File a Float Plan

[FlatsNBay]

Filing a float plan is a great habit to get into. What is filing a float plan you might ask? It is giving the details about your upcoming boating or fishing trip to someone prior to your trip. In the case of an emergency, officials will know where to look to find you. Jot down the who what when and where info in either a note or text.

An example would be:

Fishing Lake Okeechobee tomorrow by myself.

Launching at Slims Fish Camp and plan on fishing towards Clewiston.

Expect to be home by 4 PM

Sent from my moto e5 play using Tapatalk

[Capt. BassinLou]

Great post Flats. 

Besides what you just mentioned, I also have the life360 app, which is a gps tracker.  Very handy in the event of an emergency.

[TNDiver]

I would also include your boat info, especially color, motor color/size and then clothing, especially shirt color.  How many people that you file your info with will remember exactly the specific colors of your boat and also shirt color?  It helps for them to have a picture.  You might think is sounds ridiculous, but if they are rarely out on your boat, they may not remember everything or if you have a newer boat, they may remember the old one. Makes rescue efforts much more efficient.  Why shirt color?  If you are floating in the water, that is usually all they will see. 

[Smallie_Stalker]

I only started doing this the last 20 years or so. As time has gone on it has become an absolute necessity due to my balance and mobility issues.

One of my phones and my smartwatch both have built in fall detection (the phone also has emergency crash detection) so if the device triggers an event and I don't cancel within 60 seconds it sends alerts to my emergency contacts with location coordinates.

I also plan regular check-in times so if I am not heard from I will get a call within 5 minutes to make sure I'm okay.

You can never be too safe

Great thread Flats!

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro  using Tapatalk

[big g]

Great post Flats. 

Besides what you just mentioned, I also have the life360 app, which is a gps tracker.  Very handy in the event of an emergency.

I too have Life 360.  Pinpoint where you are.  Still leave an Email for the wife with location, ramp, direction going, fishing partners name, and return time.  360 does work great.

[topdsm0138]

My Float Plan: Put the plug in boat, back trailer into water and hope the boat floats.

Ok, now for my serious input. I have this locator app on my phone where my wife, son and I can see where eachother is at all times. And she has used it on me a LOT because she does worry about me. Heck, she even used it once while I was overseas (yeah, I had service over there because of International on my plan thanks to the boss man.).



Sent from undisclosed location. -Tiller Mafia

[Oldfart9999]

All very good and sound ideas, do them!!!
Rodney

[FD]

Every time I hit the water. 

I also have a PLB.  Activate it and someone will come get you anywhere in the world. 

Sent from the very edge of civilization...where I belong