Categories: Technology

What Are Boat Trackers And How Do They Work?

Boat theft is quite a common issue in the UK. Fortunately, there’s a solution to this problem – GPS trackers. These devices help people keep track of their boats and vessels by providing accurate information about their exact location in real-time.

In this way, anyone with access to a device like a phone, tablet, or laptop, can track the vessel and come to the rescue should something go wrong on the boat. Read more about tracking devices that use GPS technology and why they’re so useful for everyone who owns a boat in the following article.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

What Is A Boat Tracker?

A GPS tracker for marine equipment, vessels, and boats is used so that people are able to ensure their property’s safety whenever they’re away from it. There’s a wide array of items available on market and all these products are designed to suit any asset. That includes hardwired devices for yacht fleets and portable magnetic trackers that ensure the safety of jet skis and outboard motors.

A boat GPS tracker is used for more protection against unauthorised use and theft if the owner happens to be away from the vessel, no matter how long they’re gone. Boat trackers alert people the moment their boat leaves the berth and enables them to track it in real time. Boat theft is rapidly increasing, therefore equipping vessels with GPS trackers will help the owners feel more confident.

It doesn’t matter if people are in a totally different location than the boat, as it’s possible to accurately track it, by using a gadget. If the boat is used for charter, the tracker lets the owner know the exact moment the boat leaves the harbour, where it goes, and how it’s driven. People get alerts on their device whenever the boat moves.

If someone is in charge of a charter fleet, these trackers allow them to see exactly where their boats are in real time and provide the entire route history of the vessels for them. In case one of their customers encounters any issue, the owner will immediately be able to pinpoint the client’s precise location. Should anyone experience hull damage and groundings, they can access the data and see their clients’ tracks.

How Do GPS Trackers Work?

GPS trackers send signals to receivers that process them and track the device, gathering its exact location, as well as its live speed. Tracking systems use three elements – space, control, and user. Regarding space, the Global Positioning System has 27 satellites orbiting the planet every 12 hours and sending signals to the receivers.

As far as control is concerned, there are several tracking stations around the world, controlling the system. First, they receive these signals from the satellites. Then, they transform the satellite signals into readable data (location and speed). When it comes to the user, the receivers access the signals sent by the GPS satellites and use them in order to determine the user’s position.