Hello. Whilst not exclusively a website matter, this does appear to be the most relevant forum for my topic which pertains to the fleet map and use of social media.

I'm raising this as a non facebook user, but despite my scruples about that platform, find that WhatsApp is too useful a tool to also throw overboard. I acknowledge therefore that facebook users may find my request superfluous. I'm also only a part time/occasional cruiser and so am not 'plugged in' to real world long term cruising communities with well established networks.

I intend to embark on a circuit of the middling latitudes of the north and south Atlantic this summer, to start and finish in the UK. In preparation, I have wandered around the OCC website to find out how I can best make contact with other OCC members en route.

The fleet map looked like a useful starting point, but from my perspective, both the map and the vessel data entry forms, lack some useful information.

I note from my own "Fleet Map settings" that there is an option to 'select fleet', but unless I am mistaken, vessels shown on the fleet map are not allocated to any particular fleet (or at least, such allocations are not displayed. I think it would be useful if they were.

Additionally, the 'vessel details' pop-up on the fleet map does not provide any information about the owner/skipper. I don't think this is simply because these details are not being provided by members - a random sample of around 10 vessels, revealed no such information is displayed (although the vessel's MMSI and callsign (where appropriate) is). I think It would be helpful if there was an option for owners to show their name and contact details on the fleet map along with a summary of their current cruising itinerary.

I also think it would be useful if each fleet was assigned a WhatsApp group so that members could share information with eachother. I have recently joined such a WhatsApp group for cruisers visiting Brazil and even though I am still at home, I am picking up useful information for my planned forthcoming visit

[I acknowledge that my suggestion to use WhatsApp rather than facebook as an adjunct to the Fleet Map is not without its drawbacks, but despite also being provided by Meta, it seems to me that WhatsApp groups are less prone to  communication excesses and privacy issues than are facebook communities.  Additionally, OCC members who use the OCC facebook page could of course continue to do so.