GPS Tracking for On-the-Water Safety Teams

Every tracked boat appears on a live map, visible to the race team, safety officer, and shore team.

You can instantly see:

• Where competitors are relative to the course

• Which boats are stopped, capsized, or drifting

• The location and movement of all safety boats

No guesswork. No radio-only picture. Just clear, shared situational awareness.

GPS data highlights issues before they escalate.

• A boat stopped head-to-wind for too long

• Sudden loss of speed or erratic movement

• A competitor separated from the fleet

• Boats drifting towards hazards, shore, or shipping lanes

Safety teams can intervene early, often before a sailor even calls for help.

Instead of fixed patrol patterns, safety boats can be dynamically positioned where they are most needed.

• Allocate safety boats by fleet density

• Move cover as fleets spread or compress

• Avoid over-covering one area while leaving gaps elsewhere

• Reduce response times by being closer to potential incidents

This is especially valuable for large courses, multiple fleets, and long-distance races.

With GPS tracking, everyone is working from the same live picture.

• Shore teams can direct safety boats precisely

• Race officers can support safety decisions

• Safety leads can coordinate multiple craft efficiently

• Post-incident reviews are clearer and calmer

This reduces radio traffic, misunderstandings, and stress at critical moments.

TracTracUK systems don’t require every boat to carry a tracker to improve safety.

By tracking:

• A representative selection of competitors

• All safety boats

• Key fleets or vulnerable classes

You still gain a highly accurate real-time view of fleet behaviour, density, and risk areas — maximising safety value while keeping costs sensible.

The system continuously calculates true GPS distance between boats, safety craft, marks, and shore reference points.

This allows safety teams to:

• Identify which safety boat is closest to an incident

• Avoid delays caused by incorrect visual assumptions

• Monitor separation distances between boats and hazards

• Support decisions in reduced visibility or poor conditions

Distance is measured over the water, not guessed by eye or radio description.

Safety boats (RIBs) are displayed using dedicated icons that clearly differentiate them from racing boats. This ensures safety craft are instantly recognisable, even in high-density fleet situations.escription

Yes. In reduced visibility, busy race areas, or high workload scenarios, GPS tracking provides a shared, objective view of boat positions, supporting confident coordination between shore-based and afloat teams.escription

All tracking data is recorded and can be replayed in the Race Viewer. This supports incident review, safety reporting, training, and continuous improvement for future events. description