Delorme In Reach for Offshore.

[LotNick]

I know the InReach works well, but we have chosen Yellow Brick and we are very happy with it. It is cheaper to use and just as reliable.

[barnakiel]

Moneywise, how does the YB stack up against InReach and Spot, should we opt for a full one year plan for each? I mean, including the unit itself and their respective annual data plans?

b.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Re message costs. Preset messages have no additional charge. Ive set mine up to use presets for all my usual check-ins. Each preset has a distribution list defined for it. I modify distrubution for each trip. Using presets makes it way easier to send a message and costs nothing additional.

Doing this, and just occassional free form messages, Ive yet to exceed my basic plan (~$17/mo).

Those are good tips.

The presets interest me, since they have no additional charge, and can be modified too. I assumed the presets were set by the factory, or default presets like ("Require Help") or very short and simple ("I am OK").

Please post some example preset messages you use, so we can see the length and type you would recommend during passages. What will fit?

Also, how many presets are allowed to be stored?

Thanks in advance.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Those are good tips.

The presets interest me, since they have no additional charge, and can be modified too. I assumed the presets were set by the factory, or default presets like ("Require Help") or very short and simple ("I am OK").

Please post some example preset messages you use, so we can see the length and type you would recommend during passages. What will fit?

Also, how many presets are allowed to be stored?

Thanks in advance.[emoji2]

IIRC there were factory defaults for presets, but you can define your own. Unfortunately there are only 3. Mine are:

All OK

Delayed, but OK

Camping/Anchoring here for the night

Each can have a distribution list defined which can include emails, cell phones (via SMS), and MapShare (posts to the online map on InReach/Garmin site). Each message includes your lat/lon.

There are also quick text messages which you can predefine and select when sending a message from the InReach device. These are handy because typing in a message on the device is tedious (you can pair with a smart phone to make this much easier, but thats not practical for some activities...kayaking for example). However, these count against usage.

All the above are done via their web site and then sync'ed with the device.

Then of course for anything else you can type a free form text message...or worst case press the SOS button.

Ive used mine for about 6 months now and have yet to have any charges over my plan (basic safety plan at ~$17/mo).

[01kiwijohn]

You can make this weather business as complicated as you want to deal with. Basic, is just fine with me. I just need general stuff, then combine it with local Mb, cloud patterns, wind direction etc. then put it on my own (home made) plotting sheet. So far, I've been able to figure it out ok, without major drama and the delorme has been a nice addition. I don't bother with all those grib files. I'm not racing, there's no money at stake, and it gives me something to do.

[Privleoplag]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Those are good tips.

The presets interest me, since they have no additional charge, and can be modified too. I assumed the presets were set by the factory, or default presets like ("Require Help") or very short and simple ("I am OK").

Please post some example preset messages you use, so we can see the length and type you would recommend during passages. What will fit?

Also, how many presets are allowed to be stored?

Thanks in advance.

Here are my 3 at the present time:
1. It's been a good day. Anchored now. All is good, all is well.
2. All is well. We will communicate more when internet/cell signals are available. No worries, just checking in.
3. Please check the surrounding weather/forecast at our location and reply.120 Characters Max,use abbrev.: OMM-JCOMM-GMDSS / World Marine Weather Forecast

I send the first one to map share, Facebook, and 3 or 4 family members, the second to several family members.
The third one, weather request, I send to my brother who is a pilot, and step-son who is a farmer. Both are good weathermen.
120 characters max.

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

The presets interest me, since they have no additional charge

Unlike in US plans, there is no mention of preset messages on the Canadian plans. Although you can still send them, I think they count as one message. Does anyone know if this is correct?

[belizesailor]

Follow up post re plans/cost.

I recently took friends sailing for a week in Belize. Several aboard who wanted to stay in touch w family. I set up preset msgs before trip w distrubution lists including their contacts. We also sent a number of free form texts during the trip. I was expecting additional charges, but surprisingly had none.

I have the basic saftey plan for about $16.50 per month (includes 10 free form text msgs, $0.50 per additional msg, and unlimited presets).

Still have yet to exceed the parameters of the basic plan by using presets.

Damn good value I think for $16.50/mo.

[captjamied]

...still have an inReach for sale. Last buyer fell through.
$250
PM for details.

[ToddandCelia]

Have folks used this as their primary weather forecasting when internet not available or just as a supplement?

[laika]

Originally Posted by ToddandCelia

Have folks used this as their primary weather forecasting when internet not available or just as a supplement?

Only speaking for this boat, we used wx forecasting on the delorme as a primary source only a qualified basis. Internet is so widely available these days its been rare to have to rely on the delorme for periods longer than a few days, even in the remotest parts of the bahamas.

When cruising "in season" I had few reservations about relying on it for stretches, but feel much less secure with it when cruising with a greater possibility of serious wx forming. It's hard to get a full picture with it of what's going on around you.

It's vastly better than nothing, but more info more better if you can get it.

[captjamied]

That's not really what it is designed for...unless you have a subscription with a 3rd party weather forecasting service that could text you of any updated forecasts for your area.
It is a satellite text messenger.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by ToddandCelia

Have folks used this as their primary weather forecasting when internet not available or just as a supplement?

The information in the forecast is very rudimentary and its only a spot forecast (only for the location where it was requested). So, its better than nothing, but not enough info for weather routing, storm avoidance, etc. Personally, I would not feel comfortable with InReach forecasts as my primary source under normal circumstances.

That said I have used it for weather when nothing else is available (usually not sailing though: trekking, kayaking,...). On the boat Ive got lots of options so would not be down to just InReach unless something went bad wrong.

[laika]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

The information in the forecast is very rudimentary and its only a spot forecast (only for the location where it was requested).

You can request forecasts from any location by entering the GPS coordinates you'd like. See page 5 http://downloads.ocens.com/downloads...Cast_Setup.pdf

You can piece together a workable weather briefing by requesting wx from various locations. Agreed that it's less than glamorous though.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by laika

You can request forecasts from any location by entering the GPS coordinates you'd like. See page 5 http://downloads.ocens.com/downloads...Cast_Setup.pdf

You can piece together a workable weather briefing by requesting wx from various locations. Agreed that it's less than glamorous though.

We took a trip last year, from Texas thru the states to Florida, hopped across to Bimini and worked our way south as far as Georgetown before coming back. Two months in Bahamas. We used the OCENS Spotcast service with our In Reach. I think it was about $10 per month for the OCENS service, plus we went unlimited service on the In Reach for around $40. For OCENS, we got three-day forecasts for selected LAT/LONG locations, in four hour increments. This included wind strength and direction, wave and swell direction and height, and some other stuff. We found the point forecasts to be pretty accurate. When we did overnights and crossings, we would get forecasts for 2-3 points along the way. When in Bahamas, we listed to Chris Parker. His forecasts were more "macro" regarding range of wind speed and direction, and no wave or swell data. OCENS was remarkably good at timing front arrivals and wind direction and speed changes, and to identify how long we needed to wait for the swell to realign with the wind. (Its not instantaneous!)

Overall we found OCENS well worth the $10 per month. And our family enjoyed watching us on the In Reach map. We also had it paired with our ipad, which made it very easy to use to send texts (also to email addresses), and get weather forecasts. I know someone is going to say "its only a spot forecast for a point in time, and I must have GRIB data to do my own forecast, blah, blah, blah." I found OCENS forecasts reliable, I could get them where there was no cell phone coverage, and my time commitment in obtaining was minimal, which therefore maximized the sailing, snorkeling, hiking, beachcombing, etc time!

Finally, I think most "glamorous" might be XM/Sirius weather overlayed on your chartplotter. One boat we traveled with had that. They seemed to have similar forecasts to us, but I never really looked at theirs so I cant say for sure. It was April, May last year in the Exumas, and I know we went looking for sheltered anchorages the same time they did, for several late-season fronts that were rolling south. Three times Chris Parker said he was tracking the "last" norther coming thru the US, which each time turned out it wasn't the last!