Mayday calls - where is that exactly?

[clownfishsydney]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Send the managing director of GME an email, this might be a feature they'd think about incorporation in their VHFs.

The UHF is GME!!

[Anders]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You missed the point.

There may or may not be a requirement to install a VHF in your particular jurisdiction.

Assuming you aren't required to install one and you don't install one, you are legal.

But if you install one (even if not required), there is now a burden to use it.

Rule 5 requires that "every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision."

An installed functional VHF is part of the "all available means", so in the event of an incident, you could be considered to be in violation.

The UK law is very clear. No boat or ship regardless of size with a VHF has to maintain a listening watch on the VHF. I would expect the laws be the same in most countries but I don't know for certain and I'm not going to be bothered finding out.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I wasn't suggesting being an AH but being realistic.

I said, if you hear the boat directly.

If the CG shore station is asking for assistance, that's a different matter and some communication is called for prior to making a 6hr diversion. If I'm the nearest boat after discussing it with the CG, sure.

In a busy coastal area, I might keep track or veer a bit in that direction but it's kind of silly to play the hero when there is no real chance of you being there before the situation is resolved (6hr away at 5-6kt kind of situation).

I was not advocating what should be done.. I was merely stating what I do and why.
No heroics required..

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Anders

The UK law is very clear. No boat or ship regardless of size with a VHF has to maintain a listening watch on the VHF. I would expect the laws be the same in most countries but I don't know for certain and I'm not going to be bothered finding out.

A vhf is not “ all available means “ as it’s not a “ lookout “ device

[Sailor Sailor]

Originally Posted by Anders

The UK law is very clear. No boat or ship regardless of size with a VHF has to maintain a listening watch on the VHF. I would expect the laws be the same in most countries but I don't know for certain and I'm not going to be bothered finding out.

It is the same in the U.S.

What this inquiry presents is the advantage of having paper chartkits or charts in the cockpit with you, even if you use a GPS device. The human brain takes in information more easily in certain ways. A glance at a bigger picture chart can convey more information more quickly than fumbling through screens to try to figure out how far you are from a set of coordinates.

[StuM]

All this talk about obligations is missing the biggie. SOLAS 33.

"1. The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving a signal from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance,..."

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

There is no explicit requirement to use vhf or listen to it under COLRegs

In fact the MCA in the U.K. has explicitly warned against it be used in collision situations

“1995, the judge in a collision case said -"It is very probable that the use of VHF radio for conversation between these ships was a contributory cause of this collision, if only because it distracted the officers on watch from paying careful attention to their radar. I must repeat, in the hope that it will achieve some publicity, what I have said on previous occasions that any attempt to use VHF to agree the manner of passing is fraught with the danger of misunderstanding. Marine Superintendents would be well advised to prohibit such use of VHF radio and to instruct their officers to comply with the Collision Regulations."”

https://assets.publishing.service.go...io_and_AIS.pdf


Hence based on this it’s incorrect to state COLREGS imposed a implication. for radio it’s does not as certainly the U.K. and other nations do not regard vhf as “ appropriate “ in COLRegs situations. The IMO has issued an update to this effect.

Sure it's not "explicitly" stated.

They don't "explicitly" state you should use binoculars or radar either.

First key point from the link provide:
Although the use of Very High Frequency (VHF) radio transciever may be justified on
occasion as a collision avoidance aid, the provisions of the International Regulations
for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREG) should remain uppermost.

I read that to suggest it's a secondary/tertiary to other means but if needed, it's "another means".

I suggest not going on the US river system. The tow boats use VHF as the primary means of arranging a passing and there is a lot of close quarters maneuvering among very large vessels in tight quarters.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by StuM

All this talk about obligations is missing the biggie. SOLAS 33.

"1. The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving a signal from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance,..."

True but under gmdss
“1-1 Contracting Governments shall co-ordinate and co-operate to ensure that masters of ships providing assistance by embarking persons in distress at sea are released from their obligations with minimum further deviation from the ships' intended voyage, provided that releasing the master of the ship from the obligations under the current regulation “

So before rushing , you make contact and may be released from your undertaking to aid.

[Rumrace]

There are several spots in Georgian bay you’d be competing with the village idiot not to announce on the VHF. It would be poor manners not to. An example would be taking visitor through the hole in the wall west of Parry Sound. On in the Servern River 2 locks in from the bay a narrow channel with 90 degree turns on each end.
As to US rivers it’s a little overwhelming commercialism with VHF kafuffle dressing

[thinwater]

US regulation: Yes, you are required to monitor if you have a radio. But compliance is something like wearing PFDs. In the summer it is a whole lot of fishing chatter so most boaters tune out.

I suspect most boaters rely on cell phones now, but although you can call the USCG or a tow, other boaters will not hear the call.

§ 80.148 Watch on 156.8 MHz (Channel 16).
Each compulsory vessel, while underway, must maintain a watch for radiotelephone distress calls on 156.800 MHz whenever such station is not being used for exchanging communications. For GMDSS ships, 156.525 MHz is the calling frequency for distress, safety, and general communications using digital selective calling and the watch on 156.800 MHz is provided so that ships not fitted with DSC will be able to call GMDSS ships, thus providing a link between GMDSS and non-GMDSS compliant ships. The watch on 156.800 MHz is not required:
(a) Where a ship station is operating only with handheld bridge-to-bridge VHF radio equipment under § 80.143(c) of this part; or
(b) For vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system when the watch is maintained on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a separately assigned VTS frequency.



§ 80.310 Watch required by voluntary vessels.
Voluntary vessels not equipped with DSC must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16) whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats, may alternatively maintain a watch on 156.450 MHz (Channel 9) in lieu of VHF Channel 16 for call and reply purposes. Voluntary vessels equipped with VHF-DSC equipment must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on either 156.525 MHz (Channel 70) or VHF Channel 16 aurally whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with MF-HF DSC equipment must have the radio turned on and set to an appropriate DSC distress calling channel or one of the radiotelephone distress channels whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with a GMDSS-approved Inmarsat system must have the unit turned on and set to receive calls whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate.
[76 FR 67612, Nov. 2, 2011]

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Anders

Never heard of any law requiring me to keep a radio watch and it would not worry me if there was one. Don't think there's even a law requiring me to have a VHF.

If you're in the US, most pleasure craft are not required to have a VHF. But if you do have one, you're required to monitor channel 16 whenever you're not using the VHF for something else. https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/radio-wa...ng-regulations

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Anders

Never heard of any law requiring me to keep a radio watch and it would not worry me if there was one. Don't think there's even a law requiring me to have a VHF.

See https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/radio-wa...ng-regulations, which includes cites of the specific regulations applying to U.S.-flagged vessels and vessels in U.S. waters, and references to the similar ITU treaty requirements that are implemented in other jurisdictions. Generally, if your boat is equipped with a VHF radio, you are required to maintain a listening watch on 16 unless you are in a VTS area where you maintain a listening watch on the VTS channel instead.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Jammer

See https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/radio-wa...ng-regulations, which includes cites of the specific regulations applying to U.S.-flagged vessels and vessels in U.S. waters, and references to the similar ITU treaty requirements that are implemented in other jurisdictions. Generally, if your boat is equipped with a VHF radio, you are required to maintain a listening watch on 16 unless you are in a VTS area where you maintain a listening watch on the VTS channel instead.

Most nations since DSC do not mandate a “ listening watch “ on vhf anymore. This is the case for Solas vessels.

They are required to have it turned on but that’s different.

“Listening watch” required a dedicated radio officer and has been done away with

The USCG piece you refer goes on to say

“Digital Selective Calling
Ships, where so equipped, shall, while at sea, maintain an automatic digital selective calling watch on the appropriate distress & safety calling frequencies [e.g. channel 70] in the frequency bands in which they are operating. If operating in a GMDSS Sea Area A1 may discontinue their watch on channel 16”

This was one of the major selling points of DSC.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Most nations since DSC do not mandate a “ listening watch “ on vhf anymore. This is the case for Solas vessels.

They are required to have it turned on but that’s different.

“Listening watch” required a dedicated radio officer and has been done away with

Yup, there are exceptions for GMDSS vessels, although IIRC there are still some times they're required to monitor 16.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by thinwater

US regulation: Yes, you are required to monitor if you have a radio. But compliance is something like wearing PFDs. In the summer it is a whole lot of fishing chatter so most boaters tune out.

I suspect most boaters rely on cell phones now, but although you can call the USCG or a tow, other boaters will not hear the call.

§ 80.148 Watch on 156.8 MHz (Channel 16).
Each compulsory vessel, while underway, must maintain a watch for radiotelephone distress calls on 156.800 MHz whenever such station is not being used for exchanging communications. For GMDSS ships, 156.525 MHz is the calling frequency for distress, safety, and general communications using digital selective calling and the watch on 156.800 MHz is provided so that ships not fitted with DSC will be able to call GMDSS ships, thus providing a link between GMDSS and non-GMDSS compliant ships. The watch on 156.800 MHz is not required:
(a) Where a ship station is operating only with handheld bridge-to-bridge VHF radio equipment under § 80.143(c) of this part; or
(b) For vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system when the watch is maintained on both the bridge-to-bridge frequency and a separately assigned VTS frequency.



§ 80.310 Watch required by voluntary vessels.
Voluntary vessels not equipped with DSC must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on 156.800 MHz (Channel 16) whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Noncommercial vessels, such as recreational boats, may alternatively maintain a watch on 156.450 MHz (Channel 9) in lieu of VHF Channel 16 for call and reply purposes. Voluntary vessels equipped with VHF-DSC equipment must maintain a watch on 2182 kHz and on either 156.525 MHz (Channel 70) or VHF Channel 16 aurally whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with MF-HF DSC equipment must have the radio turned on and set to an appropriate DSC distress calling channel or one of the radiotelephone distress channels whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate. Voluntary vessels equipped with a GMDSS-approved Inmarsat system must have the unit turned on and set to receive calls whenever the vessel is underway and the radio is not being used to communicate.
[76 FR 67612, Nov. 2, 2011]

Largely superseded. Vessels with DSC do not have to maintain a listening watch