A free Internet site allows any boater to file a float plan that will be automatically e-mailed to three people designated by the boater. While working on a project to attract Internet users to his company s Web site, John Halter came up with the idea of registering float plans online. That idea is now a reality with FloatPlanPlus, a free service available to any boater nationwide. The service, offered by boating accessories manufacturer Zarcor Inc. in Addison, Texas, helps keep friends and family members abreast of cruising plans and provides valuable information to rescuers in the event of an emergency.
Users can register float plans of any size from an offshore cruise to an afternoon fishing trip.
The Coast Guard for a long time has endorsed a float plan, but you can t file one with them, says Halter, a longtime boater and president of Zarcor. It s really the advent of technology that has allowed this to change. Since the free service was launched June 6, about 100 boaters have registered float plans, according to Halter. The service is simple. The profile needs to be filed only once.