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Boat Watch: owners looking out for each other’s boats

Over the winter a boat can sit alone for weeks. How bad the damage gets usually depends on who notices first: the thief casting off at night, the line chafing through, the gale tugging at the pontoon. Boat Watch makes sure you are the first to know, and puts you in touch with owners in your area so someone is close enough to help.

How it works

Your boat checks inWith the MMSI of your AIS set we can see where your boat is. If she leaves her berth without you telling us, you get an email. If you are out on her yourself, one click pauses the watch.
Owners helping ownersTell us where your boat lies and how you could help. Once enough owners in an area have joined, requests for help go to members nearby: a tow into harbour, a tool, a look at a neighbour’s boat after a blow.
Free, for every ownerAny owner can join, wherever the boat is insured. The more boats in an area, the closer the network.

You will then get an email with a link to confirm. We only start watching after that.

Email address Boat name MMSI (optional)

Nine digits, shown on your radio licence or in the AIS menu. Without an MMSI you are part of the network, but without the watch.

Berth (harbour or place) Area

How I could help other owners (optional) A tow with my boat Lend tools or spares Diving, say to free a line from a propeller Keep an eye on neighbouring boats A lift or transport to the harbour

Other owners in the network may see my boat name and area for requests for help. Customer or policy number (optional)

If you are insured with us, this lets us link your sign-up to your customer account later.

I agree that NAMMERT stores my boat name, MMSI, berth and my boat’s AIS positions and sends me alerts about them by email.

I can sign off at any time with the link in every email. More in the privacy policy.

What the watch can and cannot do

At the moment we check roughly every two hours. Your boat is only visible while her AIS is switched on and a shore station can hear it; in most harbours that is the case, offshore it is not. The watch does not replace an alarm system or a look at the boat. If people are in danger, always call the emergency services.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

What does Boat Watch cost?

Nothing.

It is open to every owner, wherever the boat is insured.

My boat has no AIS. Can I still join?

Yes.

Without an MMSI there is no alert when the boat moves,

but you are part of the owners’ network in your area and can give and get help.

What happens when I go out myself?

You get an email saying your boat has left her berth,

with a link that pauses the watch for seven days.

After that it resumes by itself.

Who sees my details?

Nobody but us sees your email address.

Other owners only see your boat name and area if you tick the box, and only for requests for help.