Wendy - This is sometimes a topic for debate, but I would suggest you also invest in a handheld VHF, in a dry bag as well. Reason is a distress call from a VHF can be picked by many boats in the area and help can get there quicker, while a cell phone is only point to point - and the person you called must then find help for you. Also, most VHF radios have weather on them, so you can pick up advisories. Just an idea...

Yeah...but you guys live on major waterways where there is commercial traffic in addition to a relatively high ratio of skilled recreational traffic. Sunny is talking about sailing on a mid-sized lake with (maybe) a couple other smallish sailboats that probably aren't carrying radios and a few bass fisherman who don't know what a VHF is. It certainly wouldn't hurt to carry a VHF radio in case the club is monitoring but, in this case, I would probably put the cell phone slightly above the VHF radio in importance.

Yeah...but you guys live on major waterways where there is commercial traffic in addition to a relatively high ratio of skilled recreational traffic. Sunny is talking about sailing on a mid-sized lake with (maybe) a couple other smallish sailboats that probably aren't carrying radios and a few bass fisherman who don't know what a VHF is. It certainly wouldn't hurt to carry a VHF radio in case the club is monitoring but, in this case, I would probably put the cell phone slightly above the VHF radio in importance.