yacht simulator game

“The most technically accurate sailing simulator I have experienced.” SIM UK

eSail Sailing Simulator

eSail sailing simulator V2 has numerous tutorials, sailing, mooring and anchoring modes, sailing challenges, races, Live Sailing mode, ‘Learn Yachting with eSail’ tutorials and more.

For beginners you learn how to sail a 36′ sailing yacht including raising the sail, tacking, gybing, reefing, mooring and anchoring. For experts you can use the Quick Start tutorial then dive straight into the challenges.

You can then explore the waters surrounding the Shearwater Islands and seek out features such as the wreck of the Princess Zara, and join challenges such as sailing races and collision avoidance.

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“There is a vast amount to explore and learn, the thought processes and actions required to sail your virtual boat are remarkably close to the real world.” YACHTING MONTHLY

Languages: English, Deutsch, Française, Türkçe, Español, Português, Ελληνικά, Italiano, Nederlands

The Man Overboard Add-on developed with Keith Colwell, author of the RYA Sea Survival Handbook features tutorials, challenges and random triggering of MOB during normal sailing. More…

The  eSail Pro Add-on features advanced sailing instruments, mooring sandbox, mooring under sail and more…

eSail is available for Windows and Apple Mac Join the eSail community now!

Learn Yachting with eSail

A learning programme with 17 modules covering from using the eSail controls, through to raising the mainsail, tacking, gybing and more. Use to learn to sail alongside  RYA ,  US Sailing  or other certificated training schemes. Note that eSail is not affiliated with or approved by any such organisation.

We also have 5 advanced tutorials covering sail twist, sail depth and more, so you can squeeze every bit of speed from your virtual sailing boat. The tutorials are voiced by the amazing Hannah White, the Guinness Book of Records holder for the fastest sailing dinghy crossing of the English Channel.

Multiplayer Live Sailing

With Live Sailing you weigh anchor, set sail and explore the seas and ocean around the Shearwater islands! Your goal is to collect ‘Points of Interest’ (POIs). If you collect all 13 you achieve ‘Master Explorer’ status.

Constantly changing weather with hourly forecasts ‘VHF’ chat with other boats Save your position Multiplayer challenges

Charting & Night Sailing

To the best of our knowledge eSail is the only yacht simulator to include a charting module which enables basic navigation such as plotting a course using dividers and other charting tools. ​Use the chart and the  lights from buoys and lighthouses  to navigate.

Sailing Challenges

15 challenges including Bear Island Race, Little Venice Treasure Hunt (sail through canals), collision avoidance and passage planning exercises and sailing games.

“eSail – The Sailing Simulator has raised the benchmark higher for comprehensive, fully detailed and exhaustively accurate Sailing education. Simply put the tutorials included here are brilliant!”

“If you’re new to sailing this is a fantastic way to learn at home and brush up skills. If you’re an experienced sailor then it’s still great fun and adventures can be had navigating around using charts or sailing through challengingly tight spaces!”

Practical Boat Owner

10 Best Ship Simulator Games, Ranked

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Best Co-Op Farming Simulation Games, Ranked

The best real life simulation games, best factory simulation games, ranked.

Simulation games have always been popular with certain types of gamers — those looking for deep gameplay, along with features that mimic real-world scenarios. Space simulators, empire simulators, city simulators, and even truck simulators are all very popular. However, when it comes to ship simulators, the pickings are somewhat slim.

10 Best Shop Simulator Games

As a niche offshoot of the management sim, these excellent Shop Simulator games task players with designing and managing their own retail shop.

There are three main types of ship simulators. Firstly, those that simply simulate piloting or sailing a single vessel , be this a large ship or a small sailing yacht. Secondly, there are those that simulate shipping in general, involving not just piloting a ship, but also trading goods. Lastly, there are military ship simulators, featuring live-action combat and generally a military campaign to complete.

Updated on September 3, 2024, by Mac Wheeler: The original list contained some great ship and boat simulation games. However, it was missing a couple of genres and lacked certain types of games that could have been covered. So it has been updated to add a few more games that bring a little more variety. This includes fleet command simulation, submarine simulation, and a cruise empire-building simulation. Combined, these add a little more breadth, and each of the new additions is a great game in its one right anyway.

10 Cruise Ship Tycoon

Build a cruise ship empire.

• Platforms : Microsoft Windows
• Released : June 17, 2003
• Developer : Cat Daddy Games
• Genre : Business simulation game, Strategy Video Game

Cruise Ship Tycoon is a game that shares features with similar titles, such as Railroad Tycoon . Unfortunately, it has become abandonware since its release in 2003. However, the original game has been made available as a free download by the developers, Cat Daddy Games. The download is available from many of the popular abandonware websites.

In Cruise Ship Tycoon , the player starts with a very basic cruise ship and must operate profitably, reinvesting profits into upgrading and improving their ship. Eventually, the player will operate a whole fleet of cruise ships, and this adds to the logistics challenges that this game poses. Graphically, the game looks a little dated now, but if a player can overlook this, then this is a game that has a lot to offer. Overall, an old game, but a good one, and worthy of a place on this list.

9 Command: Modern Air Naval Operations

Tactical fleet battles.

• Released : September 24, 2013
• Developer : Warfare Sims
• Genre : Real-time strategy

Released in 20189, Command: Modern Air Naval Operations has received very positive reviews. Based on the operation of a military fleet, this isn’t just a ship simulation game, it is a complete war simulation game. Battles involve multiple countries and take place on large, detailed maps that are geographically and historically correct.

Naval and also air warfare takes place across mission scenarios, which are tactical rather than strategic. These missions are set from just after the end of World War 2 and go forward from there. At sea, the player has control of entire fleets with a wide range of units, including submarines. Overall, this is a great warfare simulation game for players who enjoy tactical challenges.

8 Cold Waters

Detailed submarine simulation.

• Platforms : Microsoft Windows, macOS
• Released : July 5, 2017
• Developer : Killerfish Games
• Genre : Simulation Video Game, Indie game, Strategy

Cold Waters is one of the best submarine simulation games ever released. It is based on the old 1988 game, Red Storm Rising. It takes much of the tactical gameplay from this earlier game and extends it. The game is lauded for its realism. How real? Real-time combat can often involve waiting 30 minutes or more for a torpedo to reach its target. The focus here is on being an accurate sub simulator, rather than a game.

The game has over 40 classes of ships and submarines that the player can take command of. The gameplay is strategic, with each mission having an impact on the overall goals of the nation the player is representing. If they do well, this nation will win the war. Anyone who wants to try a challenging game that can be relaxing one minute and entirely frantic the next might like to give Cold Waters a try.

7 Ship Simulator Extremes

Old school paradox interactive sim.

• Released : 2010
• Developer : Paradox Interactive
• Genre : Ship Simulator

Before Paradox Interactive became known for quality grand strategy games such as Stellaris and the entire Victoria franchise, it developed and published a fair number of forgotten titles. One of these is Ship Simulator Extremes . This is a game that lets players take control of various sea-going craft, such as a supertanker, a whaler, and a coast guard vessel.

Released in 2010, it is somewhat dated now on the graphics front. The game includes several play modes, including the story mode, specific hand-crafted scenarios, an environmentally focused campaign, and even a multiplayer mode.

6 Ports Of Call

An excellent but ancient shipping simulator.

• Platforms : Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Amiga, DOS, AmigaOS
• Released : 1987
• Developer : Dipl. Ing. Rolf-Dieter Klein

Ports of Call is a very old game, originally released for the Commodore Amiga home computer . It combines text and graphics-based game progression with live-action footage. Rather than purely simulating the piloting of a ship, it simulates a trading empire based around a single tramp steamer.

The following excellent farming simulation games let players share the fun with a friend or group.

Gamers might be put off by the fact that this game is almost 40 years old at the time of writing. However, there is a reason it was ported to Microsoft Windows and is still available for sale on Steam. And this reason is that it is simply a great game. Sure, it is a throwback to the days when games were simpler, but this is part of its charm.

5 European Ship Simulator

Cruising the sea ports of europe.

• Released : 2016
• Developer : Excalibur

This is a ship simulation game that offers quite a lot. There are over eighty different vessels that can be controlled by the player. The behavior of each ship is carefully modeled. Small ships will struggle on high seas, while larger ships will simply bully their way through even the largest waves.

European Ship Simulator comes complete with its own mission editor , which the player can use to extend the gameplay in ways that are only limited by their imagination. However, only 6 European ports are included in the game, which is a little bit of a shame, as it means the navigable area is quite limited.

4 Task Force 1942

Naval action in the south pacific.

• Platforms : Microsoft Windows, DOS
• Released : 1992
• Developer : Microprose
• Genre : Military Ship Simulator

The first military ship simulator on this list, Task Force 1942 , is an older Microprose title. It pits the U.S. Navy against Japanese forces in the South Pacific during World War 2. This is a vast game, with hundreds of different combat vessels fully modeled and simulated.

There are two game modes in Task Force 1942 . Firstly, there is the campaign mode, and the player can choose to represent either America or Japan. This is a fantastic recreation of the war in the South Pacific. Secondly, there are many scripted scenarios based on famous battles of the era that players can try. Overall, this game deserves a place on this list simply because of its huge scope and historical accuracy.

3 Carrier Command 2

Full naval battle simulator.

• Platforms : GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows, macOS
• Released : 2021

The second Microprose military ship simulator on this list, Carrier Command 2 is something of a spiritual successor to the aforementioned Task Force 1942 . And while this game does enable the player to take control of a massive aircraft carrier, it offers so much more. Every boat and aircraft launched from the carrier can be player-controlled — or left to operate under AI control.

There is an impressive variety of life simulation games available, and these are easily the best out of all of them.

As military strategy games go, very few demonstrate as many accurate details as Carrier Command 2 . Although the player is free to play the game from the scenario viewpoint, where this game really shines is in the team-based multiplayer mode. Opposing teams take control of their own carrier, and team members fly missions from its deck with an impressive range of planes and other military hardware.

2 Sailaway: The Sailing Simulator

In-depth sailing simulation.

• Platforms : Microsoft Windows and macOS
• Released : 2017
• Developer : Orbcreation
• Genre : Sailing Simulator

Accuracy is the premise of Sailaway: The Sailing Simulator . Even the Steam page warns that this is not a game in the truest sense, but a detailed sailing simulator that is backed by a huge community of real-world sailing aficionados.

The simulation takes place in the South Pacific, with accurately recreated coastlines, including all the islands, each of which can be visited by the player. Gameplay takes place in a persistent world ; this is not an offline game. This means that before a player goes offline, they will need to ensure that they have set their autopilot, and the boat is operating at optimal levels. This game earns a place on this list due to its incredible attention to detail.

1 Sinking Simulator

A different take on ship simulation.

• Released : 2013
• Developer : Wicpar

This game would have earned a place on this list simply for having such a great premise. However, it deserves the number one place because, despite its tongue-in-cheek nature, it is actually an incredibly fun game to play. Even though it was released over a decade ago, it is noted as having one of the best soft-body physics engines ever made.

Gameplay involves taking one of the many included ships, including certain historic ones, and well, trying to sink them. This isn’t as easy to achieve as it may sound, though. These ships are simulated accurately and were originally designed not to sink, even when damaged catastrophically. The player can set certain conditions, such as the type of damage received and where, and then watch how the ship performs. Will it sink or won’t it?

Simulation games have several subgenres, such as factory simulations, and these are the best for players to try.

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Play AC Sailing

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Online Qualifiers for the America’s Cup e-Series to start July 31st

The Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup takes a revolutionary step into the future with the launch of the America's Cup e-Series, its debut esports league. This groundbreaking competition, powered by the hyper-realistic AC Sailing PC game, offers a unique opportunity for gamers to not only compete for a €50,000 prize pool, but also to experience the unparalleled thrill of racing a real AC40 yacht against a Youth America's Cup team. The America's Cup e-Series kicks off with six rounds of online qualifiers, running from July 31st to September 14th. Open to all AC Sailing players, these qualifiers will grant six coveted seats in the Grand Final in Barcelona, where eight finalists will battle it out for the title of America's Cup e-Series Champion. Full details about the competition format and registration can be found at www.americascup.com/e-series.

About This Game

System requirements.

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-6600 (3.3Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (3.2Ghz)
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB or AMD RX 570 8GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Storage: 10 GB available space
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• Processor: Intel Core i7-8700 (3.2Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (3.6 Ghz)
• Graphics: Nvidia RTX 2070 8GB or AMD RX 5700XT 8GB

What Curators Say

Customer reviews for ac sailing.

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Virtual Skipper 5

Navigate the 14 legendary ocean water courses.

4 types of boats

Skipper the class ACC, the Trimaran Open 60, the Offshore Racer or the Melges 64.

Edit your own maps

Enjoy the seascapes editor and the mediatracker.

Considered to be the ultimate in nautical simulations, the Virtual Skipper series has enjoyed huge critical and commercial success over the past few years. Take part in thrilling regattas aboard world-class boats on a sea surging with realism in single- and multiplayer games.

System requirements

• Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista
• CPU: Pentium IV 1.6GHz / AMD Athlon XP1600+
• RAM: 256 MB (XP) or 512 MB (Vista)
• 3D graphics card: 16 MB, 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible
• Sound card: 16 bit DirectX compatible
• Hard drive: 1.5 GB free disk space
• English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Free game download

What do i do in virtual skipper 5.

Virtual Skipper 5 enables you to skipper the finest competition boats currently available in over 14 different ocean water courses; the settings for the most prestigious international competitions such as Valencia, Auckland, Rio, Marseille...

If the regattas at the helm of the Class ACC boats is the highlight of this new Virtual Skipper title, the other class of boats are also featured in the game. Players can therefore take the helm of four types of competition boat, each behaving differently on an ultra-realistic sea modelled and animated to perfection.

Though the 'Class America' boats are the stars of this new episode, players will appreciate the variety offered by the inclusion of other types of boat, such as the Trimaran Open 60, the real 'formula ones' of the sea, the Offshore Racer and the Melges 24.

An editor will also give you the ability to create integrally your own regattas and ocean water courses which will guarantee renewed and continued gameplay fun in the Internet multiplayer games.

© 2011 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, Nadeo , the Ubisoft logo and the Nadeo logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Ubisoft Privacy Policy

About Sailaway

Sailaway iii.

Sailaway III is a virtual sailing environment. A realistic simulation of sailing in all it's complexity. With virtual sailboats, saling clubs, online races and actual weather conditions.

The MMO open world has the same size and shape as the real world. This also means that the sailing distances are the same as in the real world. Sailing from Europe to the US will take several weeks. But don't worry, because when you log off, your boat will continue to sail to the next waypoint

A multiplayer game for sailing where you may encounter other boats, sail together or compete against others in races. There is an active and welcoming community of enthusiastic sailors, who not only organize races, but also non-competitive events like flottiljas.

The physics of your boat are simulated are realistic as possible. Hydrodynamics determine your boat's behavior in the waves and airodynamics determine the flow of the air in your sail and the power it produces. You can visualize this air flow to learn and experiment with the trim lines. Those trim lines can even be customized.

During your journey, you will experience the same weather and the same local time as the real world at that location. When it storms in the real world, there will be a storm with dark clouds and huge waves in the virtual world as well. And when there is no wind in the real world, your boat will float helplessly in the vast ocean waiting for a breeze. Or you may find your boat in the middle of a dark night. Unllike in Sailaway II, these conditions can be temporarily altered, but where is the fun in that? Read more...

Tidal waterlevels are automatically applied everywhere you go. With a bit of help from the sailing community the tidal currents will be applied as well. Read more...

There is now a non-GPS mode in which the sailor has to rely on a magnetic compass and celestial navigation. The magnetic compass points to the magnetic north.

Food and water provisions are kept and reduced daily according to the temperature and weather conditions. Taking in a lot of food and water will the boat heavier and slow it down. Underwater growth is also gradually added on your journey and will have a negative effect on boat speed as well.

Educational

Many people without any sailing experience have become true sailors by learning the basics of sailing in Sailaway. There is even a public school that uses Sailaway to educate the children in sailing. But also experienced sailors improved their sailing skills with Sailaway. It helps them with a better understanding of sail trim and tactics through practice.

The position of the sun, moon, planets and stars is simulated accurately for the position of your boat and the time. In non-GPS mode you need to use the sextant to compute your position and progress.

The buoys, lights and other seamarks of the real world are also present in the virtual environment of Sailaway. You will find the coastal waters at night filled with the rhythmic flashing of red, white and green lights according to their light signatures. They are a perfect way to practice your navigation skills.

The flow of air along the sails is computed and simulated in real-time. There is no ideal setting, no hidden presets, nothing like that. If you want your boat to go fast, you need to trim the sails to give maximum power, while maintaining a laminar flow at an ideal angle. Just like in the real world. With one important difference: In sailaway you can make the air visible and actually see how it flows around your sails.

This creates a unique experience and a fantastic learning environment. You can experiment as much as you like with different line tensions, different deck layouts and even differently cut sails.

Leech is too tight and bottom curve too far forward. Ease the vang or pull the traveller to starboard, ease the cunninghamhole a bit as well.

Top is too tight. Ease the leadcar back and play with the sheet.

Boat designer

Sailaway III comes with an advanced boat designer. You can upload and create a 3D model of your dream boat and Sailaway will fill in the hard bits.

A boat has many moving parts and those moving parts may in turn have other moving parts attached to them. The boat designer takes care of this and makes sure that everything behaves naturally and in accordance with the sail settings and the trim of the boat.

The sail designer makes sure your sails will function like you would expect.

Sailaway does the math needed to predict the behaviour and speed of the boat. It incorporates the actual forces in the sails, the water drag, wind drag, the lift generated by the hull, the sails and the foils, rudder drag, etc. Every force that also operates on a real boat is taken into account and results in speed, heel, lift and maneouvrability.

When sailing online, speeds are not based on predefined polar diagrams like in other games. It's the other way around. Polar diagrams are based on the speed data that is gathered while you sail.

When sailing offline, these intense physics computations can't be made in real time. Boat speeds for offline sailing will be custom for your boat and your skills. To make your boat go faster when you sail offline you need to "train" it (and yourself) by trying to sail as fast as possible, while Sailaway records your data in your personal polar diagrams.

World editor

It's easy to add or edit a sea mark like a buoy or light or the change the water depth in a port. Ports and coastal areas can be edited and decorated with many standard objects or with your own custom models. The intensity of the automatically generated vegetation can be adjusted as well.

But beware: There is only one world. That means your edits are shared with all sailors.

When you purchase Sailaway III, it comes with 2 boat slots. One of them pre-filled with the 38' Cruiser . There is also the free Nordic Folkboat . The 38' cruiser is the perfect boat to undertake great voyages. The Nordisk Folkboat is smaller and easier to handle. A fine boat to learn the basics and get acquainted with the interface. For many people these are all they ever need for their sailing adventures.

If you want to sail other boats or sail more than 2 boats, you can purchase a boat design or a boat slot with bubbles. A bubble is the internal currency of Sailaway. more info...

Do you have a Steam account? Please go to the Steam Store and put Sailaway III on your wishlist.

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Games that try to simulate real-world activities (like driving vehicles or living the life of someone else) with as much realism as possible. Simulators generally require more study and orientation than arcade games, and the best simulators are also educational.

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