SV Bella Dawn missing en route Boot Key to Bimini Bahamas

[smj]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Mainly and primarily, you did say mainly, in your post, these are synonyms, and are meaning the same thing.



https://www.google.com/search?q=main...&client=safari.

Reading and word comprehension? You should sign for that course as well.

Boatyarddog

And I stand by what I say, from what I’ve read the use of an AIS “IN” an anchorage is mainly or primarily used to find friends not so much as a safety device. Now the primary use when “NOT” used in an anchorage is probably what AIS was intended for, safety?
Maybe I don’t have the writing skills to clearly describe my thoughts?

[Group9]

This is why we carry a SPOT transmitter on our boat.

Otherwise, my wife's sister would be on a first name basis with the Coast Guard, calling them every time we went a day without telling her we are okay.

Putting her on the SPOT's email list fixes that problem.

[Jim Cate]

And I stand by what I say, from what I’ve read the use of an AIS “IN” an anchorage is mainly or primarily used to find friends not so much as a safety device.

So, where did you read this? Some authoritative source, no doubt? IMO it is hard to know just why some distant boat has left his AIS on. How does one determine the user's intention from an AIS signal? Social or safety? Only he knows why he is broadcasting...

I'll continue to broadcast at anchor and as we travel around here in Tassie. If it helps avoid a collision or allision, that's good. If it means that some friend can locate us, that's good too... and no harm done.

Jim

[smj]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

So, where did you read this? Some authoritative source, no doubt? IMO it is hard to know just why some distant boat has left his AIS on. How does one determine the user's intention from an AIS signal? Social or safety? Only he knows why he is broadcasting...

I'll continue to broadcast at anchor and as we travel around here in Tassie. If it helps avoid a collision or allision, that's good. If it means that some friend can locate us, that's good too... and no harm done.

Jim

Basically from reading this entire thread. Seems as if a lot of people tout the social aspects of their AIS at anchor and a few the safety. Either way is fine I guess but I personally see very little of a safety benefit unless your trying to protect your boat from the sailor who would rather look at his screen than his surroundings, which appears to be getting more common.
You seem to have changed your opinion?

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ed-103814.html

[Jim Cate]

You seem to have changed your opinion?

Yep, I have changed my opinion after 8 years of experience with AIS. Even old farts like me can learn new things and act accordingly.

Jim

[smj]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Yep, I have changed my opinion after 8 years of experience with AIS. Even old farts like me can learn new things and act accordingly.

Jim

Good for you Jim! After going through this thread I’ve probably mellowed my stance on AIS in an anchorage considerably. Not my cup of tea but live and learn.

[JAFO]

Originally Posted by smj

Maybe you should study a little reading comprehension? I’ve concluded that the use of AIS in an ANCHORAGE is mainly used as a way of catching up with friends, I don’t believe I ever stated that was their primary use?

My reading comprehension is just fine. Your ability to construct an unambiguous sentence is what needs working on.

Can you spot the difference in meaning, between these two sentences?

1. "AIS is mainly used as a social gathering tool in an anchorage"
2. "in an anchorage, AIS is mainly used as a social gathering tool"

If you don't like being misunderstood, I suggest you try writing clearer sentences.

[smj]

Originally Posted by JAFO

My reading comprehension is just fine. Your ability to construct an unambiguous sentence is what needs working on.

Can you spot the difference in meaning, between these two sentences?

1. "AIS is mainly used as a social gathering tool in an anchorage"
2. "in an anchorage, AIS is mainly used as a social gathering tool"

If you don't like being misunderstood, I suggest you try writing clearer sentences.

Hopefully I clarified everything for you on post #76. If not I don’t know what to do.

[hanschristian38]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Looks like a Hans Christian 36.

Nope - Probably a Baba 30. No a HC.

[smj]

Originally Posted by hanschristian38

Nope - Probably a Baba 30. No a HC.

Yes, a Baba 30

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Group9

This is why we carry a SPOT transmitter on our boat.

Otherwise, my wife's sister would be on a first name basis with the Coast Guard, calling them every time we went a day without telling her we are okay.

Putting her on the SPOT's email list fixes that problem.

same experience. my worry wart daughter called the coast guard when she hadn't got a daily cell phone call from us. we neglected to tell her that there wasn't much cell phone service in the bahamas. the coast guard actually flew out a plane from miami to check on us and report back to her that they had seen us anchored at gun cay.
our next trip to the bahamas we had a spot, which we activated every evening....

[jtsailjt]

AIS is a great safety tool that transmits our location/speed/course to others and also provided us with the same info about other AIS equipped vessels. The fact that the information it provides might also be used for social reasons shouldn’t worry anyone any more than someone using just their eyeballs spotting a friends boat and deciding to dinghy on over to say hi should cause anyone to worry.

But not all boats have AIS transmitters so radar is still the most useful safety tool in reduced visibility.

I leave my AIS on in an anchorage as just another way to announce my presence to other boaters so they don’t run into me. I use both my anchor light at the top of my mast and my cockpit dome light for the same purpose. The cockpit dome lights primary purpose isn’t as a safety tool but since it’s at eye level to other boaters I think it’s more likely to be seen by a nearby boater than my official anchor light is. During daylight in thick fog, the AIS is the most useful of the three. But it’s also interesting to glance at it now and then while at anchor to see who’s nearby.

Of course AIS is also useful to avoid situations that prompted this thread where a sailor changed his planned routing and someone else worries and resources are wasted searching for the ‘missing’ sailor who is actually in no distress.