Float Plan Registry - FAQs
Common questions about float plans:
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- What is a Float Plan?
- A float plan is a written collection of details about an intended outting
in your boat that is
usually filed with a family member, friend, or other trusted
land-based contact. A good float plan specifically describes the vessel, equipment,
passengers and crew, and the itinerary of the planned voyage.
- Why do I need a Float Plan?
- If your float plan contains information about your expected return, the
person you filed it with can initiate assistance on your behalf when you
are overdue. Your float plan will tell responders all the key information
about you, your vessel, and your intended whereabouts which significantly
reduces response time.
- What information should a float plan contain?
- A float plan should contain key information about your trip so
that any search and rescue team would have all the information necessary
to locate you quickly.
- Vessel Information - A detailed description of
your boat including safety and communication equipment.
- Persons aboard - A list of people aboard the
boat including basic identifying characteristics such as age and gender.
- Itinerary - A detailed description of your
travel plans including planned arrival and departure dates/times,
and any available check-in information.
- How do I contact the US Coast Guard in an emergency?
- The US Coast Guard has an excellent web page to answer that question. See
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/Contact_CG.asp.
- How do I contact my local US Coast Guard field office?
- The US Coast Guard has put a list of regional office locations and contacts
on their website here: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg534/RCC_numbers.asp
Common questions about Float Plan Registry float plans:
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- Why use Float Plan Registry instead of leaving a simple note?
- It's easier, faster, and has automatic notifications.
You can file a
float plan with all the proper detailed information using Float Plan Registry
in less time that it will take to write a note. When you publish your
float plan, a link to your online float plan is automatically sent
to your contacts by email. They may use this link to review your float
plan online, or even print it if they wish. If you make changes to
your float plan, you don't have to redistribute it, your contacts will always have
all the latest details when they view it online.
- What are checkpoints and how do I use them?
- Some trips in your boat involve multiple destinations. For example, lets
say you're taking a two week cruising vacation to the San Juan
Islands in Washington State. Your trip could include an overnight
visit to Friday Harbor and overnight anchorage in Fossil Bay. These
are checkpoints. You can build a float plan itinerary using
checkpoints, with each representing a location you plan to visit.
We call them checkpoints because they also represent points in your
voyage where you may want to provide a check-in status. This is handy when
you want to let your float plan contacts know you reached some point in your
journey or have returned home safely.
You may enable alerts for any checkpoint. Alerts provide a way for
Float Plan Registry to remind you when its time to check-in and notify
your contacts when if you are overdue.
- What does it mean to "Publish" a float plan?
- When you publish a float plan using Float Plan Registry, it becomes available
for your contacts to view. In fact, when you publish a plan, Float Plan
Registry automatically sends an email to your contacts containing
a link they can follow to view your float plan online.
- What is a Guest List?
- A guest list is exactly that, a list of your guests. When you venture
out with guests aboard which are not part of your crew, you can enter information
about each person on your float plan's guest list. Information on the guest list
includes the names, age, gender, and contact information of all your passengers.
If you are kayaking, another way to use the guest list is to record the
names of the people paddling in your group. That way, a single float plan can be
used to keep track of your entire group.
- What if I don't have Internet or Cell Phone coverage to check in?
- If you know you'll be traveling to a destination with limited or no
internet or cell coverage, use optional checkpoints to form your itinerary
rather than required checkpoints. With Optional checkpoints, the system
will not expect a check-in status update from you at a specific time. You can
then choose to check-in when communication is possible.
However, a required checkpoint for your return to port is a good idea.
This tells your contacts that you have arrived home safely.
- Do I have to re-publish my Float Plan after making changes?
- No. If you've published your float plan, there is no need to re-publish it
after making additional changes. Any time your float plan contacts view
your float plan online, they will always see the latest edition, no matter
how many updates or check-ins occur.
- Can I enable alerts for select checkpoints of my float plan?
- Yes. A float plan may contain any combination of alert-enabled and
non-alert-enabled checkpoints.
- What happens when I Snooze a checkpoint reminder?
- When you "Snooze" a checkpoint reminder, the system will automatically
add 60 minutes to the expected check-in time, and 60 minutes to the
overdue-after time.
- How long is the Snooze interval on checkpoint reminders?
- One hour. When you hit the Snooze on a checkpoint reminder, the system will automatically
send another reminder in one hour.
- How long are Overdue Notices sent after a checkpoint is missed?
- Float Plan Registry will send overdue notices once an hour for six hours to all the contacts
listed on a float plan.
- How can I share my float plans with my friends?
- Float plans are shared in three ways:
- Float plans are automatically shared with contacts
when you publish them.
- You can also share limited float plan information with members of your
Virtual Yacht Club if your profile security settings allow. With adjustments
to your profile security settings, you can share float plan information
with your virtual yacht club members, friends of your virtual yacht club members
(friends of friends), or with anyone that has a Float Plan Registry account (public).
The default share setting keeps all information private.
- Create a public link to your float plan using the "Make Public" option
available when you create your float plan. Share the link with
whomever you choose.
- Do my Float Plan Contacts need an account to view my Float Plans?
- No. Float Plan Contacts receive an email with a link to your online
float plan that does not require authentication.
- What is a Vessel Log
- Float Plan Registry allows you to maintain a vessel log within your
Float Plan Registry account. You can make entries into your vessel log
using your account, by sending an email to your vessel's unique email
address (you may setup a vessel email when setting up your vessel), or
by sending a text message to our vessel log number.
Profile questions:
Click on a question to view the answer.
- What is a Float Plan Registry Profile?
- When you register for a Float Plan Registry account, you then
record all the details about your boat, crew, and contacts into your
profile. Then, when you build a float plan, it's a simple matter
of assembling the relevant parts of your profile together.
- Can I use Float Plan Registry if I have more than one Boat?
- Yes. You can add as many boats as you wish to your profile. You can
even designate one as your "default". When you build a float plan, you
simply choose the boat you'll be using from your list of defined vessels.
- What if I sell my boat?
- No problem. Simply inactivate it. It will no longer be listed
in the available vessels for new float plans. And, all your old float plans
will still be conneted to it.
- What is a Crew List?
- A crew list is simply a list of all your detailed crew member information. When
you build your Float Plan Registry member profile, you can add an unlimited number
of crew members. You may also define a "default" set of crew members which normally
travel with you. This "default" set of crew members will automatically be
associated with any new float plan you create. Of course, you can select any
crew member you wish to be part of your float plan.
- What is a Float Plan Contact?
- A float plan contact is a person you trust to send your float plans to. You
define float plan contacts in your membership profile. When building a float plan,
you are able to select which of your contacts will receive notice for the plan
you are building. When you publish a float plan, each contact associated
with your float plan automatically receives an email containing a link which
allows them to view your float plan online, anytime they wish.
- Is there a limit to the number of Contacts I can add to my profile?
- No. You can add as many contacts as you wish to your profile. You may
also designate which contacts are automatically added to your float plans
by making them "default" contacts. Add family members, key friends, your
marina manager, harbor master, anyone you wish. Of course, you'll want to
check with them first to be sure they are up for the responsibility.
- Why does my profile need Timezone information?
- If you build a float plan itinerary that includes required
checkpoints, the system uses the checkpoint arrival and overdue
dates and times to generate automatic reminders and notices. In
order for the notices to be generated and sent at the appropriate time,
the system must know your local timezone.
- Can I change the email address associated with my account?
- Sure. It's easy. See the help article
How do I change my Email Address?
- Is my Float Plan Registry profile and float plan information secure?
- You bet! We use the same SSL security and encryption technology as your most
trusted sites to protect your information. Once you log in, all your
pages are encrypted using SSL.
Other questions:
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- What is a Virtual Yacht Club?
- A Virtual Yacht Club is a group of other boaters you have connected with in
your Float Plan Registry account. You can share your float plans with members
of your Virtual Yacht Club. You can view your Vitural Yacht Club member's float plans
and connect with them at any location or checkpoint.
- Why would I create a Virtual Yacht Club?
- For many of us, our love of boating has a lot to do with the
people we meet while boating. Virtual Yacht Clubs gives you the opportunity to
see what your friends boating plans are and easily connect with them on the water.