So this is maybe a silly question question -- but I am curious what type of local cell phone (smart phone vs. an old school bar phone) is included with most charter boats. I know most of the vessels have them but as the person onshore I have no knowledge of any more detail than that. Do you use the phone that is provided with your boat or do you just use your own -- and get a roaming plan or use onboard wifi?

My interest is related to the potential use of boating smart phone apps to improve awareness of marine hazards and potential prevention of collisions at sea.

Do any of you use boating apps like Navionics or even boat beacon (AIS app) while in the BVI or does lack of data/wifi limit your use?

I am using Marine AIS to collect some information about vessel anchorages around JVD (deeper water, where megayachts anchor) as part of a UK Darwin Plus project on coastal and marine ecosystem resilience and am exploring potential use of AIS virtual ATONS; however, most of the boats in the BVI are not equipped with AIS which means the scope is limited (or at least now, who knows how it might change in a few years).