Spot / Delorme / Sat Phone

[Otisguy]

I leave next month to Guatemala to bring my Hatteras 48' Lrc home to Tampa Bay. We are taking 5 weeks and crusing Belize outer islands and then Mexico and then cross over to Key West and then finally home to Tampa Bay. We want family & friends to track our progress.
If you have to get one of the other which would it be & why?
Spot- does leave bread crumb trail and you can text out - no one can text back so you can't be sure anyone got message (especially if a distress signal)
Spot has a "new" sat phone but doesn't have coverage down in Cental America where we will be...
I am leaning toward the "In Reach" from Delorme due to being able to track our progress on trip (bread crumb trail) plus able to text back and forth with loved ones and get updated weather reports from them on where we are heading.......
SPOT SATELLITE MESSENGER :: HOME PAGE
InReach
Both Spot & Delorme have monthly plans that are very reasonable...

Not sure I want the expense of a Sat Phone plus the air time plans are much more expensive

 

[CPseudonym]

I have friends that have used both successfully. That said, I would never rely on either for an SOS. An EPIRB would be the only thing I would personally rely on for that situation.

 

[Otisguy]

I agree I replaced batteries in my Epirb last summer and that goes with us if we have to Step Up onto my life raft along with sat phone someone is loaning me and a Delorme " in Reach" they are giving me....

 

[jungpeter]

Hi Otisguy. We've got a Delorme InReach tracker aboard RENDEZVOUS, exactly for the reasons you mentioned. To date, it has performed flawlessly on our current cruise to Alaska, letting family and friends in on the trip, as well as providing invaluable two-way text messaging. Haven't had to use the SOS function, and I would certainly not rely on that feature as my sole safety contact offshore, but it's a useful feature. In my opinion, two-way messaging is VERY useful and valuable.
Regards,
Pete

 

[Otisguy]

Thanks Craig & Pete - for the info - I was lucky enough to find someone on another forum that is using AIS and other electronics to communicate and let family know they are alright and they are giving me their Delorme device...Plus a loaner of a Sat Phone for our trip...I will break down one day and buy one buy right now just not needed or justified...