Why You Should Consider Using an Advanced GPS Tracking and Asset Monitoring System for Your Pleasure Craft
Reports of boats being stolen from marinas, boat storage yards, and tailored craft being stolen from driveways are growing. If your boat doesn't feature tracking communications systems, you should consider adding a simple, easily hidden monitoring and tracking device that can alert you if your pride and joy goes missing.
Protecting your valuable watercraft protects your peace of mind and helps assure a great ownership experience. Monitoring systems and GPS trackers for boats have greatly improved in recent years, making them invaluable to boat owners. These systems provide real-time monitoring, theft prevention, and recovery features — a must-have for any watercraft enthusiast. Folks who love the water and their boats should seriously consider key features to look for in GPS tracking systems for boats and how to choose, install, and maintain the right system for you.
GPS Tracking Systems for Boats
GPS tracking systems are a great option for personal watercraft and protect your investment in many ways. Ski boats, pontoon boats, and luxury watercraft are high-value assets that represent a significant financial achievement, and a GPS tracker helps safeguard these investments by providing real-time location data and setting-defined boundaries.
These systems are designed to provide accurate, real-time location data for various watercraft. They use satellite signals to track the position of boats, making it easier for owners to monitor their vessels, even from remote locations. GPS tracking assures safety, enhances security, and improves the overall management of your watercraft.
If a boat is stolen or drifts away from its mooring, ASSURIoT’s system alerts will immediately notify boat owners — allowing for quick action and recovery.
Diverse Watercraft and Tracking Needs
The needs for GPS tracking systems vary widely depending on the type of watercraft. Here’s a look at the specific requirements for different types of boats:
Jet Skis and Personal Watercraft (PWC)
High-performance models from luxury brands like Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Sea-Doo can cost upwards of $20,000. These watercraft are relatively small, often stored on trailers at home or in remote storage yards or in the water at distant marinas that may not be visited for weeks or months at a time. In some cases, boats could go missing and not be noticed for long enough for the craft to be parted out or sent overseas for resale.
Luxury Pontoon Boats
Pontoon boats from brands like Bennington, Avalon, and Premier can be equipped with high-end amenities costing over $100,000. Owners of these boats need GPS tracking systems that offer comprehensive protection, monitoring and tracking.
Luxury Sport Fishing and Center Console Boats
Boats from brands like Boston Whaler, Grady-White, and Pursuit can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and benefit greatly from asset tracker systems. Often, the outboard engines used in these models are themselves relatively easy to steal. By putting a small passive monitor in each engine housing, you can be notified if one or more of the engines goes missing and then track it for recovery.
Luxury Sailboats and Catamarans
High-end brands like Beneteau, Lagoon, and Fountaine Pajot produce sailboats and catamarans ranging from $500,000 to multi-million-dollar vessels. While these vessels feature advanced satellite and other communication systems onboard, those systems can be overcome by trained thieves. By hiding an additional, independant, battery-operated monitoring system, thieves can still be tracked, even if they disable onboard systems.
Key Features of Watercraft GPS Tracking Systems
Selecting the appropriate GPS tracking system for your boat involves several key factors to assure it meets your specific needs. Effective GPS tracking systems for boats are designed with features proven to significantly enhance security, safety, and usability. Some key features to consider include:
- Passive Monitoring: The system you select should enable passive monitoring of the boat's position relative to a user-defined geofence and automatically notify you if the vessel has moved outside that geofence area.
- Active Tracking: If your vessel leaves the geofence without your knowledge, the asset monitoring device should automatically convert to a live-tracking system so you can see where your craft is, and notify the proper authorities.
- Detailed, Shareable Recovery Package: Once it is determined that your vessel is at risk, a simple click can prepare a “Recovery Package” that can be quickly shared with law enforcement, insurance or other interested parties. The Recovery Package should include all the details necessary to identify the vessel, prove ownership, and provide real-time map-based tracking so authorities can intercept and recover the vessel.
- Easily Mounted and Concealed: The monitoring system should be easily mounted, without requiring cutting wires or drilling. It should be small and easily concealed in non-obvious locations so that thieves cannot easily locate and disable it.
- Extended Battery Life: For convenience and long-term satisfaction, the devices should have extended battery life, like ASSURIoT’s 4-year passive monitoring, and be easily recharged as necessary.
Securing Your Watercraft: Final Thoughts on GPS Tracking
It’s clear that GPS tracking systems are essential devices for any boat owner, offering a blend of security, convenience, and enhanced management for various watercraft. Whether you own a high-performance ski boat, luxury pontoon boat, or high-end sport fishing craft, having a reliable GPS tracker assures your investment is protected and your boating experience is safer and more enjoyable. With the right blend of asset management software and security measures, you can rest assured that your watercraft remains secure and protected, providing peace of mind and enjoyment for years to come.
