Destinations: Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does sQuidd.io help me discover new, exciting boating destinations?
Q. What type of Destinations do you show in a search?
A Destination is a place of interest for boaters. Marinas, boat harbors, anchorages, yacht clubs, public docks, ramps, fuel pumps etc. are the typical examples of boat cruising Destinations you will find on sQuidd.io. Each Destination has its own page. Destination pages are meant to provide boaters with a sense of how attractive and well served a particular Destination is (through pictures, member-assigned ratings and member-provided comments) as well as practical information, such as phone numbers or tips from other boaters.
Q. Do you show Destinations worldwide?
Most of the Destinations currently on sQuidd.io are in North and Central America, the Caribbean islands, the Mediterranean (at least the European side), part of the European Atlantic coast, Australia and new Zealand plus a sprinkling of islands here and there. Because sQuidd.io relies on user-provided information, we expect our coverage to grow rapidly in the near future, as more users start adding new interesting Destinations.
Q. Can I view sQuidd.io destinations directly in OpenCPN?
If you use OpenCPN, the most popular open-source chart plotter and navigator software, you can install the sQuidd.io plugin. See the sQuiddio plugin section of this FAQ for additional information,
Q. The address, location or other data of a Destination is outdated or incorrect. Can I fix it?
Yes. If you are a registered user, you can click on the Edit link in he Destination page. This will allow you to add or update address, phone numbers, introductory message and other destination information, as well as reassign the Destination to the correct coordinates by simply pointing and clicking on the map. All the changes you make are reported in the User Feed section of that destination. You can undo any changes you made by clicking the delete (x) button on the corresponding entry of the user feed.
Q. You are not showing my favorite marina, anchorage or other sailing place. Can I add it myself?
Yes. If you already have the coordinates for the new destination, just go to this URL and fill out the form. If you don't have the coordinates:
sQuidd.io will attempt to assign an address to the new Destination based on the geo coordinates. Please verify the address and if necessary correct it and add other contact information you may know.
Q. What are the criteria for submitting a new Destination?
For a submission to be valid, the Destination needs to meet certain requirements. For instance, if you add a Marina, a Dock or a Ramp, the facility must be easily recognizable on a Google satellite map at the closest level of zoom available at the geo coordinates you have entered for the Destination. When creating a new Destination, be as accurate as you can be in clicking on the correct position on the map. If you are submitting an anchorage, the location should appear to be in a natural setting which is suitable for overnight mooring. The sQuidd.io Webmaster reserves the right to remove submissions that are not deemed to meet these basic criteria. Also remember that users will rate and comment on your submission, and comments that consistently indicate that your Destination is misplaced or invalid may lead to the removal of a user-submitted Destination.
Q. What is the number of unique visitors?
sQuidd.io tracks the number of boats that check into a destination and reports the total count for the last 12 months. Checkins are based on automated (AIS, SPOT, OpenCPN sQuiddio plugin) or manual position reports, This number gives you a feel for how "popular" (or crowded) a given Destination may be. If you are seeking peace and solitude, look at this number to decide where not to go!
Q. What is the Popularity Rating?
It is a ranking of the most popular destinations (5 being the highest ranking) based on the total of 1) the number of unique visitors, 2) the number of posts to the user feed and 3) the number of favorable ratings (i.e. more than 3 stars) for beauty, service and Wi-Fi. See the complete rank of sQuiddio's most popular destinations.
Q. Should I enter a Destination's latitude and longitude into my GPS as a waypoint?
☞ We strongly recommend you do not! None of the information you will find on sQuidd.io is intended for navigation purposes. Please continue to rely on official charts and publications to make navigation decisions.
