Starlink as sole method for 'at sea' communications

By John Hembrow - Down Under Rally.

As someone who is in regular contact with the owners of cruising vessels that undertake ocean passages, I have some concerns about what I see as an emerging trend with the advent of Starlink. There is no doubt in my mind that Starlink is the solution for sailors who are seeking to have affordable high-speed internet on their boats. However, I don't believe choosing Starlink as the sole method of communications whilst at sea is a prudent decision for several reasons, some of which are:

Should a vessel lose power (such as in the instance of a lightning strike or electrical issue), Starlink will no longer be operational, which in addition to the loss of the ability to communicate, will also result in no longer being able to access weather information.

Should those aboard need to abandon a vessel and find themselves in a liferaft, Starlink is not portable and, as such, will result in having no means of long-distance communication.

In the instance that Starlink is not operational, there will be a loss of real-time vessel tracking in many cases. See below.

Vessel Tracking

As someone who actively uses PredictWind Tracking and monitors vessel tracking data, tracking provides a method to determine and monitor a vessel's position and progress. When an emergency/distress situation arises, the last know location or the vessel in distress needs to be determined by those responding. The more recent and accurate vessel position the tracking provides, the better the chance for SAR coordinators and other responders to determine the location of the persons/vessel in distress. In the instance that communications are not possible with the vessel/persons in distress, this tracking data becomes even more important, especially if the tracking can be maintained when/if the vessel is abandoned and the crew are aboard a liferaft by having the tracking device accompany them in the liferaft. It could be argued that activating an EPIRB would serve this purpose; however, an EPIRB provides no means of two-way communication with those in distress and those coordinating the rescue. Another consideration is the power usage of running tracking via Starlink with a DataHub. Although is it possible to do GPS tracking with Starlink via the PredictWind DataHub, the power requirements are large, and for this reason, on most boats, it is not possible to have Starlink running 24hrs a day.

Redundancy & Portability.

If I chose Starlink as our primary means of offshore communications, I would also choose to maintain an Iridium GO! or Iridium GO! exec device. The Iridium GO! or the Iridium GO! exec provide redundancy should Starlink not be available for any reason and the ability to maintain communications should we need to abandon the vessel.

Data Plans

If using an Iridium GO!, we would opt for the PredictWind GO Unlimited Data Plan for the periods we intended to be at sea. The Go Unlimited Plan offers voice, unlimited data & unlimited SMS messaging, which provides the ability to maintain an up-to-date tracking page. If using an Iridium GO! exec combined with a PredictWind DataHub, we would opt for the GO! Exec Unlimited plan which would be our preference. There is the option to downgrade the plans and make some savings during the periods when we are not at sea/on passage.

Shore Party Float Plan.

We would also advise those with whom we lodge a float plan, such as Passage Guardian and AMSA, that we have an Iridium GO! as our backup and provide our Iridium/PredictMail email address, Iridium phone number, and our PredictWind Tracking Page URL in addition to our primary email address and phone number.

Example of an Actual Event

To appreciate the value of being able to maintain communication after abandoning a vessel, read the first-hand account of the owner/master of a vessel who was returning to Australia from Vanuatu when his vessel was lost. Among other things, the owner's account of the events includes details about how being able to maintain communications from a liferaft was invaluable.

Read the owners account here https://www.downunderrally.com/news/loss-of-the-liberty

Read another first-hand account of a life raft evacuation by Craig Smith, a professional delivery skipper and Volvo Ocean Race veteran.

"Having been in the unfortunate position of hitting a submerged object which resulted in a Mayday call and eventual abandonment of the vessel, I will not go to sea without a communication device with a proven track record and the ability to work in a "dead ship" state. Water ingress can result in the vessel's power supply becoming redundant very quickly. For sure consider Starlink as a source of entertainment, for me, I will always have an Iridium GO! or the new Iridium GO! exec onboard period."

To view a comparison table of Starlink and Iridium GO! exec visit: www.predictwind.com/starlink