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| The SPOT is small enough to fit in your back pocket, but it could save your butt. |
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On The SPOT: Spot Satellite Messenger
Do you put safety first when you’re on the water? Do you have an EPIRB? If you answer yes to the first question and no to the second, chances are you don’t have an EPIRB because of cost—they can range from $400 for a low-performance unit to several thousand dollars for one that can actually be expected to work. Enter the SPOT, the world’s newest and least-expensive panic button on the water. While constantly tracking your location, this cellphone-sized waterproof life-saver will alert the GEOS international emergency response system of your exact location and personal information if you hit the 911 button. It floats and can send a signal while bobbing on the surface of the water, and when I tested the unit out I dropped it overboard then looked on my laptop PC to make sure it was still tracking my exact position. On my PC? You bet—the SPOT puts your location on Google Maps in real-time, both visually and with latitude/longitude. Coverage is virtually world-wide, and you can also use the unit to send pre-prepped e-mail and text messages you plan out on your computer prior to the trip.
Back on land, I gave the SPOT the oops-dropped-it-on-concrete test, and the rubber-armored exterior did its job. Plus, there’s no LCD screen to worry about breaking. Instead, the unit uses a series of small flashing lights to let you know what function it’s currently engaged in.
Since it puts your location on the internet, your family can check your location at any time to make sure your voyage is going according to plan. Warning: Don’t tell Honey-Bun you’re chasing redfish if you’re really planning to duck into the local watering hole, or you’ll get busted! On the bright side, this feature also makes the unit useful to anglers who are fishing on different boats and want to keep track of each other, but don’t want to give away their location over the radio.
Worried a unit like this will be tough to figure out? Don’t be. Operation and online account set-up took me less than one hour to figure out. But the best thing of all is the SPOT’s price: at $169 for the unit plus a $99/year subscription fee, this is by far the least expensive form of emergency alternative communication on the water today.
Price: About $270 initially, then $100/year.
The Highs: You get a panic button that works anywhere, any time.
The Lows: Your wife can now keep track of where you are when you’re supposed to be fishing.
Who Wants It: Any saftey-concious boater who doesn’t already have an EPIRB, or who wants a portable panic button he can fit in his pocket.
Contact: www.findmespot.com
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