Many of us sail to truly get away from it all and want minimum interruptions. On the other hand, many of us find being cut off from work, friends, and family an inconvenience at best and very difficult at worst.
Whether you want to stay fully connected to your office or only want to be contacted in the event of an emergency back home, the availability of more accessible and advanced satellite communications for leisure boats is a good thing.
Modern satellite communications systems are making it easier than ever to stay connected and to combine work and play. For many yachting enthusiasts, this is opening up some amazing possibilities for more and longer adventures at sea. Here are some uses of satellite communications for leisure boats and yachts.
- Keep in touch with all those you want and need to, however far from land you may be.
- Send and receive messages via email or text.
- With advanced equipment, run your office onboard.
- Access up-to-date information for weather routing.
- Emergency backup.
- Connectivity for multiple devices.
Now, let’s look at some advantages of maritime communication systems specially designed for yachting and leisure boats in more detail.
End-to-end one-stop solutions
First of all, it’s important to stress that installing satellite communication on your vessel is very straightforward. You can easily find all-in-one solutions that provide both the equipment and service you need. Installation, maintenance and upgrades are all included too.
You will be up and running very quickly, and you’ll be running smoothly with minimal effort on your part.
Providers can offer a pay-as-you-use service, where you pay for and then use gigabyte allowances. Or, if you prefer, you can opt for unlimited use for a fixed price.
Optimal connectivity
It is now possible to sail in any direction and in any weather without losing connectivity to your home or the office, freeing you to make the most of your leisure time.
Networks are incredibly comprehensive. Robust antennas are delivering around 9.5% average network availability, guaranteeing continued coverage for all your needs at sea.
Flexible solutions
Packages can be built by you, to suit your vessel and your needs. You can choose from a range of coverage and connectivity options. Choose the hardware that suits your boat and pick a tariff that works for the trips that you are planning.
Data bundles can be bought without any lock-in policy being applied. Popular options are 3-, 6- and 12-month options. Whether your needs are short or long term, you should be able to find exactly the right tariff.
Existing SIM card use
Easy-to-use solutions provide the opportunity to pair your existing SIM card with satellite technology to extend your network coverage to almost anywhere.
In addition, advanced systems enable visitors to connect to a vessel’s Wi-Fi via their own phones.
Fair usage protocols
As you know, it’s vital that the boat captain be able to maintain control of the network traffic for optimal safety. Therefore, fair usage protocols are in place in these systems. They prioritise vessel operations over leisure-related use, ensuring that excessive network traffic is avoided.
Voice backup
These one-stop solutions provide a vital voice backup service for use in emergency situations.
Remote management and support
Professional expertise and support should be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This way you can sail with confidence, knowing that both online and telephone support is always available.
What’s out there?
Delve right in and explore some of the systems that could be exactly right for your vessel.
Here are 4 products ideally suited to leisure boat and yacht communications.
Thuraya MarineStar
This satellite solution is designed to be robust and totally dependable with maximum functionality. It is built to IEC 60945 standards and is considered the most affordable maritime voice solution, with flexible tariffs and no long-term commitment needed. It offers satellite communications at the price of a GSM service.
The Thuraya MarineStar benefits from Thuraya’s extensive and comprehensive coverage across virtually all areas. Voice communications are flawless. Users can also benefit from push notifications for weather, news and other alerts, SMS, over-the-air programming capabilities and SOS alerts.
Thuraya VSAT+
The Thuraya VSAT+ is a more comprehensive solution suitable for all maritime vessels. This equipment is capable of offering superior communications capabilities without unnecessary costs. By merging Ku- and L-Band services, the VSAT+ secures high bandwidth and serves as a very reliable backup.
You can consider VSAT+ as capable of providing an office at sea. With remote software updates and management, it can prove to be a reliable solution for working while away at sea.
Iridium Go!
Iridium Go! provides a reliable solution for voice and data communications, and comprehensive internet access.
Connect up to 5 Apple or Android devices at a time. Think of it as a portable satellite hotspot. Once connected, you can access voice calls, texts, emails, smartphone apps, social networks, and GPS tracking. Of course, you can also make SOS alerts if needed, too.
The equipment is easily activated by flipping the antenna, making it one of the simplest systems to use.
LARS Thrane LT-3100
This system is designed to go above and beyond. It is capable of operating between -25°C and +55°C, and on the roughest of seas. While it’s suitable for professional deep-sea and fishing operations, it’s versatile enough to provide everything a leisure sailor may need. The system is compact, easily installed, and offers communications at a competitive rate.
A high-performance GNSS/GPS receiver enables an excellent communications system. It offers both voice and data connections for smartphones and PAN Bluetooth. A built-in webserver for maintenance keeps the software updated. The system is powered by Iridium, the only Satcom network to provide pole-to-pole coverage. LARS Thrane LT-3100 offers a flawless connection.
What you need, when and where you want it
With any of these systems, you can stay connected offshore for any length of trip without spending more than necessary.
Whether you expect to use your connection minimally or want to run a full office onboard, there is a product and service provider for you, wrapped up in one easy-to-install and use solution.
