Sending Position Report to SailBlogs

SailBlogs is an independent position-reporting service. There is no affiliation with SailMail but we like their style and have provided support for their service with our Airmail software. SailBlogs offers free accounts but in order to post position-reports and log updates via email, a “Premium Basic” account is needed with a small annual fee.

A discount coupon code is available for SailMail members, contact us for info.

To set up a SailBlogs account, do the following:

Step #1: Sign up for a free SailBlogs account:

  • Open a web browser and go to http://sailblogs.com
  • Click on “Register”.
  • Now enter your regular email address (not your SailMail address), enter your name, choose a password, and enter a “title” such as “Sailing with <insert your boat name>”. “URL” can be your boat-name (with any spaces removed). Select “S/V” for Sailing vessel, M/V for motor vessel. Enter your boat name, this will appear in the SailBlogs directory. Check the “I am not a robot” box. Then click “Submit Registration”.
  • SailBlogs will then send you an email (to your regular email address, entered above) with an activation code. Check your regular email account and follow the instructions there.

You are now set up with a free SailBlogs account. Log into SailBlogs, check your page, add a picture, enter position-reports, pictures and text on the SailBlogs web page. Test it, make sure it works.

Step #2:  Upgrade to a “Premium Basic” account so that you can send reports via SailMail from your boat:

  • Sign in to SailBlogs on the web with your regular email address and password that you used in step-1 above.
  • Click on “upgrade information” on the left.
  • Then select “Premium accounts”. This brings up an “Upgrade options” page.

  • Enter the Coupon code that you received from SailMail then click “Apply”. Under “SailBlogs Premium Basic” the price should be $26.25/Year (a 25% discount).

  • Select either an “Automatic Renewing Subscription” with Paypal, OR “One-Time Payment” with a credit card. Then click “Upgrade”.
  • When payment is complete, SailBlogs will send an email to your regular email address with a special “Send-to” email address and a “key” for sending position-reports and updates via SailMail.
  • Enter the “Send-to” address and the “Key” into Airmail’s Position-Report window (SailBlogs tab), or the “SailBlogs” window– both under Airmail’s “Window” menu.

To send a Position report, use Airmail’s Position-Report window (under Airmail’s Window menu). Enter your lat-lon position, speed and course if desired, and enter the current date and time, or click “Now”. Then click the “SailBlogs” tab and click “Send Now”.

To send a Log entry (with a position report), use Airmail’s “SailBlogs” window (also under the Window menu). Enter Author (your name), Location (general location only, this is shown as part of the heading), and a Title for this entry. Then write your text. This can be as long or as short as you want. Then click “Send” and a specially-formatted email will be placed in your Outbox folder for sending to SailBlogs on your next connection to SailMail.

You can also edit any entry (and add pictures) via the SailBlogs website when internet is available in port.

There is also a SailMail page in the SailBlogs “Wiki”, here: http://www.sailblogs.com/wiki/index.php/SailMail_Setup_Information