Yacht Tracking for family and friends back home

[s3bpilot]

Am setting sail and want to let family and friends see where we are along with brief updates. We have an Iridum Go. Can anyone recommend a tracking service solution?

[Snore]

Originally Posted by s3bpilot

Am setting sail and want to let family and friends see where we are along with brief updates. We have an Iridum Go. Can anyone recommend a tracking service solution?

Get the PRO package from predict wind. It has tracking and routing. It is not cheap, but dang it is good.

[Checkswrecks]

Garmin's inReach Mini is the cheapest approach I've found and I've used mine all over the world. Mine is usually on my PFD because it also has the SOS function.
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/592606

[ohthetrees]

+1 inreach. Just tracked the boat I bought all the way from New Caledonia to Hawaii. Unlimited texting, and unlimited tracking something like $70/month, but they have cheaper plans, and billing is month to month so you can turn it off. This device became absolutely indispensable when the Iridium Go on board broke. Crew had been doing own weather and route planning, but when the Iridium went, I took on role of weather forecaster and route planner. Gave them weather updates 2X day and routing advice. Really saved us some trouble.

[maine50]

Second the suggestion of the In Reach. I did about 8000 miles in an Atlantic Circle in 2017-2018. The inreach was great for friends and family to track and stay in touch via text. Two warnings-
1- You have to be very emphatic that under no circumstance call Coast Guard if they don't receive tracking points- you might have dropped the inreach overboard- into water, you might have shut if off to conserve battery -etc.
2- Some people think texting is only a few words at a time and will send 4 or 5 messages that could have been 1 message- 160 char allowed. Unless you get "unlimited plan " you pay by message.

[psk125]

Our nephew used Inreach to let us know about progress on a HNL-SFO trip. Showed boat speed and position along with a brief message: e.g.: Caught a Mahi-Mahi today. Seemed a bit spotty, but that may have been because he wasn’t updating things at his end (busy fishing?)

[Snore]

The inReach is great. But if the OP owns a go why buy something else????

[GreenWave]

Am about to inherit an Iridium GO on a boat purchase. What kind of plans and rates are applicable for this type of device?

[Snore]

Originally Posted by GreenWave

Am about to inherit an Iridium GO on a boat purchase. What kind of plans and rates are applicable for this type of device?

I just upgraded for my deliveries in Nov, did a lot of testing and finished an article for PS.

There are several options for getting weather. You can get free GRIBS using auto responders. Luck GRIB let’s you order custom area gribs, it does not have tracking- but is inexpensive.

But only Predict Wind Pro has the full European model, tracking, and weather routing off your polars or some standard polars they have.

IMHO get the SIM cards and data from PW they have the lowest activation fee ($10 for the sim).

[bobmcd625]

If the boat has AIS your friends can track your boat via Marine Traffic's satellite tracking service. It costs a bit but can be turned on and off as will. You can get noon and/or midnight position reports via email or text. I just followed a friend across the Atlantic using Marine Traffic and Predict Wind (which was equally good and did not cost me anything!)

[neophytecruiser]

Perhaps I'm incorrect, but to use Predict The Wind for tracking purposes, I'm guessing you need one or more of these three conditions: a) be within cell phone coverage; b) have access to a SSB transceiver; or, c) have satellite communication capability. Those who have suggested the use of the Garmin 'In-Reach' for tracking ones position, world-wide, are offering a stand alone solution, requiring neither cell phone coverage, a SSB radio or separate satellite communication capability, such as an Iridium GO. The 'In-Reach' device is a stand alone solution using the Iridium satellite network to track location and communicate that data back to friends and family. It's precursor the SPOT locator (originally using the Iridium system, I believe, but now using Globestar, with more limited world wide coverage) is what we used while cruising to keep friends and family abreast of our location in beginning for us in 2006. The In-Reach device is superior in that it uses the Iridium system and is capable of sending and receiving text messages. As a disclaimer, I am not associated with Garmin, In-Reach or SPOT.

[bobmcd625]

Predict Wind can set up a web address which will show the boat's position at all times. See this: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tra...y/LaMustacheII
Not sure of the cost to the boat owner, but for the person following the boat it's free.

[Mikado]

IMHO, Garmin InReach Is the best $350 you will ever spend on your cruising boat. Also, subscription rates are flexible and very reasonable.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by neophytecruiser

Perhaps I'm incorrect, but to use Predict The Wind for tracking purposes, I'm guessing you need one or more of these three conditions: a) be within cell phone coverage; b) have access to a SSB transceiver; or, c) have satellite communication capability. Those who have suggested the use of the Garmin 'In-Reach' for tracking ones position, world-wide, are offering a stand alone solution, requiring neither cell phone coverage, a SSB radio or separate satellite communication capability, such as an Iridium GO. The 'In-Reach' device is a stand alone solution using the Iridium satellite network to track location and communicate that data back to friends and family. It's precursor the SPOT locator (originally using the Iridium system, I believe, but now using Globestar, with more limited world wide coverage) is what we used while cruising to keep friends and family abreast of our location in beginning for us in 2006. The In-Reach device is superior in that it uses the Iridium system and is capable of sending and receiving text messages. As a disclaimer, I am not associated with Garmin, In-Reach or SPOT.

The OP has gotten a GO device. Why would he buy another device when just buying airtime get him tracker and a much better weather?

I am extremely familiar with the inReach also- I own one. So my comments are not based on reading, but based on real world crossings on real boats.

When speaking to new owners I give the same simple guidance- an inReach is good if you want to read a weather forecast- a GO is good if you want to see the weather. That said for most people who just do short hops, the inReach will probably work.

For me- I am responsible for OP boats and want the best info I can get.

Once again, that is based on real world use delivering OP boats.

[hamburking]

Marinetraffic.com will show AIS data on a webpage, on any PC. So if you are transmitting AIS data, your friends (and ex wife) can follow you. And its totally free.

However, this only works in coastal regions.

www.marinetraffic.com