NoForeignLand caters to cruising sailors and liveaboards who log their travels and share anchorage and marina information. It has a smaller but tightly connected community and is a go-to resource for insights in more remote or off-the-beaten-path destinations.
🌐 Marinas.com
Marinas.com focuses on helping boaters visualize marina layouts with aerial photos, approach guides, and facility details. It’s most useful for those doing pre-arrival research or comparing facilities by region.
🇪🇺 Harba
Harba is expanding in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, offering smart marina tools and mobile guest services. It’s still gaining traction, but its clean interface and digital check-in features are promising for modern harbors and tech-savvy sailors.
🌊 OpenSeaMap
OpenSeaMap is an open-source alternative that integrates global harbor data, navigation markers, and marina services. While less commercial, it's a favorite among DIY navigators, developers, and open-data advocates.
🗺️ SlipMaps
SlipMaps is a subscription-based platform offering a crowdsourced map of over 7,000 marinas and private docks globally. It's especially useful for cruisers looking to sublease boat slips or discover lesser-known docking opportunities not listed on commercial platforms.
📊 Summary Table: Marina Map Platform Highlights
| Platform | Best For | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| Navily | European Cruising | User reviews, protection ratings, anchorages |
| Dockwa | U.S. & Caribbean | Live slip booking, marina management |
| ActiveCaptain | Garmin Device Users | Community-driven charts & alerts |
| Navionics | Charting & Route Planning | Tides, sonar, marina overlays |
| NoForeignLand | Cruisers & Liveaboards | Logs, anchorages, services |
| Marinas.com | Visual Planning | Aerial photos, layout guides |
| Harba | Northern Europe | Mobile check-in, modern UI |
| OpenSeaMap | Open Source Charts | Free, community-contributed data |
| SlipMaps | Private Slips & Global Coverage | Crowdsourced, subscription access |
🚤 Final Thoughts
No single marina map fits every sailor. Whether you want polished booking tools, crowdsourced anchorages, or open charting data, there’s a platform tailored for your needs. Explore these sites and apps before your next journey and make docking one less thing to worry about.
Good planning starts with good maps. Safe travels and smooth landings!
