Coastal Classic - Ladies and Gentlemen, Start your Trackers, please

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZL on 22 Oct 2015 This year's Coastal Classic is the first in which the use of onboard trackers are compulsory.

The reason is simple it enables fans, media and event managers to follow the action as happens with all other major offshore races, such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Volvo Ocean Race and many more.

It is also a safety measure providing a further confirmation as to your boat's position if there is a mishap. Those who have followed boats with near-instant tracking know that it is often the first sign that there has been a mishap - when a boat suddenly slows to about 2kts from 20kts, makes an unusual course deviation etc.

If you are onboard with web access and there is another boat in trouble, the tracker should give a guide as to their position relative to yours.

And most importantly, trackers work just as well at night as during the day - so finding your target is much easier at night.

Spectators can view the race live by clicking here

Points to note:
1) This is the first year the PredictWind Tracker is compulsory with a 20min time penalty if yachts do not use it for the entire race
2) The updates are 5mins, to save on battery power for the competitors phone
3) To search for a boat, use the search field top left.
4) The tracking is free for the event, and free for the competitors.
5) Predictwind has a new upgrade of the iOS/Android App Tracker App, that was released this week. This upggrade gives better reliability, and store forward capability when mobile is out of mobile range.

You are required to have two phones with the App on board and charged, so that if there is a problem with one phone the other can be substituted.

The setup instructions for the competitors can be found at http://www.predictwind.com/tracker/ However spectators should just go to the web page at http://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/race/nzmyc

An example of a race - Auckland to Tauranga Race can be found by clicking here