We've used it. Some places quite a bit. Even though VHF isn't ever fully private you can contact people on a frequency that isn't the major community one and then have a semi - private conversation. That said, when sailing through an area that may be suspect (Vz) we did sail near a friend and then we could easily contact them on low power and we were reasonable sure that the bad guys wouldn't intercept. Especially if it was short. We could also send position reports over the VHF and then there was no one else to pick up the where you are text as it's sent radio to radio. And last; but I haven't used it you can then encrypt your signal with another boat so that if anyone is listening then they won't understand or hear it.

While we don't always stay in visual contact with other boats the route from the Beaufort to the Windwards and Leewards is so full of cruisers you can't really cruise alone. I've found it is nice to be able to confer with another at times and get their take on the situation.

Go Slow
Sail Far
Stay Long