GPS Boat Tracker

[Hookup1]

I'm shopping for a GPS Boat Tracker for my boat. Anyone have experience with these devices? Looking for a recommendation.

 

[HMBJack]

If you want someone on land (or sea) to be able to track your boat, from a public and free site such as Marinetraffic.com, then you simply want to install a Class B AIS Transponder.

 

[JustEnough]

Been using Spot Trace. I have it hardwired and hidden. Tracks every movement.

 

[Sdfish]

I know my wife can see generally where I am on find my iPhone. Does not work in Mexico. But she has tracked me as far as South San Clemente Island (off Southern Cal), about 50-60 miles from our house. She takes random screenshots, not sure if it is available all the time or you need to be connected to a cell network.

AIS would be ideal and very accurate as mentioned above.

 

[glacierbaze]

Not a recommendation, but there sen to be a lot of them out there.

Amazon.com : Spot Trace

 

[seasick]

Do you want this so someone can track your position or do you want to know if the boat has moved when it shouldn't have. Depending on where the boat is normally docked and availability of cell service, perhaps something as simple an an ITag will suffice.
Also for the second case, what options you have can depend on the availability of reliable power. Things like AIS transponders can run down batteries much faster than other 'theft deterrent ' specific devices.
I have a friend who installed a Simply Safe small system that alerts him to lots of events depending on what sensors he opted for. Of course to nake his setup work, he has to have shore power and wifi or the cellular option in addition to a subscription service for notifications.

 

[Hookup1]

Guy asks a question.
Five of us offer help.
Then we hear Crickets.

Sorry - Driving by myself last two days. Let me expand this request for information and explain what I'm trying to cover.

Every winter for the past 20 years I make a trip from Cape May to the Keys and back. Towing a boat and packed with equipment. I can't make the trip without one overnight stop somewhere. I try to position the vehicle somewhere where I can see it from the hotel room but that isn't always possible. You are so exposed traveling with a boat. It only takes a minute to steal your truck or your trailer/boat. Or to clean off valuable equipment. And being in the water is no different.

10 years ago thieves got into the cab of my truck at a BJ's in Florida City. We were stocking up for our month in the Keys. They careful took bags and computers out of the back seat without disturbing anything in the front seat. We only notice when my son wanted something in his bag before we left. 3 computers and several night bags taken. We were lucky they didn't bother with the boat. These guys were just thieves not boat thieves.

The journey into South Florida takes me to the boating Capitol of the US. It's also the boat theft Capital as well.

Merry Christmas

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So I'm looking to implement an anti-theft solution for 1) the truck and the boat/trailer combo. 2) tamper with the boat in water/on trailer.

Item 1 is hard to protect against. A GPS tracker may help recover the truck, trailer or boat but not prevent it. The sooner I know something happened the sooner authorities can be altered. Notice labels of GPS tracking will be posted. There are a number of GPS tracking devices that can be used - some ODB plugin some wired in. Setup a "fence" and trigger an alarm if it moves.

Item 2 The boat has an alarm system that covers hatches and doors. The alarm has flashing spreader lights and two loud horns. Lower units are wired in and wrapped up in plastic. There are a number of GPS tracking devices that can be used. Setup a "fence" and trigger an alarm if it moves. I need to find one that will take a tamper alarm input so the tamper alarm can be wired in.

When in Florida the boat sits behind a house in the water 50 yards from the ocean. Behind the house the alarm system will provide some tamper protection. But it doesn't take long to steal a boat or to clean some electronics or fishing reels off. I would also like to add a hidden "kill switch" for the engines. For the road trip I'm going to pull the displays and reels off. Ideally the alarm could be tied into a GPS tracker that could alert my phone.

OK...cue the crickets...

 

[Sauza45]

Ok maybe not what you are looking for but have you checked into the keyless system for the Yamaha engines, once set the engines can’t start without the remote. Grady white installs it on the new boats, I have it on mine and it’s nice.

 

[Hookup1]

Ok maybe not what you are looking for but have you checked into the keyless system for the Yamaha engines, once set the engines can’t start without the remote. Grady white installs it on the new boats, I have it on mine and it’s nice.

I'll look but the motors are '06's without electronic controls. A hidden switch may be my only option.

 

[Hookup1]

I did see that my Garmin units can be protected with a 6-digit pin Screen Lock Code. Without the code unit operates in a reduced capability mode. The code is not re-settable even by Garmin Support.

Garmin | United States | Marine Support

Garmin Marine Support Center is where you will find answers to frequently asked questions and resources to help with all of your Garmin Marine products.

support.garmin.com

Other units can be nailed down to a GPS location.

What Garmin Lock is and how it works on an Automotive Device | Garmin Customer Support

Garmin Support Center is where you will find answers to frequently asked questions and resources to help with all of your Garmin products.

support.garmin.com

 

[Hookup1]

Do you want this so someone can track your position or do you want to know if the boat has moved when it shouldn't have. Depending on where the boat is normally docked and availability of cell service, perhaps something as simple an an ITag will suffice.
Also for the second case, what options you have can depend on the availability of reliable power. Things like AIS transponders can run down batteries much faster than other 'theft deterrent ' specific devices.
I have a friend who installed a Simply Safe small system that alerts him to lots of events depending on what sensors he opted for. Of course to nake his setup work, he has to have shore power and wifi or the cellular option in addition to a subscription service for notifications.

I want to know if the boat has moved. Coastal track is ok. 4G Lite GPS is OK. No offshore coverage but that works for me. If my boat is that far off it's gone! AIS transmitters are great for tracking movement but are not designed as alarms. No fence and no external sensing. Besides it's easier to disable the VHF antenna than finding a hidden puck.

 

[glacierbaze]

To do anything in the boat, they would have to come through the cockpit to the helm, right? How about a motion detector, low enough not to be activated by outside motion, to trigger your alarms, before they rip open a hatch or door?
You could also hide a hardwired cell phone, with a “find my phone” app installed, in either the truck or the boat.

 

[Hookup1]

To do anything in the boat, they would have to come through the cockpit to the helm, right? How about a motion detector, low enough not to be activated by outside motion, to trigger your alarms, before they rip open a hatch or door?
You could also hide a hardwired cell phone, with a “find my phone” app installed, in either the truck or the boat.

The motion detector would be a good choice on the dock. So far what I have seen were 120VAC with bluetooth. Maybe I can find a 12VDC.

I have heard good things about the Ring products too. I could put lighted detectors on the boat and alerted of activity while traveling. This would allow active monitoring of the boat and truck from my room. False alarms should be minimal at night. If there is a intruder alarms can be triggered and police notified. I like this best because it can be done before anyone gets on the boat. I'll still have a boat intrusion alarm.

 

[HMBJack]

Sorry about the Crickets comment. Guess it's just a slow time of year for some of us. You obviously were busy.

I will just say this - It is sad, very sad, with what is going on in our country right now. The thieves take what ever they want and are not held accountable. Law enforcement is weak and the Courts are weaker. It's sad you have to think about how to protect your assets and not be victimized by these worthless loser thugs.

 

[Hookup1]

Sorry about the Crickets comment. Guess it's just a slow time of year for some of us. You obviously were busy.

I will just say this - It is sad, very sad, with what is going on in our country right now. The thieves take what ever they want and are not held accountable. Law enforcement is weak and the Courts are weaker. It's sad you have to think about how to protect your assets and not be victimized by these worthless loser thugs.

No offense taken on the crickets. This is the start of my season while everyone else is winding down. I see it every year.

It really is sad. I'm generally a "don't lock your doors" type of person. I leave my keys in my car and my boat. But that is changing. I have been reading some of the South Florida Task Force posts. It's an everyday thing.

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Well I'm going to make some changes for the trip this year.

 

[rjriordan]

On our big boat we used a Trackimo device....small enough to hide anywhere, internal batt or hardwire to DC, offers tracking & geofencing alarms; but there are others like Gost (but pricier.)

 

[Dave#3]

I know this is an old thread, but I just had a Spot Trace installed on my Grady and now my autopilot wont work. And I get all kids of error alarms at start up with the Garmin and Yamaha.
And the more research I do, Im seeing lots of similar complaints from other users.
Beware!

 

[Sardinia306Canyon]

Yes, it's a old tread, but my experience may matter to someone who is in the market for a GPS Tracker.

I bought in 2020 a Winnes GPS Tracker same as in the linke below but with smaller battery and had it for 3 years in my boat and it worked as supposed. This year i wanted to use it in my newly acquired Canyon and batter held only about 10 days so i ordered the newer version with 10'000Ah battery.
Battery is now again about 6-8 weeks, has same functions and alarms and price is with 55$ affordable
Battery life depend on how much it communicates, sleep mode and alarm settings, i guess i could get the advertised 100 days run time. The battery makes the use very comfortable as the box can be hidden somewhere where it has GPS signal and recharged every now and then when boating, or let it attached to a USB outlet to be recharged continuously, but not sure if that is recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/Winnes-Rastreador-Vehicles-Magnetic-TK905B/dp/B0BHSWTXVD

Chris

 

[SkunkBoat]

Apple Air Tag?

 

[Fishtales]

That's what I'd do. Drop a couple in some hiding places and swap out as needed.