It appears to be mostly a New England or East Coast thing, probably because cell phones and broadband is available everywhere East Coasters go.

What ever happened to the concept of getting away? So many posts on grabbing everything from weather, making Video Skype calls grabing AIS and high speed internet that it now seems to be an essential part of boating. It certainly isn't cruising and I'll bet that many on this board would be afraid to leave the dock if it was all taken away and you actually had to go somewhere without cell coverage and internet.

Have we all become 'bubble boaters' that are encased in a communication security blanket we can't leave the dock without? It seems that many have.