Shore Contact Alerts: How to Set Up Overdue Notifications

When you're out on the water, someone ashore should know your plans. If you're overdue and can't be reached, they need to know when to worry and when to call the Coastguard.

Shore Contact Alerts automate this process. Your contacts get notified when you depart, and if you don't check in by your expected arrival time, they're alerted automatically.

The system is simple:

1. You set an ETA when departing on a passage
2. Your shore contacts are notified that you've departed
3. You get SMS reminders before your ETA to check in
4. If you don't respond within your grace period, your contacts are automatically alerted

This is what SafeTrx's "Sail Plan Mode" did, and it's what many sailors miss most since SafeTrx closed on 31 December 2025. Unlike informal WhatsApp groups or paper float plans, Shore Contact Alerts provide a structured, reliable system that works even if you forget to check in manually.

:hero-cog-6-tooth: Setting Up Shore Contact Alerts

Step 1: Verify Your Phone Number

Before you can use shore contact alerts, we need to verify your mobile number. This ensures SMS messages reach you and that replies come from you.

1. Go to Settings from the menu
2. Select the Overdue Alerts tab
3. Enter your mobile number
4. Enter the verification code sent to your phone

Your phone number is now linked to your account.

Step 2: Add a Shore Contact

A shore contact is someone who should know your sailing plans and can raise the alarm if you're overdue. This might be:

• A spouse or partner
• A parent or family member
• A friend who understands sailing
• Your marina or yacht club

To add a contact:

1. In Settings → Overdue Alerts, tap Add Shore Contact
2. Enter their name and mobile number
3. Choose what they should be notified about (departure, arrival, overdue)
4. Save the contact

Important: Adding someone doesn't immediately enable alerts for them. They must confirm first.

Step 3: Your Contact Must Confirm

When you add a shore contact, they receive an SMS:

> "Hi, [Your Name] has added you as a shore contact for sailing alerts on Crew the Boat. Reply YES to confirm, or STOP to opt out."

They must reply YES to receive alerts. This matters because:

• Consent: They're agreeing to receive messages about your passages
• Clarity: They understand what to expect and their role as shore contact
• Compliance: We only send alerts to people who have explicitly opted in

Until they confirm, you'll see their status as "Pending". Once they reply YES, it changes to "Confirmed" and they're ready to receive alerts.

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Once you have at least one confirmed shore contact, you can use alerts on any passage.

Starting a Passage

1. Log a passage in your logbook with departure and arrival ports
2. View the passage and scroll to the Overdue Alerts section
3. Set your ETA using the date/time picker (times are in UTC)
4. Tap "I'm Departing"

Your shore contacts immediately receive an SMS:

> "[Your Name] has departed [Port] on [Vessel]. ETA: [Time] at [Destination]."

During Your Voyage

You'll receive SMS reminders:

• 30 minutes before ETA: "Your ETA is in 30 minutes. Reply EXTEND 1H/2H/3H to extend, or COMPLETE when arrived."
• At ETA: "Your ETA has passed. Reply COMPLETE if arrived safely, or EXTEND to update."

You can reply:

• COMPLETE marks you as arrived and notifies contacts you're safe
• EXTEND 1H adds 1 hour to your ETA (also 2H, 3H)
• PAUSE stops monitoring for overnight stops on multi-day passages

If You're Overdue

If you don't respond within your grace period (default: 30 minutes after ETA), your shore contacts receive an alert:

> "ALERT: [Your Name] is overdue. Expected at [Port] at [Time]. Last known departure: [Port] on [Vessel]. Contact them or call Coastguard (999 in UK) if concerned."

This gives them the information they need to try reaching you or escalate to the authorities.

Completing Your Passage

When you arrive safely, reply COMPLETE to your SMS reminder, or tap "Arrived Safely" in the app. Your contacts receive:

> "[Your Name] has arrived safely at [Port]."

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Your shore contacts get notified if you're overdue. Sail knowing someone's watching.

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The grace period is how long the system waits after your ETA before alerting your shore contacts. You can set this per passage:

Choose based on how predictable your arrival is and how quickly your contacts should be concerned.

For passages spanning multiple days, you can pause monitoring overnight:

1. Reply PAUSE to your SMS reminder, or tap Pause in the app
2. The system stops monitoring until you resume
3. When ready to continue, set a new ETA and resume

This prevents false alarms during planned overnight stops.

How much does it cost? Shore Contact Alerts are a Pro feature. Passage logging is free for everyone.

Does this track my position? No. We don't track your GPS location. This is an ETA check-in system. You tell us when you expect to arrive, and we check whether you do.

What if I'm out of phone signal? You won't receive SMS reminders. If you can't reply, the system will alert your contacts after your ETA plus grace period. Consider this when setting your grace period for remote passages.

Can I have multiple shore contacts? Yes, up to 3 shore contacts per account. All confirmed contacts receive the same notifications.

What if my shore contact is on holiday? You can add multiple contacts and choose which are notified per passage. Or temporarily disable notifications for a specific contact in Settings.

Is this available outside the UK? SMS delivery works internationally, making it suitable for cross-Channel passages and Mediterranean cruising. Standard SMS rates may apply, so check with your mobile provider.

Ready to set up shore contact alerts?

1. Sign in or create a free account
2. Go to Settings → Overdue Alerts
3. Verify your phone and add your first shore contact
4. Log a passage and you're ready to go