Single Handing no AIS

[su2014]

Originally Posted by Allan M

I sail my 37' sloop single handed most of the time but only coastal New Zealand to this point. We do have some tricky stretches of water and quite a lot of international and coastal shipping, to say nothing of a significant fishing fleet who tend not to have their AIS switched on to avoid showing the opposition where they are fishing. I have radar which I am slowly getting the hang of and which I have improved by mounting the screen on a hinged bracket so that I can swing it around into the companionway to face the wheel. I have a laptop chartplotter (in addition to the basic Navman plotter that came with the boat) which I can connect (via an HDMI cable) to a TV mounted on the saloon forward bulkhead. This I can also see from the wheel. I have a second VHF radio (with an independent stern rail mounted antenna) which I have had modified to receive AIS signals and which connects to the laptop chartplotter. I also have the Boat Beacon app on my cellphone which allows family to keep track of me on the Marine Traffic website - but it is only good for where there is cell phone coverage! The main benefit I see from being able to receive AIS is in being able to identify and call up a vessel using their name and call sign.

"they switch off the AIS so the opposition doesnt know where their fishing is true and i like reading that here" i have wondered if off-shore drilling rigs switch off their AIS so the opposition doesnt know where their drilling. ha ha. those obstacles can be a serious concern without radar.just my opinion is all.faitwinds and godspeed all.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I do not believe anyone should just buy a boat and go offshore, no matter what the boat has on it.

Your assumption being everybody, without owning a boat, has zero sailing experience No fence