Submitting a Transit Report: Ensuring Safety on Your Sailing Passage

When planning a sailing passage, submitting a transit report via VHF radio is a simple yet vital safety practice. It acts as a safety net, ensuring that someone ashore knows when you’ve left, where you’re headed, and when you should arrive. This information could be crucial in an emergency, potentially saving lives if communication is lost or if you encounter trouble at sea.

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⛵ Why Submit a Transit Report?

        • Safety: It provides a known reference point for rescue authorities in case you don’t arrive as expected.

        • Communication: Keeps the coastguard informed of your voyage, allowing timely assistance if needed.

        • Peace of Mind: You and your crew can feel more secure knowing someone is tracking your passage.

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📍 How to Submit a Transit Report via VHF

Follow these steps to submit a proper transit report:

✔ 1. Choose the Correct Channel – Check your almanac or local guidance for the appropriate coastguard channel in your sailing area. Initial contact is often made on Channel 16 (CH16), the international distress and calling channel.

✔ 2. Initial Call – Begin by calling the coastguard station. For example:

        “[Station name] Coastguard, this is [your vessel name], routine traffic. Over.”

✔ 3. Switch Channels – The coastguard will likely instruct you to switch to a working channel, which is usually duplex, meaning other vessels won’t overhear your conversation.

✔ 4. Provide Key Information – Your transit report should include:

        • Departure port

        • Destination port

        • Number of persons onboard

        • Estimated time of arrival (ETA)

✔ 5. Confirm Safe Arrival – Upon reaching your destination, call the same coastguard station again to confirm you have arrived safely. This closes the loop and removes any unnecessary search and rescue concerns.

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🌊 Extra Tip: Use the SafeTrx App

In addition to your VHF transit report, consider registering your passage with the SafeTrx app. This free service allows you to submit your route, check-in regularly, and send distress alerts if needed, providing an extra layer of safety.

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🚀 Final Thoughts

Logging a transit report is a simple but highly effective safety measure when undertaking a sailing passage, whether on a Malta sailing charter, during a sailing course in the Med, or any other sailing adventure. Don’t overlook this step—making sure someone knows where you are and where you’re going could be the difference in an emergency.