Boat Oversight
In a world where you can track your friends’ locations in real time and stream yourself live on the internet, it should come as no surprise that you can also keep a close eye on your boat from the comfort of home. In fact, not only is there a plethora of options out there, but most of them go a lot further than simply telling you where your boat is. As for you Luddites who think this kind of thing is a bit much, be aware that many insurers offer a discount of up to 10 percent if you have a boat monitor, which means a basic system can even pay for itself in the end.
RAISING THE ALARM
At its simplest, a monitor is just a GPS tracker that relays your boat’s position to a computer, tablet or smartphone via a dedicated app. You can also pre-set a specific boundary—so-called geo-fencing—in which case it will warn you if your boat ever strays too far, much like an anchor alarm.
Most units raise an alarm via their local cellphone network and therefore only function in areas with reasonable coverage; even with a booster aboard, your range will be just a few miles. Many have built-in SIM cards with a set monthly subscription. Others allow you to choose your own. In either case, you should check the coverage for any areas you want to cruise. If you’re sailing off the beaten track, a more foolproof approach
