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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

12 yacht trackers compared to help you choose the right unit for your voyage

• November 21, 2016

Significant falls in the cost of worldwide tracking have made it viable for anyone who sails to share their position and status with a contact ashore. Pip Hare looks at what is available and what it costs.

Product Overview

This article was originally published nov 2016. it was last product and price checked 28 feb 2023..

Some of the products in this article are no longer available but this article contains other useful information you may want to read. If you want to buy a new tracker or messenger then have a look at our new article buyer’s guide.

A newer article is available Best satellite messenger and tracker for sailing and boating

Advances in tracking technologies have had a significant impact on offshore sailing, both cruising and racing. Once something used exclusively by extreme adventurers and offshore racers – significant falls in the cost of worldwide tracking have made it viable for anyone who sails to share their position and status with a contact ashore.

And trackers can do a lot more for you than just share your adventure. They allow owners to monitor their vessel when they are not on board. Unlike AIS, which broadcasts your position, custom trackers will only share your location with the people you choose.

GSM or satellite?

The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is equivalent to a mobile phone signal of 2G or above, and I was surprised to find how much coverage I managed to get during my testing on this network.

I carried out tests on the south coast of the UK, the west coast of Scotland and in the Swedish and Finnish archipelagos, and got total coverage everywhere except Scotland, where I had a GSM signal for around half the time on a two-day passage, enabling me to make the equivalent of four or five updates a day.

If you mostly sail around Europe, with the odd passage offshore, these could offer low-cost tracking and security solutions. For ocean sailing or in more remote or less developed locations, satellite trackers are a better bet.

I tested satellite trackers on two networks: Globalstar simplex and Iridium.

Globalstar has a 24-satellite network that reportedly achieves over 80 per cent coverage of the world’s surface. Globalstar solutions can provide a lower-cost satellite service for trackers, but because they use the simplex network this offers only one-way messaging.

Iridium ’s 66 satellites guarantee total global coverage, including in polar regions and mid-ocean. If you are heading further afield or if you require two-way communications Iridium should be your choice.

Airtime costs continue to come down and all the products I tested offered monthly pay-as-you-go packages, making satellite tracking a lot cheaper than you might think.

An example of the track record on a screen and the communications sent by text.

Fixed or portable?

Fixed trackers can be securely mounted, wired into a 12V supply and hidden from view. Without screens, they are the most robust units, but require an interface to administer. Remote monitoring of fixed devices could be useful if you leave the boat for long periods and if you are worried about security in a remote anchorage.

Portable trackers for the active person are a lifestyle purchase, useful for crews rather than boat owners. When buying a tracker for a big trip, think what charging options will be available to you – if these are limited, consider one of the units that takes regular batteries instead of requiring a plug-in to recharge and be certain to configure your device for minimum transmissions before you head off.

Advice for buyers

The tracker market is bursting with options. It can be quite difficult not to be the proverbial ‘kid in the sweet shop’ and opt for a unit that can just do everything. To make a sensible investment, consider carefully what functions will actually add new value to your whole boat set-up and where and how often you will be cruising.

Fixed trackers can lower insurance premiums. Portable trackers could be used in other sports or for charters abroad, so offer value in different ways. Certainly don’t write off the GSM option without considering your cruising ground first.

We should also see the cost of satellite comms dropping further. Last year saw the launch of OneWeb, backed by Richard Branson. The goal of this constellation of over 600 satellites is to provide low-cost broadband and mobile phone coverage with global coverage in the next couple of years, opening up the world of remote monitoring and operation even further.

Take a look at the comparison listing (and downloadable spreadsheet) on the next page to make up your own mind.

12 yacht trackers compared

First a few words about what functions are on offer and what they are useful for. Don’t get distracted by the vast range of functionality on offer. Important things to consider are: what functions are actually useful to you; what is the real cost of using extra functions; and does it represent good value?

Below is an outline of some of the more important functions I tested.

Sharing your track with friends is one of the wonderful things about this technology, so consider the ease of access to these facilities. I enlisted the help of my mum to test the sharing facilities for each tracker – the end-user experience ratings in the table are hers.

Remember that sending an SOS message from any of these trackers will not link directly to the maritime rescue services, so they should never take the place of an EPIRB or a VHF/HF distress alert. The SOS buttons will link you to a commercial rescue co-ordination centre which will relay your position.

Geo fencing

Setting a geographical boundary around your vessel which will generate an alert sent to specified contacts if broken. Mostly a security function, this could also be used as a remote anchor alarm if you head ashore.

Movement alert

Similar to geo fencing, but this will send an alert once the boat has started to move after a specified time spent stationary.

The tracker will stop transmitting if the boat stops moving for a specified period of time. In my tests this feature significantly improved battery life.

Shock sensor/collision sensor

Sends an alert if the unit receives a significant jolt, useful for theft or remote notification of a collision.

Preloaded messages

Created before a trip and uploaded to a device that has no keyboard. These can be sent to predefined contacts with one press of a button.

Two-way messaging

This could replace onboard email. Make sure you know if you are charged by the character or by the message. Inbound and outbound messages are charged.

Mapping portal

How does your chosen tracker export and display your positions? Not all trackers come with their own mapping portal, so bear that in mind.

Remote activation

This will allow the alarm to be turned off and on via the network – only available for GSM and Iridium trackers.

Sabotage alert

Notification if the power source is cut or tampered with.

Download the comparison table: 12 yacht trackers compared – Yachting World magazine

DeLorme inReach – portable – Iridium 8/10

The DeLorme inReach tracker has the whole package, including two-way messaging functions. Settings can be managed on the device itself via an online portal and also via Bluetooth to the EarthMate mobile phone app.

Messaging options include a selection of your own preloaded messages or free text, which can be typed in directly to the unit or created on a tablet or phone and sent using Bluetooth.

I recommend the app to manage this device as the screen is too small to navigate easily through menus or type text.

DeLorme is now offering enhanced, location-specific marine weather forecasts. There is no sleep function, so the battery lasted only 72 hours when the unit was set to transmit every five minutes – poor compared with the Spot (below).

The unit did not work at all indoors and it must be plugged in to recharge. Editing preloaded messages and preloading a contact list is essential to efficient use. The menus are not always intuitive, so it’s also worth reading the manual to make the most of all the functions.

My mum gave the DeLorme sharing pages the top rating for the end-user experience; she found it simple to navigate, felt the data was well represented and liked the high level of zoom.

Airtime plans vary, but you are charged around 8p for every location ‘ping’, which means my test of 72 hours at five-minute intervals cost £69. Ouch.

Monthly Fee: £12 (basic package: unlimited preloaded messaging +10 free text messages). Additional cost per ‘ping’ 8p

SuperSail – fixed – GSM 8/10

This is pitched as a security device, with all manner of add-on accessories for remote monitoring and operation, including float switches and door sensors.

I tested the basic model of tracker and GPS antenna only, which is managed through a mobile app. Getting an initial GPS lock took time; in the end I took the separate GPS antenna on deck to obtain a first fix and then installed it below decks with no disruption to GSM or GPS signals. LEDs on the front of the box indicate clearly if the unit has a signal – very useful for initial siting.

Tracking is not sharable through a public page, but if friends download the app they can track you on your own account (though they could also access the alarm configuration). The SuperSail obtains a position fix every ten minutes as standard, leaving a comprehensive trail to view. If you lose mobile signal the device will store up your position and transmit the backlog once a mobile signal has been regained.

Monthly airtime Europe £10

Monthly airtime worldwide £27

SmartOne C – fixed – Globalstar 7/10

The SmartOne C is similar in function to the Spot Trace, offering tracking and alerting, but with the versatility of a monthly contract. This device exports raw data and does not come with a bespoke mapping portal.

For my test I worked with GTC, a telecommunications company, and the GTC track platform for both the SmartOne C and G Sat Micro. If you are not technologically minded then working with a supplier could be a great solution as they would set up, configure and update any devices for you.

There is no separate public sharing page for the GTC track portal. Instead you register guests on to your main administration page then restrict their permissions. The site offers a good presentation of linked tracking data and is user-friendly.

Monthly fee – tracking only £5.00

Monthly fee – alerts and tracking £12.50

Monthly fee – GTC track £6.50 Activation fee £15.00

Spot Trace – fixed – Globalstar 7/10

The Spot Trace is a no-frills tracker in a rugged waterproof case that mounts inside a locker lid or just under the coachroof. It also worked down below when placed reasonably high up. If permanently mounting use the Spot waterproof lead to hardwire the unit to an external power source and it will still be rated as waterproof.

The Trace is set-up through the same portal as the Gen3, so requires internet access for configuration. It has the same tracking and alerting functions as the Gen 3, such as motions alerts and sleep mode, but without the messaging function, so airtime costs are slightly lower.

Annual fee – basic – including alerts to SMS £110

Spot Gen 3 – portable – Globalstar 8/10

The Spot Gen 3 provides an impressive battery life – I carried it around for over a month set to transmit every five minutes when moving and did not deplete the batteries.

The device will send alerts and a selection of five one-way messages to email or via SMS, but you pay extra for SMS messages. The entire unit is managed via an online portal where transmission frequencies, alerting and preloaded messages are set up. The Spot must be plugged into a computer connected to the internet to change configuration. Editing the standard preloaded message text is a must – one of them simply says ‘Help’.

Each Spot has its own mapping page that can be shared with friends and linked to social media. The sharing site is not particularly detailed and only displays seven days of tracking history – frustrating for those who would like to see the entire journey. You are now able to download the Spot app to display the full tracking history. However, this does not display a trail to link the different reports and is only available for IOS 8.

Annual fee: £125 (basic: including messages to email)

Enhanced tracking (more than 24hrs): +£30 per year

SOS support: +£15 per year

Messages to SMS: +10p per message

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GSat Micro – portable – Iridium 7/10

This device is the cutting-edge of tracker technology. It is the smallest Iridium tracker going, fitting comfortably in the palm of a hand. It also has incredibly advanced functionality, including the ability to receive and carry out advanced commands via satellite.

Its current uses are mainly commercial and military, but this is the space we should be watching to imagine what standard tracker technology will be offering us in years to come. The bad news is that you need to be a bit of a nerd to control the GSat micro. But with the right programmer you would be able to invent, write and test commands that could be carried out anywhere in the world – cutting the engine or turning instruments on or off would only be the start of its functionality.

Charges are monthly and relate to bytes and should be discussed with the provider – I’ve given prices for an entry-level package with the GTC track mapping portal.

Entry level package: £28 per month (12,000 bytes)

Activation fee: £37

YB tracking: YB3 – portable – Iridium 8/10 YB3i – fixed – Iridium 9/10

YB’s stand-out feature is its thoughtful sharing package. All YB trackers come with their own blog page as well as mapping application. Simply log on to your account and start writing – blogs will be attached to your tracking map and easily shared with contacts and on social media for free. The portal is easy to access, well presented and was another of mum’s favourites.

Both devices offer a full range of functions, including two-way messaging with free text. Just remember that you’re paying to receive messages, so train your friends to keep them short. Neither the portable or fixed device has a sleep mode; this is substituted by a ‘burst’ setting where the device transmits at a low frequency when stationary (12 hours maximum) then at a higher rate when moving.

The units are configured either via an online portal, Bluetooth to a mobile phone app, or on the screen of the YB3.

The app is essential for proficient use of the YB3i and of great benefit to the YB3 – I think it’s worth the extra money to buy the Bluetooth model.

YB3i fixed Iridium satellite yacht tracker. Monthly line rental £8; Credits 6p

The YB3 is a little large for a personal device – it comes with a pouch to mount it easily on the guardrail. However, the YB3i is waterproof to 5m, so could be mounted on deck.

I encountered a few problems with my YB3 unit failing to charge, which YB has now addressed. (The company offers good customer service to owners and viewers, one benefit of dealing directly with the manufacturer for the total package.)

Airtime costs are a pretty simple pay-as-you-go package and unused credits do not expire: one credit equals one position report and 50 characters of text sent or received.

Monthly line rental £8

Back2you Wired boat tracker – fixed and wired – GSM 7/10 & Personal tracker – portable – GSM 6/10

I tested the company’s wired boat tracker, self-contained longlife tracker and a small personal tracker. The Back2you trackers offer worldwide GSM coverage; the personal tracker is UK and Europe. They can be viewed and managed via an online portal.

The system is clearly set up for terrestrial vehicle monitoring, but with the satellite-based Google Maps base it works very well afloat.

The wired boat tracker showed an excellent level of track detail when set to transmit every 30 seconds. Back2you also has a mobile phone app that can send commands to the trackers, but I did not find this very user-friendly, so would recommend sticking with the portal.

Back2You self-contained GSM boat tracker.

The self-contained longlife tracker is purely for anti-theft. There is nothing to fit or install, no batteries to manage – just hide it away on your boat. It will switch on once a day and ping you a position, but if your boat is stolen you can switch it to live monitoring. Batterylife is three years.

This personal tracker is impressive in use, easy to stuff in a pocket, but it’s not waterproof and its functionality is designed more for the security of children and vulnerable adults.

First year free with purchase of device.

Subsequent annual fee: £60

Smartphone app: £2.99

Personal tracker (GiffGaff pay as you go): £5 per month

Yachtsafe – fixed – GSM 6/10

Yachtsafe is more of a security device than a public tracker. It checks its position every ten minutes, but doesn’t keep a historical log, so has limited appeal for position sharing with friends.

Position reports are on request from the mobile app and then shown on your phone’s mapping application.

There is a good range of alerts, including a sabotage warning, and extra sensors can provide further input to the unit. The system only covers Europe and charges an annual fee that includes 500 messages. I used 20 messages in a four-day trial.

Annual fee: £69 (500 messages – valid for one year only)

Yachtsafe fixed GSM tracker. Annual fee: £69 (500 messages – valid for one year only).

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Where are the Ships Now?

Where do ships positions come from.

The system is based on AIS . Receiving stations cover the entire range of 40 nautical miles (about 75 km) and periodically receive information from some more remote vessels. Read more about AIS on Wikipedia .

What is the maximum coverage area?

It is difficult to determine the maximum coverage area, but it can be imagined in this example: a vessel with an AIS transmitter connected to an external antenna located at a height of 15 meters above sea level will be able to exchange a signal with the coastal AIS station at a distance of 15-20 nautical miles (approximately 28-38 km). The higher the AIS stations are, both shipboard and shore, the further the radio signal will spread.

Want to know more? See our helpful Guide to learn how AIS maps work.

Screen Rant

Below deck sailing yacht season 6 could be a success (the show should make these changes if it continues).

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht Producers Should Have Edited Gary King Out (He's Ruining The Show)

Captain glenn & daisy kelliher scold this below deck sailing yacht star amid red flags & signs he’s a producer plant, will below deck sailing yacht get a new captain (captain glenn's red flags ruined reputation).

Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 6 could be a success in the future even after the current season’s been a major flop if the show makes some major changes as it continues . While Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 was one of the most highly anticipated premieres of Bravo’s fall lineup, it’s been disappointing for viewers who were ready to see more drama. Despite knowing that things would likely be a bit different for the series after Gary King’s drama derailed the show for nearly a year, viewers were hopeful that the new season would bring back the same energy.

Instead, Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 has been a disappointment thus far. Rather than removing Gary from the show after his major sexual misconduct allegations , Gary has been edited out of the show as much as possible but remains a major part of the series. This limitation has made it difficult for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 to tell a full story and pushed them to put their drama into other departments instead of just sharing what was going on on the sailing yacht. If Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 6 is picked up, things have to change .

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 5 Is Struggling

The season doesn’t have big drama.

Although Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5 was one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season, it hasn’t been making the type of splash that viewers had hoped. While there are still devoted viewers of Below Deck Sailing Yacht , many have struggled with the current season’s lack of drama , especially knowing what was going on with Gary throughout the show’s filming schedule. While there’s meant to be more happening in the rest of the season, it’s been tough to watch.

While there has been a lot going on between Daisy Kelliher and Gary, who exchanged some heated words during the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 reunion , their energy has been overwhelming to deal with. Daisy, who tried to clear the air with Gary before they started filming for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 5, has been hurt that her old friend spoke to her in a difficult way and then refused to apologize , but otherwise, the crew drama has been sparse. Viewers are simply looking for something with more drama.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 6 Needs A Crew Overhaul

Gary & daisy need to take a break.

If Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 6 is to become a reality, the season will need a total crew overhaul. While Captian Glenn Shephard can likely stay on as the sailing yacht’s leader, the rest of the crew needs to be revamped from top to bottom . Though Daisy is a good leader, her time on the series feels like it’s run out as she’s moved through her drama with her former boatmance, Colin MacRae, and her potentially problematic pal Gary. As for Gary himself, if he’s going to be edited out of the show so gratuitously, he shouldn’t take part.

Will Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 6 Become A Reality?

The show hasn’t been confirmed for another season.

While Bravo rarely announces its shows being renewed, it’s possible that Below Deck Sailing Yacht will be announced as a renewal or a cancelation for the network. Though many enjoy the series, it’s been a problem for the last year and may be causing the network more pain than its worth. It’s possible that the show may not come back, but if it does, there are some steps that can be taken in order to ensure that things are more on track during the next season of Below Deck Sailing Yacht .

Below Deck Sailing Yacht airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Source: Below Deck /Instagram

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Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Below Deck Sailing Yacht is a spin-off of the Below Deck reality television series. Premiering on Bravo, the show follows the life of a Yacht crew as they attempt to navigate a busy Charter season in which many customers make use of a 177-foot sailing yacht. Over the first three seasons, the yacht has been to Greece, Croatia, and Spain.

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13-year old survivor of capsized Bodega Bay boat speaks about ordeal

There were six people aboard when the family boat capsized last weekend in Bodega Bay. 13-year-old Juladi Khammoungkhoune, who goes by Jude, is the only known survivor. He spoke to KTVU about his ordeal.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - There were six people aboard when the family boat capsized last weekend in Bodega Bay . 13-year-old Juladi Khammoungkhoune, who goes by Jude, is the only known survivor.

"What was going through my mind is if I was going to make it, see my family ever again," he says.

The family went fishing often. It was something they loved. This time they were kicking off crab season. But the winds picked up, and so did the waves.

"The boat couldn't handle it because the waves were pretty massive. They were really massive," says Jude.

Everyone put on life jackets. Some held onto the boat, as it went nose up. Jude's dad, Prasong, had him sit inside a giant cooler. Prasong held on to it but eventually slipped beneath the waves.

"I was crying and yelling out for my dad, so I could hear him say something again," Jude says.

For hours, Jude was alone in the ocean.

"I just had to hang on really tightly and let the waves get inside the cooler and push me to the shore. And it was really cold and I was tired, so I just had to sleep on my life jacket and make do, so I could live," he says.

Eventually, he hiked to a road, a campsite, and people who called 911. His family is relieved he made it home. But grieving for the others who didn't, among them, Jude's dad Prasong.

"It's pretty sad without him," he says.

For days, rescue crews searched for the boaters. They have recovered the body of one teenager, a cousin, so far. The family is planning a vigil in Bodega Bay to grieve together.

"We will definitely be there to say our goodbye and just maybe find some closure for us," says Shanice Khammoungkhoune, Prasong's sister.

The vigil will be November 16 at 6 p.m. at West Side Regional Park in Bodega Bay. The family also has a GoFundMe page set up to help Prasong's wife and three young children. 

2 brothers survive mass shooting, now among 6 victims in deadly Bodega Bay boating accident

Six people were on a 21- foot boat going crab fishing in Bodega Bay, when it started taking on water this past weekend. Family members said an 11-year-old boy survived, the body of a teenager was recovered, and four others are still missing.

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Breaking news, 13-year-old boy survives calif. boat accident that killed his dad and 4 others by hiding in cooler.

A 13-year-old boy survived a boating accident off the central California coast that killed his father and four others on board by hiding in a cooler.

Juladi “Jude” Khammoungkhoune was out crabbing with his relatives just off Bodega Bay late in the evening on Nov. 2 when their boat was violently tossed and flipped.

In the chaos, Jude’s father, Prasong, ordered his son to hide inside a cooler that had been on the boat. Prasong held onto the icebox as long as he could, but eventually let go so Jude could float to safety, the teen told KGO .

“It was pretty terrifying to see my dad go too soon,” Jude told the local news station.

“I was crying and yelling out for my dad, so I could hear him say something again.”

The cooler, carrying Jude, eventually floated to shore. The boy slept on the beach that night and was found by first responders the following morning.

Jude was the only survivor. His father — who saved his son’s life — along with three other family members and a friend died when the boat capsized.

“I prayed to Jesus Christ and all of my family members that I can make it out alive and get to see my family and everybody that I know,” Jude told KGO.

The group had originally set out at 3 p.m. to celebrate the first day of the recreational Dungeness crab season, with plans to return to shore by 7 p.m.

A family member waiting for them back on land called the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office when they didn’t turn up on time, and the agency contacted the US Coast Guard, according to Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Levi Read.

Search efforts officially concluded on Nov. 3 after teams covered more than 2,100 square miles, Read said. The body of Jude’s 17-year-old cousin was recovered during the search. The rest of the family has yet to be found.

Jude has since returned home to San Jose and is being cared for by other family members.

He said he was happy to be alive and united with his surviving relatives.

“It was like a good dream because I actually wanted to see my family again,” he said.

“It’s a really good thing I’m back with my family because I’m happy to see my family, and every one of my family members are supporting me throughout this journey without my father … I at least get to live a longer life.”

Two of Jude’s cousins set up a GoFundMe in Prasong’s memory to help support his grieving family, including Jude’s mother and his two younger siblings. By Tuesday, the fundraiser had surpassed its $50,000 goal, but donations continue to roll in.

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