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Review – Boat Command Remote Monitoring System — 25 Comments

  1. I would like to have a guest account to your Quantum Leap’s Boat Command data system. I am considering purchasing the system but would like more knowledge about just how the system works.

    Thanks,

    EJ Gaudet

    • Hi Ed, you have bad timing. My system is down for a few days at the moment – I had to disconnect power due to a major project going on on the boat. I will email you back when the system is back up. Meanwhile boat command has some sample boats too. Go here https://connect.boatcommand.com/Login/ then click Sign Up. Enter your email and make up a password, then follow the verification process. When you sign in there will be two sample boats for you to play with. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

    • Also if you have a smartphone you may want to install the app and login from there, the app experience is somewhat different than what you see with a browser.

      • Rob, Thanks for your prompt reply. I will indeed check out the Boat Command smartphone app.

        Thanks,

        EJ

    • It’s been working very well for me and alerts seem even more responsive than before – 10 seconds or less to receive a security alert via Txt Msg when I open the cabin door for example. They now also have an RV version which as far as I can tell is identical hardware, all they did was to re-label some of the boat specific nomenclature (like Bilge Pump becomes Engine Hours). I do have a few suggestions for improvements that I will be forwarding to Boat Command. I am also beta testing another RV product which is more of an automation controller that will also have alert capabilities – stay tuned form more info on that.

  2. I have Boat Command in my 2002 Hunter 410. They gave me a boat show price of $179. Works great. This week It informed me of a stuck bilge float switch that was draining my battery. I live 3 hours away so I was able to call the marina to rectify the situation.

    • Good to hear! This product I think is a good example of technology at its best and not just some gimmicky gadget.

      I do have some issues though with changes they have made to the security monitor that seem to have made it less likely to be enabled when you really need it.

  3. The idea tickled my curiosity about using it for our motorhome and you clarified the whole thing in your discussion. Now to explore the concept with some like-minded associates and see what develops from there. Thanks for the thorough discussion of Boat Command.

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  5. I purchased BC device very early but have had issues with power consumption. Battery voltage drops off enough that I disconnected it last winter. I now have hooked up a solar panel but voltage still drops off. May or may not be the BC unit at fault but I am concerned and would like to know what others are experiencing.

    • Hi JR, I have not had that experience with the Boat Command. I have never actually measured the consumption but will plan to do that in the near future. We have a 140W solar panel covered by white shrink wrap during the winter and it produces more than enough power to compensate for our inverter’s vampire load – and that consumes significantly more power than the Boat Command (at least based on the specs). If you have an inverter, especially a pure sine wave model or one with a remote panel, and you haven’t disconnected it (at the battery) for the winter that is worth looking at. In my past life working with marine DC equipment the inverters were a common source of battery drain if they did not have a disconnect switch. Even with the inverter supposedly off the models with a remote panel still consume about 300mA, enough to flatten most battery banks in a matter of weeks.

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  7. I bought one of these at the 2015 Annapolis show, and use it at my dock to raise and lower my boat lift. Sometimes it takes over an hour to recieve the signal. I can see the Verizon tower from the dock, and have 4g. Buyer beware. Tech support was no help at all.

    • Leon, sorry to hear about that. That sure doesn’t sound right. Last time I tried turning on one of the “Control” outputs (I have it hooked up to my deck lights) it took under a minute. Well hopefully the folks at boat command will see this and try to help you out. I talked to a gentleman named Rick Ogg a few days ago about an issue I was having (with billing). Here is his info: Rick Ogg, VP Operations, 918-824-1400 office, 918-530-7661 cell, Via-trax.com Please let us know how you make out!

      (PS Sorry for the delay responding we were in the middle of upgrading our blog site when your comment came in)

  8. Hi Rob, are you still using this monitoring system? I am thinking about trying the RV version for our rv, do you have any updated thoughts or comments on the system?

    • Hi, yes I have two units, one for the boat and one for the rv. Both are doing their job and working well. Hardware is identical for both. I believe they have now switched cell service to AT&T which is GSM technology and makes the product deployable anywhere in the world. This system is ideal if you have no other on board cellular communications.

      However, if you are looking to only monitor specific parameters (like temp) AND you already have on board comm (like a MiFi) there may be other solutions that don’t require an additional monthly fee and also may cost less up front. Check out the tempstick for example. http://idealsciences.com

      As far as I know RV/Boat command still remains the most capable device of its ilk for the lowest cost, however other solutions like the TempStick and IoT type solutions may eventually offer similar capabilities for even lower cost.

      Hope that helps!

  9. I saw and purchased the Boat Command a couple of years ago at a boat show, and have since installed more than a dozen of the units, primarily, in houseboats around my region. The big selling point when I first saw it in addition to the features it offers was the monthly monitoring cost, very affordable.

    Rick is great to work with, on any issues that might pop up. The shore power monitor works with 120v -240v which makes it great if the boat has dual shore power cords, I grab a leg of each cord and run 240v, thus if the marina looses a leg or a cord become unplugged, it notifies you. I also found that the euro type screw down terminals makes the wiring a lot easier and neater than using butt connectors.

    I have talked to them about labeling the two battery banks it monitors, as after install some boat owners can’t remember what battery 1 or battery 2 is connected to.

    As far as response time, when I unplug my shore power to back out of the dock, by the time I walk the 20′ wide slip to board, I’m receiving the loss of shore power text message.

    I would be glad to try and answer any questions anyone might have as a user of the system and anything I have encountered with some installs.

    Happy New Year to all

    Danny

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  11. The Boat Command system seems to be a strong contender, but the discussion around pricing raises important considerations. I appreciate your honesty about the price increase and how it affects the overall value proposition. Overall, your review has given me valuable insights into the Boat Command system, and I’ll certainly keep it in mind when evaluating options for monitoring my own boat. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
    https://iqboatlifts.com/

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