WaveMates

WaveMates is a new system that allows sailors to gain visibility of other boats on the water, and then to communicate with them, in a way that transforms the whole experience of boating.

This new system allows you to see the positions of nearby boats who are also using WaveMates. You can see each vessel's name, position, and bearing and range from you. That's useful if you want to know who's around you. And you can then communicate with them using WaveMates.

Until now, sailors have been limited in how they can communicate with each other. Imagine that you’re out in a boat. When you see another boat and you happen to know the owner, you can contact them directly by phone or text. But if you don’t know them, you basically have two options:

1. You can use your radio to broadcast a message, but this is not conducive to chatting or asking for help with minor problems; or

2. If they’re within range, you can hail them (i.e. shout).

Now there's a new way to contact them. WaveMates allows you to communicate with boats based on proximity. It’s based on the idea that communication between sailors can be both useful and fun. Boat people naturally want to help one another, and they want to share the enjoyment of boating!

WaveMates allows you to:

• See the positions of other vessels who are using WaveMates
• Send and receive messages to nearby vessels, even if you don’t know them
• Broadcast messages to all nearby boats, so that you can ask for help, pass on useful information, or just chat
• Share your position and track with a friend or family member, so they can see your progress.

Disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.