Canadian Yachting — June 2017

20 Canadian Yachting JUNE 2017

By: Glen Cairns

ot many of us need to stay

connected to our global busi-

ness empire while cruising

(the 0.01 %?), but a pretty sizeable per-

centage of boat owners do need to keep

in contact whether for business or family

reasons. In the not too distant past it was

a big deal to clear your responsibilities

and be able to take off for even a few

weeks. However, connectivity for the

average boater is improving and within

the financial reach of most. These days,

people simply expect to be able to con-

tact you. Handled correctly, this ability

to stay in touch can liberate you to

cruise. Like so many of our modern con-

veniences, all this connectivity can be a

double-edged sword. No one wants to

sail with a skipper who spends the whole

time on his/her phone.

This article is not for the techie boater,

but rather an introduction for those who

are just beginning to think about what is

available. Exactly what equipment you

will need depends on how much connec-

tivity you want, where you plan to cruise,

and of course, how much you are willing

to spend.

At the most basic level is the need for

Wi-Fi and cell service. Along many parts

of the coast, cell service is quite good to

within a couple of miles of the shore.

With a good cell signal your smartphone

can be set up as a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Depending on the plan you have, your

basic email, text, voice, and web browsing

needs can be met.

Nova Scotian sailmaker Michele

Stevens has been cruising the Caribbean

with her husband for the last few winters.

Michele described her easy fix for main-

taining simple, effective connectivity, “we

unlocked an old iPhone 4 and then pur-

chased a SIM card at each island with a

data package. Then we can Bluetooth to

our devices. We use this when travelling

Staying

Connected

CRUISING TECHNOLOGY

N

Room Available...Great View, Running

Water – No Cell Service.