GUIDE · UPDATED AUGUST 2026
WRITTEN BY Harry Liimal · REVIEWED BY Henry Liimal

The safety app for people who paddle standing up.

SHORT ANSWER

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.

Wind offshore is the whole story

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.

Your phone is already aboard

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.

HONESTY CLAUSE

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.

Frequently asked

Does it work inside a drybag or waterproof case?+

Yes. GPS works through the case, tracking runs on its own, and the emergency screen uses large type and a three-second hold — usable with wet thumbs.

We paddle as a group — how does sharing work?+

Each paddler shares their own link; the person ashore simply opens them side by side. One account covers every craft you use, board included.

What does it cost?+

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, automatic emergency contacts and trip history for €2.99 a year — less than an hour of board rental.

Paddle watched, not worried.
Live link for your people ashore, MAYDAY-ready when it matters.
Get the app →
Read next: Boat & board tracking · How to make a MAYDAY call © 2026 INNOVESTING OÜ · VESSELSOS IS AN AID, NOT A RESCUE SERVICE