GPS Tracking

Everyone is familiar with tracking and navigation systems on boats: the radar and monitor systems one would find at the central controls along with the captain, who is a professional hauler, a fisherman or perhaps just a hobbyist.

It should come as no surprise then, that much of that equipment in the wheelhouse today is based on Global Positioning System technology. When a boater wants to know with certainty where he is going, where he has been and how the electrical and mechanical systems on the craft are fairing, he will look to GPS tracking (together with the boat’s own system controls) for those answers. When an owner wants his boat protected from theft, he relies on GPS tracking to watch over his considerable investment.

In maritime use, a live or real-time vehicle tracking system is the recommended solution. Real-time GPS tracking uses radio signals from satellites to determine the exact position of an object on earth: on land or water. If there is an incident of theft, the GPS tracking system will immediately show the owner -  visually on a map and in latitude and longitude coordinates -  where the boat is or where it has been taken.

What Are the Components of a Boat’s GPS Tracking System?

GPS tracking systems for marine equipment usually involve a electrically-powered GPS tracking unit, data-interpreting software, a PC with Internet access, and an additional service plan for transmitting location updates.

The software or Web-based application would have downloadable offshore maps. And since the tracking is to be done over water, regardless of unit placement, a rugged, waterproof case is recommended.

The cost of a GPS tracking system for boats starts at several hundred dollars, with monthly billing ranging from $15 to $60, depending on how frequently the system reports position updates.

Boat Thefts on the Rise

Theft of watercraft is quite common. The accumulated value loss in the nation in any given year is about $85 million. Thieves show no real preference for size; only opportunity. Both huge yachts and personal watercraft such as jet skis and boats are targeted. The criminals either disassemble the craft and sell the parts, or resell it, intact, in the black market.

Boats can cost well over  $30,000, so the proud owner of a watercraft is naturally going to want to protect it, whether that be from a family member taking an unauthorized joy ride or a thief who is interested in taking it away permanently.

The cost of a GPS tracking device, is relatively small, when compared to the cost of the asset it protects. For instance, the LandAirSea Victoria GPS Tracking System is a real-time vehicle tracking solution that can easily be adapted for maritime use. It sells for $400.

Many insurance companies encourage the installation of GPS tracking systems on watercraft, and they will reward that commitment with lower premiums.

Since a stolen boat equipped with a working real-time GPS tracking device can be recovered in a few hours – not days or weeks – this tracking system is valued not only by private proprietors, but also to rental businesses.

Other Desirable Functions of a Boat GPS Tracking System

• Electrical System Interface: A GPS system can power off a vessel’s main power supply (battery backup is recommended). As it interfaces, the GPS tracking system can work in tandem with the vessel’s main electrical controls and readings such as power, engines and pumps. The system can be programmed to notify the owner by text message or email of if any critical functions on the boat are failing.
• Geofencing will work to keep your watercraft within a specific area, whether that be on the water or land. An imaginary circle with radius can be set on the waters or a virtual street configuration will set the outside border of a “safe” zone. If the boat is detected outside that border, an alert will be sent by either email or text message.
• Recording a Competition or Pleasure Trip: GPS tracking devices have pleasurable applications as well. Fans can now watch famous U.S. yacht races on computers, when all the entries are outfitted with standard-issue GPS tracking devices.  Most vehicle tracking systems also have the ability to log travel history. People on a very long boat trip can chronicle their journey, day by day and leg by leg, using GPS as the source of day, time and location. (An exception are cell phones with GPS tracking and navigation applications, because they do not have adequate memory capacity.)

Tags: Boat, Boat Tracking, GPS Tracking, insurance, lower premium, Marine, theft, Web-based

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This entry was posted on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 2:22 pm and is filed under All Articles, GPS Tracking, GPS Vehicle Tracking, Vehicle Tracking. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.