Nervous...Any Advice?

[Jennybug]

The guys left yesterday and last contact was around 8 pm. We didnt set up the SPOT correctly so we may not hear anything for the rest of the trip. GRRRRRRR

[jenny.caron]

My husband and I got married in July. Three days later, he was off on a trip to Florida for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do an underwater archaeology expedition for school. We were both thrilled, but the two weeks that we were out of contact were very difficult. He was 250 miles off the coast of Florida and I was back in Boston on our boat. While I was terrified of him being so far out, it was so fantastic when we did get to speak again. I'm sure they'll be fine. Just make sure to keep yourself busy and trust that they'll be ok

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Jennybug

Just bought the SPOT and we are picking it up tonight. It really eases my mind that this will enable us to track them. Even after the passage it will be a good tool to carry on board. If we take off for a few days and don't have cell service our family will know we are safe. :-)

Jen

Just have them read the directions and follow them ...More heart ake has been caused buy them for some purchasers then not having one..

Example...you stop getting signals and now you really are in panic mode...invisioning all sorts of calamity...then the Coast Guard gets called and they were safe all along ...oblivious to the non functiong unit...Its happened just recently...The thread is here somewhere.

Personally I think they are a glorified toy not to be trusted...clever and neet ..but a toy none the less...DONT depend on it for your piece of mind.


Edit: WOOPS!...Old thread..I didnt see your last post...OH well good advice for future anyway..

So how was their trip? Update us!

[Intentional Drifter]

Jenny, the part I picked up on was you being bummed about not being able to go along! Good going, there, and don't forget it! Make him take you out for a nice long sail when they get the boat to you.

You might also want to "follow along" a bit. Go to PassageWeather - Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers and keep up on the conditions they are likely experiencing along the way. That will sort of keep you in on the action. (Actually, if they're leaving over the next few days, it looks like they will have some excellent sailing conditions and perhaps a day or so of light winds; they might be motoring some.) Also, the NOAA weather site, and many others, like buoyweather will do the same.

If they have excellent sailing, then think of that as a penalty period. He has to pay you back. The more fun he has on this trip, then the more fun he owes you!

ID

[mct]

Urg,i don't much fancy the tracker type of device. I had one (not a spot but similar, gave a position on google earth) and something went wrong wth it and gawd, all the wives and girlfriends (tho not mine) went mental.

If it stops transmitting the chances are very very high that the device has broken or been dropped/smashed or run out of batteries etc.

[Intentional Drifter]

Yeah, that's the problem with the darn things. The ratio of false positives to true positives is way out of whack, not because "something happened", but because the instructions weren't understood (Instructions? What instructions? I don't need no stinking manual, I'm a man!).

Having said that, if the instructions are followed, and if they are kept out of harm's way, then they seem like a pretty good little gizmo.

ID

[Solitude]

Did the guys make it ? the last post was from 01-11-2009

[SkiprJohn]

They made it.
Check the poster under in the search engine after my signature and you'll get the full story.
regards,

[Jace]

"Husband and father" ? Hmmm, kinky!

In the spirit of the late Bill Hicks, just kidding.

[daddle]

Spot is not a safety device. You need to know that no report does not indicate a problem. There are any number of ways the thing can fail...

They have an EPIRB, right?

BTW - My PO (previous owner) mounted the hydrostatic release EPIRB under the bimini. Is there no limit to stupidity?

[zeehag]

my spot worked great while i was underway-- all i had to do was remember to push A BUTTON ONCE DAILY..... is easy. failure???only fail i saw was when i forgot to push button.....hhmmmmmm...or change battery every 3-4 days of constant use.....

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by daddle

Spot is not a safety device. You need to know that no report does not indicate a problem. There are any number of ways the thing can fail...

They have an EPIRB, right?

BTW - My PO (previous owner) mounted the hydrostatic release EPIRB under the bimini. Is there no limit to stupidity?

there is a safety feature in spot wherein if you need help, press a button and one of yer friends or family will get a 9-11 message---- and can call for ye if that is desired. epirb, unfortunately , can and will make false alarms. here, now , in mazatlan, i have watched the uscg shoot thru anchorages looking for something with their epirb seeking device as if someone sent a signal.....LOL... argue forever-- there are many ways to be aided if you so desire. or need. ye just have to REMEMBER to push a button or make sure that button is not pushed , as ye see fit.

[LSUE]

Newby here and let me confess right now I'm a bad speller and am ignorant of sailing terminolgy......please bear with me.

Wish I would have read this thread sooner as my hubby left from Ft. Lauderdale on Thursday as well. He is one of several men on my cousin's hubby's new (to him) 72 ft. Frersketch. Plans are for the women to join the guys in Antigua but this trip is going so slow don't know if it will happen or not.

The first night was the hardest as I repeatedly looked at the weather info and pictured him bobbing around in the Atlantic. We've been boaters our entire lives but not sail boaters! This is a dream trip for him and while I surely wish it were not at this time of the year no way would I protest his going.

Tomorrow they will stop at a marina in San Salvador Bahamas to have some repairs done on the boat. Will be nice to have a phone connection that isn't competing with the sound of the wind.

[zeehag]

dont worry about the weather until you see a ts with a name forming over his head. and if it is forming over his head, will be low cat so isnt gonna kill him outright just yet...ye may have to wait a coupla days for that-- he will be ok.....watch storm pulse and see what he is getting into---- will be ok for a bit yet....