Understanding geofences

A geofence defines the operational area where your vessel can be used for bookings. This guide explains what geofences are, why they’re important, and how to set them up for your vessel.

What is a Geofence?

A geofence is a virtual boundary that defines the operating area for your vessel. It’s represented as a circular area on a map with:

• Center Point: A specific location (latitude and longitude coordinates)
• Radius: The distance from the center point (in miles)

Visual Representation

On a map, a geofence appears as:

• A circle centered on your chosen location
• The boundary of your vessel’s operating area
• A visual guide for both you and potential customers

Why Are Geofences Important?

For Vessel Owners

• ✅ Define Operating Limits: Specify where your vessel can operate
• ✅ Safety: Ensure bookings stay within your preferred areas
• ✅ Insurance: Match your insurance coverage area
• ✅ Local Knowledge: Highlight areas where you have experience
• ✅ Search Visibility: Help fishers find vessels in specific areas
• ✅ Booking Restrictions: Automatically restrict bookings to your operational area

For Fishers

• ✅ Find Nearby Vessels: Search results show vessels based on geofence areas
• ✅ Understand Boundaries: Know where trips can take place
• ✅ Travel Planning: Estimate distances and travel times
• ✅ Area Matching: Find vessels in specific fishing locations

How Geofences Work

Technical Details

Structure:

• Center: Geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude)
• Radius: Distance in miles from center point
• Shape: Circular boundary
• Type: Operating area definition

Distance Measurements:

• Measured in miles
• Calculated using geographic coordinates
• Account for Earth’s curvature for accuracy

Operational Rules

Booking Restrictions:

• Bookings are restricted to trips within your geofence
• The system validates trip destinations against your geofence
• Prevents bookings outside your defined operational area

Search and Discovery:

• Your vessel appears in search results when fishers search within or near your geofence
• Geofence helps match fishers with vessels in their desired areas
• Distance calculations help fishers find nearby vessels

Trip Planning:

• Trip planning shows estimated travel times within your geofence
• Fuel calculations based on distances within the boundary
• Helps fishers understand trip logistics

Setting Up Your Geofence

Prerequisites

• ✅ Vessel registered on Here2Fish
• ✅ Location permissions enabled on your device
• ✅ Understanding of your vessel’s operating area

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Access Geofence Setup

Option A: From Vessel Management

1. Go to Profile > Vessel Owner
2. Select “Manage Vessels”
3. Choose your vessel
4. Select “Set Geofence” or “Edit Geofence”

Option B: Direct Navigation

1. Navigate to Vessel Owner section
2. Select “Geofence Setup” for your vessel
3. Or use the geofence management screen

2. Choose Your Center Point

You have two options for setting the center:

Option A: Use Your Current Location

1. Tap “Use My Current Location” button
2. Grant location permissions if prompted
3. Your current GPS location becomes the center
4. Map automatically centers on your location

Option B: Select on Map

1. View the map on screen
2. Tap anywhere on the map
3. Center point marker moves to tapped location
4. Adjust by tapping different locations

Tips for Choosing Center:

• Choose your primary operating location (marina, launch point, etc.)
• Center on your most common fishing area
• Consider your vessel’s typical range
• Pick a location that represents your operating area well

3. Set the Radius

Using the Radius Slider:

1. Use the radius slider to adjust the size
2. Watch the circle on the map expand/contract
3. Current radius displays in miles

Radius Guidelines:

• Minimum: 0.5 miles
• Maximum: 100 miles
• Default: 5 miles
• Recommended: Based on your vessel’s typical range

Considerations:

• Vessel Range: How far can your vessel travel?
• Fishing Areas: Where do you typically fish?
• Insurance Coverage: Match your insurance area
• Local Knowledge: Areas where you have experience
• Launch Points: Distance from launch to fishing spots

4. Adjust on Map

View Your Geofence:

• Circle shows your operational boundary
• Red marker shows center point
• Interactive map allows zoom and pan

Fine-Tuning:

• Tap map to move center point
• Adjust radius slider to change size
• Use “Fit to Circle” button to view entire geofence
• Zoom in/out to see details

5. Save Your Geofence

1. Review your geofence on the map
2. Ensure center and radius are correct
3. Tap “Save Geofence” button
4. Wait for confirmation
5. Geofence is saved and active immediately

After Saving:

• Geofence is applied to your vessel
• Bookings restricted to this area
• Search results updated
• Changes take effect immediately

Geofence Specifications

Size Limits

• Minimum Radius: 0.5 miles
  • Use for very localized operations
  • Specific marina or launch area
• Maximum Radius: 100 miles
  • Use for vessels with long-range capabilities
  • Offshore or extended area operations
• Default Radius: 5 miles
  • Good starting point for most vessels
  • Suitable for typical inshore fishing

Typical Radius Sizes

Small (0.5 – 2 miles):

• Local marina operations
• Specific bay or harbor
• Restricted area fishing

Medium (2 – 10 miles):

• Most common size
• Inshore fishing areas
• Multiple nearby fishing spots
• Includes launch and fishing areas

Large (10 – 50 miles):

• Extended range vessels
• Offshore fishing
• Multiple launch points
• Wide operating area

Very Large (50 – 100 miles):

• Long-range vessels
• Deep-sea operations
• Multiple fishing zones
• Extended offshore range

Best Practices

Choosing Your Geofence

✅ Do:

• Match your insurance coverage area
• Include your primary fishing locations
• Consider your vessel’s actual range
• Account for typical trip distances
• Cover multiple launch points if applicable
• Reflect areas where you have local knowledge

❌ Don’t:

• Set radius larger than your vessel can actually travel
• Include areas you never actually visit
• Exceed your insurance coverage boundaries
• Make it too small (may limit bookings unnecessarily)
• Set it without considering your typical operations

Updating Your Geofence

When to Update:

• Location Change: Moving to new marina or launch point
• Range Changes: Vessel modifications affecting range
• New Areas: Expanding to new fishing locations
• Insurance Changes: Insurance area modified
• Seasonal: Different areas for different seasons

How to Update:

1. Navigate to Geofence Setup
2. Modify center point or radius
3. Save updated geofence
4. Changes apply immediately

How Geofences Affect Bookings

Booking Restrictions

Within Geofence:

• ✅ Bookings allowed
• ✅ Trips can be scheduled
• ✅ Full booking functionality

Outside Geofence:

• ❌ Bookings restricted
• ❌ System validates trip destinations
• ❌ Prevents bookings outside boundary

Search and Discovery

For Fishers:

• Vessels appear in search when:
  • Fisher’s location is within geofence
  • Fisher searches within geofence area
  • Geofence overlaps with search area

Distance Calculations:

• Shows distance from fisher to geofence center
• Helps fishers find nearby vessels
• Aids in trip planning

Trip Planning

Within Your Geofence:

• Trip planning enabled
• Distance calculations accurate
• Travel time estimates
• Fuel consumption estimates

Boundary Considerations:

• Fishers see your operating area
• Understand where trips can take place
• Plan trips within your boundaries

Multiple Geofences

Currently, the system supports one geofence per vessel.

If you need multiple areas:

• Set your geofence to cover all desired areas
• Use the largest radius needed to include all locations
• Center on a point that includes all operating areas

Future Considerations:

• System may support multiple geofences in the future
• You can update geofence as needed
• Adjust seasonally or for different fishing locations

Geofence vs. Vessel Location

Understanding the Difference

Vessel Location:

• Physical location where vessel is stored/launched
• Single point (latitude, longitude)
• Used for search and discovery
• Shown on vessel listing

Geofence:

• Operating area boundary
• Circular area with radius
• Defines where trips can occur
• Restricts booking destinations

Relationship:

• Vessel location should be within your geofence
• Geofence defines operational area around location
• Both work together for search and booking

Troubleshooting

“Geofence not saving”

Solution:

• Check internet connection
• Verify location permissions granted
• Ensure center point is selected
• Try adjusting radius and saving again

“Map not loading”

Solution:

• Check internet connection
• Grant location permissions
• Try refreshing the screen
• Use “Use My Current Location” if map unavailable

“Can’t see my geofence circle”

Solution:

• Ensure center point is set
• Adjust zoom level on map
• Use “Fit to Circle” button
• Check that radius is set

“Geofence too small/large”

Solution:

• Adjust radius slider
• Use minimum 0.5 miles, maximum 100 miles
• Consider your actual operating range
• Update as needed

“Bookings restricted unexpectedly”

Solution:

• Check geofence covers intended area
• Verify center point is correct
• Increase radius if needed
• Ensure trip destinations are within geofence

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a geofence?

While not always required, a geofence is highly recommended to:

• Define your operating area
• Help fishers find your vessel
• Restrict bookings to appropriate areas
• Match insurance coverage

Can I change my geofence later?

Yes! You can update your geofence anytime:

• Change center point
• Adjust radius
• Update for seasonal changes
• Modify for new operating areas

How does radius affect bookings?

• Larger radius = More potential bookings (broader area)
• Smaller radius = More targeted bookings (specific area)
• Choose based on your vessel’s actual range

What if my insurance area is different?

Match your geofence to your insurance coverage area to ensure bookings stay within insured boundaries.

Can fishers see my geofence?

Fishers can see:

• Your vessel’s operating area (via search)
• Approximate boundaries
• Distance to your operating area

Does geofence affect pricing?

No. Geofence defines operating area, not pricing. Pricing is set separately in your vessel settings.

Can I have different geofences for different seasons?

While you can only have one active geofence at a time, you can update it seasonally:

• Update geofence for summer areas
• Change for winter fishing locations
• Adjust for different fishing seasons

Technical Details

Coordinate System

Format:

• Latitude: -90 to 90 (negative = South, positive = North)
• Longitude: -180 to 180 (negative = West, positive = East)
• Example: 25.0865, -80.4473 (Key Largo, FL)

Distance Calculation

Method:

• Uses Haversine formula for accuracy
• Accounts for Earth’s curvature
• Measures great-circle distance
• Result in miles

Map Integration

Display:

• Interactive map view
• Circle overlay showing boundary
• Center point marker
• Zoom and pan capabilities

Visual Examples

Small Geofence (2 miles)

• Use Case: Local marina, specific bay
• Example: Center at marina, 2-mile radius covers nearby fishing spots
• Best For: Tightly focused operations

Medium Geofence (5-10 miles)

• Use Case: Typical inshore fishing
• Example: Center at launch point, covers multiple fishing areas
• Best For: Most vessel owners

Large Geofence (20-50 miles)

• Use Case: Extended range, offshore fishing
• Example: Center in fishing area, covers large offshore zone
• Best For: Long-range vessels

Tips for Success

Planning Your Geofence

1. Know Your Range: Understand your vessel’s actual operating range
2. Consider All Factors: Insurance, typical trips, launch points
3. Start Conservative: You can always expand later
4. Think Seasonally: Consider if you need different areas for different seasons

Setting Up

1. Use Current Location: If launching from same place regularly
2. Test Different Sizes: See how radius looks on map
3. Verify Coverage: Ensure all desired areas included
4. Save and Review: Check how it appears in search

Maintenance

1. Regular Review: Check geofence periodically
2. Update as Needed: Change when operations change
3. Seasonal Adjustments: Update for different seasons
4. Insurance Alignment: Keep aligned with insurance coverage