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.

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This article featured in the August 23 Issue of AHOY Sailing. To read past issues of AHOY and Subscribe for FREE, go to: https://www.downunderrally.com/ahoy