Sat phone necessary?

[fjohnston]

We will be spending the summer in Grenada and leaving to bring our boat back to the states in November. The grand plan is to island hop home over the next 8-9 months. My question is, do I need to get a Sat phone/Iridium Go? We will be island hopping the entire time and was wondering how the cellular coverage is through the islands.

Thanks in advance.

Fletcher Johnston

[denverd0n]

Cellular coverage around the islands is pretty good. You will, however, at times, be outside of the range of cell towers. So do you NEED a sat phone? No, a lot of people do this kind of island hopping without one. But then a lot of people feel much more secure and comfortable with one. The question is, how "in touch" do you need to be to feel comfortable?

[bvander]

If need/desire to keep f&f updated check out delorne in reach. Allows preset messages with location, also has a txting capability. Lot cheaper than a cell phone.
Even lower on cost scale is SPOT, preset message with location, no txting capability

[sailjumanji]

Delorme inreach. Link it to an iPad so you can have a full sized keyboard. Text messages to family phone, or email account. Position updates every ten minutes plotted on a web page for them to view. Highly recommended.

[captain58sailin]

Last fall when I was embarking on an extensive voyage, from Alaska to the PNW, I found my SSB antenna needed replacing and the soonest I could get one was 8 days away, which was too long of a wait time for me then, I opted for the Delorme InReach, which is a way to stay in touch and less expensive than a sat phone. I don't feel the need to be able to call anyone no matter where I am on the planet. With this unit I could send a short text, to reassure the beach side folks of my SITREP and give them a location at the same time. I interfaced it with my "Smarter than me phone" to make the texting easier. I also have the ability to send a mayday if I need to. I have no affiliation with Delorme, only a satisfied customer.

[daletournier]

Ive had a iridium for years, only hook it up when going to be remote with little likelihood of help. The problem imho with iridium is the minutes are expensive and if you don't use them you loose them!
Now I try not to use them as I want plenty in reserve in case of an emergency when you do really need them. It seriously sucks that at the end of 6mths those minutes disappear, if you had them until you used them then I'd have no issue, I purchased them, therefore they should be mine to use at my leisure.
I'm considering iridium go for my next trip as I can cancel or suspend my perscription when I'm not using it, plus I like the predictawind app.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app