How Orca Boaters Navigated in 2024

December 18, 2024 • 2 min read

Do your boating habits align with those of the Orca community?

Boaters come in all varieties. Some embark on long journeys, covering great distances, while others go to their favorite spots time and again. If preserving memories of your boating adventures is a priority, keeping a detailed logbook makes all the difference.

You probably already have a paper logbook cataloging your trips. However, if you own an Orca Core, this is done automatically in the app. 

With Orca Core, your trips are recorded in a digital logbook. As an added bonus, Orca Core users receive an annual summary of their boating activities. Let’s take a look at how all Orca Core Owners fared in 2024.

Distance Traveled

The range of distances covered by Orca Core users highlights the wide variety of boating styles.

In 2024, the median distance traveled was 371 nautical miles, with the most ambitious 1% of boaters exceeding 4324 nautical miles—equivalent to a transoceanic journey from San Francisco to Tahiti. The median distance traveled by Orca boaters increased by 60% from 2023 to 2024, showing what a great year it was for boating. 

Total travel distance distribution in nautical miles of all Orca Core owners.

If you sailed over 1312 nautical miles this year, you’re among the top 10% of Orca users in terms of distance.

Travel Speed

The average cruising speed for Orca Core users in 2024 was 5,3 knots.

Orca serves both sailors and powerboaters, whose vessels vary significantly in speed. Roughly 80% of users travel at speeds under 6 knots, indicating that most are likely sailing yachts or displacement-hull motorboats.

Average speed distribution in knots of Orca Core owners.

To be in the top 10% of fastest Orca boaters, you’d need an average speed of 7 knots or more. This decreased from 8,7 knots in 2023, indicating that Orca boaters slowed down this year. 

Wind Speed Conditions

Many sailboat owners with an Orca Core benefit from wind sensors that provide detailed data through the Orca Sailing Processor. 

Measured wind speed distribution histogram for boats with wind sensors.

In 2024, the median wind speed recorded during trips was 4.8 meters per second. Meanwhile, the top 10% of users braved wind speeds of 18.5 meters per second or higher, reflecting a community unafraid of challenging conditions. This has increased from 12.6 meters per second from 2023, indicating that Orca boaters ventured into wilder waters this year. 

Relive Your Boating Year with Orca

If you own an Orca Core, your Orca Wrapped 2024 has been sent to you by email, one summary per boat. 

If you’d like a seamless way to capture and revisit your experiences, Orca Core is the perfect companion. Thanks to its built-in logbook, Orca Core keeps a detailed record of every trip. In addition, it integrates with your vessel’s instruments, autopilot, and radar, offering a cutting-edge boating experience accessible from your phone, tablet, or Orca Display 2.

Want to see how your Wrapped could look for next year if you purchased a Core? Here are two examples from a sailboat owner in France and in the Caribbean.

Take the hassle out of logging your trips and enjoy a modern approach to boating with Orca Core 2. Available now with free express shipping and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee at the Orca Store.