A paddleboard needs the same two things a yacht does: someone ashore who can see you, and a fast way to reach the right rescue centre. VesselSOS gives both from the phone already in your drybag — a live browser link plus a MAYDAY-ready emergency screen.
Most SUP rescues start the same way: an offshore breeze that felt like nothing on the beach, and a board drifting out faster than you can paddle back. You are not injured — you are just getting further away. That is exactly what a live link is built for: the person ashore sees the drift long before you would think to call anyone.
It is in the drybag anyway. Start tracking before you launch and send the link to one person — the app does nothing else in the background, and the watcher sees your battery too. If the day turns serious, the emergency screen has your position, a read-aloud MAYDAY and the responsible rescue centre — chosen by where you float, not where your SIM is from.
A leash and a buoyancy aid keep you alive; a phone only gets help moving. VesselSOS is an aid, not a rescue service — in immediate danger, call 112 first.
Yes. GPS works through the case, tracking runs on its own, and the emergency screen uses large type: one tap on SOS, one yes/no question, and the app dials — usable with wet thumbs.
Each paddler shares their own link; the person ashore simply opens them side by side. Set your craft to SUP/kayak in your profile.
The SOS screen — your position, the MAYDAY script and the rescue-centre call — is free forever, no account. Plus adds the live tracking link for the people ashore, your contacts and craft profile, and trip history. It is free during the beta, then €2.99 a year (planned) — less than an hour of board rental.