I just think we all need to be reminded that:

Rescuers cannot isolate the direction of a cellular signal. You get a signal, make a distress call, battery goes dead or unit becomes damaged by water, next thing you know you are no where near your original location and your rescuers have no way to track you.

Unlike a VHF radio, a cell phone call is heard by one party.

While having a cell phone as a secondary communication device is good, its a far cry from being 'smart on the water' to rely upon it as your sole source of communications, especially when you are heading out on the water in extreme conditions on a catamaran.

Tracie