Hail channels
Hail channels - everything you need to know
Intro
Imagine if no VHF call was ever missed. If you could move in and out of conversations as you traveled. If you could read or share real-time, relevant information about weather and navigational hazards when you want and where you want. Imagine finding that spare part or inviting nearby boats to a beach bonfire right from your phone, with people you would otherwise have no way to contact. VHF radios are not 'on' all the time and are limited to 20nm(ish); you can’t hail every boat on you AIS screen at once; and you don't have every nearby boaters whatsapp number. Our hails give you that kind of power. Welcome to the future of marine communication.
Reminder: SeaPeople Hails are not for emergencies and are not monitored by emergency agencies (yet). If you are in an emergency situation, hail the local authorities on the appropriate channel for your region.
Discovering and joining hails
From the messages tab
Navigate to the messages tab and tap the top row labeled ‘Hail channels nearby.’ These hails are listed in chronological order of creation.
From the home tab
Horizontally scroll to the second row labeled ‘Hails nearby.’ Tap "All hails" button at the end of the row to view all available hail channels.
Tap any hail summary (hail card) to open the message, scroll and read as much as you like, and tap the ‘Join now’ button if you would like to add to the thread. There is no limit to the number of people that can join hail channels and hail creators cannot block or limit hail participants (this would be accomplished in a group chat).
From the Explore map
To explore hails on the map, start by navigating to the Explore tab. Move around the map to find hails anywhere in the world, which are marked with orange pins featuring a hailer icon. The number displayed in the pin's pill represents the count of participants in that hail. Hails with only one participant might indicate someone in need of assistance or looking for company, so keep an eye out for those.
To refine your search, use the hail filter located at the top of the screen. This filter removes user and boat pins, allowing you to focus solely on hails.
When you tap on a hail pin, you'll see the creator's initial message and the remaining time before the hail expires. Open the hail to view more details and join the conversation to engage with the boater or offer help.
Initiating a hail
From the Explore Map Screen
Begin by exploring the map and applying filters as needed from the top bar.
Once you've filtered users or opted not to use any filters, tap the Hail icon in the upper right to open the hail creation screen.
From the Chat/Messaging Screen
Easily initiate a hail by tapping the "Add Message" icon in the upper right corner.
This button allows you to start a group chat (selecting users individually via name search) or create a hail channel. Choose "Create Hail Channel" to proceed.
Note: Initiating a hail from the messages screen does not offer filter options. Your hail will be sent to everyone within your chosen radius on the following screen.
Adjusting your hail recipients
Filters: Utilize various categories on the explore map to narrow down the population of users to your desired demographic before tapping the hail icon in the upper right corner.
Radius: Once you've reached the hail creation screen via explore, nearby hail list, or messages screen, adjust the radius to a maximum of 50nm in all directions from your current location.
Location of your Hail
The center point of your hail radius is up to you. It defaults to your physical location at regardless of your location settings (e.g., if you have a pinned location setting somewhere else on the map). You can adjust the location of the hail's counterpoint in the upper map on the hail creation screen:
Pan around the map displayed at the top of screen to change its centerpoint.
Writing your hail message
Choose a concise 'topic' that effectively conveys the purpose of your hail.
Get creative with your hails and descriptions, keeping in mind that the first couple of lines will display on the hail lists. Ensure that the most important information is placed at the beginning.
Expiry date
Similarly to how VHF works (but better 😉), hails are short lived and meant to get the answer in a timely manner. By default the expiry is set to 1 day. Other options you can choose are 6 hours, 12 hours and 2 days.
Leaving a hail channel
To leave a hail channel:
Open the specific hail channel thread.
Tap on the hail channel title.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen.
Tap on the option to 'Leave chat.' (located at the bottom)
Hail notifications and privacy
When a hail is sent to a filtered group, everyone in that group receives a push notification indicating that a hail channel has been created. This is important to mimic real VHF and the importance of 'hailing' people around you.
Hail channels are intentionally open to encourage conversations and community interaction. They remain visible to all users, regardless of their initial filter settings, as they navigate and explore.