Internet Float Plans

[svReboot]

Does anyone have any experience using the online float plan services? Or do you simply email your float plan to whoever is watching over you?

For example of the kind of service I am thinking of using:

http://www.usfloatplan.com/?page=floatPlans

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by svReboot

Does anyone have any experience using the online float plan services? Or do you simply email your float plan to whoever is watching over you?

For example of the kind of service I am thinking of using:

http://www.usfloatplan.com/?page=floatPlans

That looks like a good service.

In our case, my husband's family is very used to various members doing multi-week extended wilderness canoe trips and backcountry hiking--as such, we're all trained to send an itinerary to one or more family members and to keep things up-to-date. Even for 1-day hiking, canoe, or sail trips, we commonly call David's sister to let her know our plans.

[osirissailing]

There are two problems (probably more) with "Float Plans" internet or otherwise. They require access to the internet which is not always possible in some remote islands, anchorages, etc. that cruisers like to gunkhole in. And the ever changing weather can seriously alter plans of departure, destination, or length of sail. We are talking weeks or months of delays or changed plans out here in the big ocean, so pinning down arrivals to anything less is generally not possible. The most common "float plan" type operation is via HF single sideband radio maritime nets where your friends and other cruisers are aware of when you left and where you are headed for so that if you do not check-in on the radio net after a reasonable length of time, the broadcast a general "boat watch" to try to locate you.

[Istioploos]

I find "float plans" incompatible with my cruising life style.

When I cruise for weeks, mostly in the Med, what I particularly enjoy is the freedom of changing my mind. If I do not like the weather, I stay put or go to a different destination. Somedays, I wake up and decide not to sail as I was planning to do the night before. Sometimes, particularly with a nice moon, I spontaneously decide to have a long night sail. You get my drift.

Usually, I let some family member know where I am via mobile phone or e-mail, if there is a signal. Also, I let them know when I enter a region where there is no signal.

During a transatlantic crossing, I had rented an Iridium phone with which I send a text message once a day with our fix.

Fair winds to all.

[JeanneP]

I suppose that I should be embarassed to admit that we never filed a float plan. *We checked in every day on whatever cruiser's net there was where we were, so the cruisers in the area knew our whereabouts and situation. *In hindsight, it was possibly a bit cruel, but ...

We have a friend who was extremely supportive of our trips, forwarded our mail for many years, and did some outrageous things just because he could. *He telephoned the U.S. Embassy in one country and told them he had to get in touch with us, we were in **** town. *The embassy called the port captain who sent somebody out to tell us we had to reach the Embassy immediately. * I was frantic thinking about what problem there was, and getting to a phone was a major hassle there. *When we finally made it ashore, then got to the next town to the telephone company so we could make a call, he said, "I just wanted to see if it worked."

Another time, he discovered the telephone number for the U.S. Coast Guard station in Pago Pago, American Samoa, so he dialed it. *He knew that we were going to arrive some time about five or six weeks or so from that time, but when somebody answered the phone, he had to come up with something, so he asked if Watermelon had arrived yet, he hadn't heard from us. *Fortunately the US Coast Guard presence in Pago Pago is administrative - I don't think they even had a boat or a VHF radio. *Anyway, they notified the cruising boats in the harbor that Watermelon was reported overdue (I think by posting a note on the bulletin board in the local hangout), but didn't do anything else (not that there was much they could do). *

We, needless to say, were not overdue. *We were at Beveridge Reef having a wonderful time. *When we next checked into the cruiser's net, one of the cruisers, who had just left Pago Pago told us that we had been reported as overdue. *We, and our friends, tried to notify the CG that we were okay and not in any trouble, but neither our friends nor we could raise the CG. *It was another month before we reached Pago Pago and we could find out who had reported us overdue. *

As good a friend as he is, tell me, would you file a float plan with him? *

[MMNETSEA]

In the many years that I have been in South East Asia talking to many thousands of cruisers - the request to leave me with addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers in the case of none arrival or emergency, really only started with the recent advent of piracy in S.E. Asia and the Middle East.

Generally all that was required was the ETD and the ETA at a specific destination. It was understood that the most important 'check in' was the 'final check in'. Without that, within an agreed time limit, the addressees and respective SARs would be advised.

As an cruiser myself, my own cruising plans have very seldom been that definitive that I could guarantee that I would follow a specific course to got to a destination - so many interesting people to visit on the way.

[Crewlink]

How about this Float Planning

[osirissailing]

- - So what is "Crewlink"?

Your website is blank of any information except to label yourself as a "social network." There are no "Forum" entries or subjects. The crosslinking to other social websites - Facebook - Google - Yahoo - etc. appears to mean that you might be a collection agency for email addresses and personal information which is then sold or bartered to "SPAM" companies.

[Lighthouse]

It looks like a nightmare! And, it's posted all over the Net.

Outa here!