How Chip + Trace works
Installing your chips
Once you have received your chip you should find a discreet area of your vessel to place it.
A Chip and Trace pack contains 1 RFID chip. The chip comes in two styles, a small black disc or a thin capsule, please let us know which style you prefer by telling us via the "Contact Us" section
The small black disc has a strong adhesive coating on the back and can be stuck to any surface making it very subtle and hard to detect. The small capsule style chip can be hidden in any discreet place or you can drill a small hole somewhere on your vessel, just enough to cover the chip, install the chip clear side up and then cover the hole with standard marine epoxy, to match colour of wood etc., or by affixing to an appropriat surface. Either way, you do NOT have to drill a hole into your vessel.
Once you have hidden your chip, make a note of their positions and the details can be entered on your secure members page.
Setting up your chips
After your chip has been placed on your vessel, you can now logon to the 'my chip and trace' members area with the username and password you will be supplied with. You can change your username and password in the 'My account details' section once you have logged in for the first time.
The details of your chip and the 10 digit code will be automatically added to your personal members area in the 'Manage my chips' section, from here you can 'Add New Details'. This is where you add your vessels details so your chips will then be registered to that vessel. This is also where you add the details of the chips location upon the vessel. This will only become known to others if you give permission to view those specific details.
You can display the current location of the vessel so people can see its last known location. You can add important information about the vessel such as boat name, type, make, age, model and relevant dimensions. Up to 4 images of your vessel can be uploaded in this section which can be seen by those looking at the 'Watch list' if your vessel is stolen.
Once the chip has been updated with the details of the vessel they are based (by completing above on the members area), your vessel will be then be part of a large database and ready to be uploaded to the 'watch list' if a theft occurs.
In the 'My Chip and Trace', you can buy more chips for other items you need tracking, you can purchase these online and follow the same process above once you have received the new chip.
If your boat is stolen
The steps you must take once you discover your boat is stolen are quick and simple:
Log on to 'My Chip and Trace' and go to the 'Manage Chips' section.
From there you must edit the chip details and click on the 'Add to watch list' button. This will automatically activate the vessel details linked with that chip and upload them directly to the watch list of stolen boats. The list is available to non Members meaning that the appropriate Law Enforcement Agencies, Harbour Authorities, Marina Operators can view the List at any time.
At the same time you should report the theft to the appropriate Authorities and presumably to your insurance company.
Identifying your boat
The fundamental concept of Chip and Trace is the Watch List; this is the area where all details of the vessel are “uploaded” when a theft occurs, including where the vessel was stolen from/last seen, date last seen. All Members of Chip and Trace will receive an email informing them of the theft.
If the vessel is seen, the person concerned can view the Watch List and contact the owner by (an alias) email, giving details of sighting, location etc, the owner will then verify the identity of the ‘reporter’ and provide the password to allow decryption of the location/position of the Chip. Local authorities will be informed and then scan (with a hand held scanner) the vessel at the exact position and if the reading matches the 10 digit tag number, then the vessel is undeniably identified as that which has been stolen.
At present, most Authorities have these scanners and we will be issuing them to Marina Operators, Harbour Authorities as required.
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