Good Anchorage takes IHO planned crowd sourcing to the next level

by Todd Rapley on 1 Nov 2014 Thanks to the latest in crowd-sourcing technology, mariners around the globe can share their anchorages, view weather, stay on top of official regulations, recommend local services and facilities, and effortlessly navigate unfamiliar countries.

Navigating international waters can be daunting, with concerns ranging from outdated government surveys, incorrect charts and language barriers to piracy, petty crime and political unrest. Captains on all types of vessels spend up to 40 percent of their time researching and planning, using cruising guides that can be both obsolete and costly, while also seeking a multitude of resources for current news, anchorages, customs and immigration procedures, and other services before entering the waters of an unfamiliar country. Good Anchorage, launching at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) October 30, 2014, is the first and only free online sharing platform of real-time, verified maritime information, available 24/7 to mariners around the globe.

Status of Hydrography and Nautical Charting across the World as Stated by IHO (International Hydrographic Organsitation):

Less than 10% of the World’s coastal seas and oceans have been surveyed and charted to the same or better resolution than maps of the Moon and Mars. (International Council for Science -SCOR).

Worldwide, the number of government survey vessels has declined by 35% in the last 30 years - contract surveys, improved equipment capability and other options have not filled the gap. (IHO Year Books 1979-2011).

In many parts of the World the quality and coverage of hydrographic surveys require significant improvement (XVIIIth IHO Conference Resolution 2012).

The coverage of survey data is particularly poor in the Caribbean, Indian and Pacific Oceans and the Polar regions, but all areas of the World are affected to some extent, including the waters of many, if not most, modern, developed States. Almost none of the areas of responsibility of more than 150 States in the World with a recognized coastline is fully surveyed for depths or underwater hazards.

This unsatisfactory situation must be recognized by all States with maritime interests and acted upon. Improving this unsatisfactory situation requires the involvement of every State with maritime interests. It is a collective problem.

Superyacht Captain Todd Rapley points out 'We have knowledge and log books of where we have been, but what we are looking for is ahead of us and where we are planning to go. If we share the knowledge we have, making it accessible to the mariner behind us approaching and the mariner ahead of us does the same, we can now go around the world benefitting from each other’s shared data, knowledge and experiences.'

Good Anchorage provides via Crowd Sourcing from mariners, exact anchorage coordinates including all-important depth, charts, images and visual aids, waypoints integrated with 72-hour weather forecasts, wind and swell protection, latest local news, customs and immigration procedures, with new features added weekly for provisioning, fuel, boat parts, restaurants, events and cultural activities. Anchorage sites are quality-controlled by Good Anchorage experts who live in each maritime community and are likewise continuously updated by mariners who visit the site to both share and verify data and add new anchorages.

Not only is this sharing service free to mariners but Good Anchorage is allowing users that has a business, agency or even a marina to use their business name, URL or blog address as their user name, effectively creating a free advert for each anchorage they are entering. For every new anchorage provided by a user they get the 'Claimed By' naming rights against the user name. Think of it this way, vessels must use both Marinas, Ports and Anchorages so it makes sense for a Marina, Agent or Marine Company to share anchorages around and leading to their business to inform vessels who they are within their area. It becomes a win win - for providing quality local information that is needed and driving traffic to your own door.

Captain Dietmar Petutschnig, CEO of Good Anchorage, says, 'Good Anchorage will be a game changer for those contemplating releasing their lines and exploring foreign waters. Access to quality, dependable data for all maritime needs will increase the opportunities for current captains and less experienced mariners to explore a planet that is 70 percent water.'

Superyacht Captain Todd Rapley, COO at Good Anchorage, states, 'We are making yachting tourism easier and expanding the planet 10 percent by safely increasing the range of where boats can travel. Many destinations like China, Burma, and Vietnam in Asia, former Eastern Bloc countries in Europe, and Latin American destinations such as Cuba and Columbia are opening their waters; meanwhile, the South Pacific, once intimidating to all but the most experienced captains, is experiencing a 35-percent growth in yachts and cruising boats.' A Superyacht Captain for more than 10 years, Todd sees continued increase in demand from yacht owners and charter guests to travel further afield to unique and exotic locations now that accurate information and tools to maintain safety standards are being freely shared through the Good Anchorage platform.

Yachting is a multibillion-dollar industry operating on old technology. In the U.S. alone it’s worth $36.7 billion and predicted to grow five percent in 2014, with 8.5 million registered boats and more than 80 million Americans on the water in 2013. Internationally, 10,000 sailing/motor boats are cruising the high seas along with 30,000 Superyachts and 20,000 small commercial vessels.* Global totals indicate an estimated 25 million boats, ranging in size from 27 feet to the largest Megayacht at 590 feet. Another estimated 650 Superyachts are currently under construction.

Good Anchorage is a leading niche innovator of Maritime information technologies, specializing in sharing live, accurate anchorage data, weather, local news and service information for vessels, yachts, motor and sail boats around the globe. The company launches globally with more than 3,000 anchorages from Antarctica to Greenland, USA to Australia and everything in between, with the goal to provide 50,000 certified anchorages covering all maritime nations by 2018.

*source: NMMA Good Anchorage will be exhibiting at the Ft Lauderdale International Boat Show – Convention Center Booth 3003.