Poll for Professional Masters and Mates (over 500 tonnes)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Phil, that just does not seem to be true around Australian waters. More and more small craft are transmitting AIS and I'm all for it.

Your observation might have been true a decade ago... perhaps even a half decade, but them days are gone. Nowadays I doubt if even 10% of boats are fitting rx only AIS. The price differential is pretty small...

Jim

Many owners in the Atlantic and Med seem to have them switched off.. that Lagoon was was pretty new, dunno if Transponders are standard on new builds.
If I deliver a boat and the Transponder is set to receive only there's not a lot I can do.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by boatman61

If I deliver a boat and the Transponder is set to receive only there's not a lot I can do.

I thought you bought your own equipment to take onboard after the serious incident occured?

[boatman61]

Out

Originally Posted by jmh2002

I thought you bought your own equipment to take onboard after the serious incident occured?

Have not done a delivery since then.. it was end of season then Covid came along..
I now have this.. A Nomad portable.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Have not done a delivery since then.. it was end of season then Covid came along.. I now have this.. A Nomad portable.

Got it, thanks.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by StuM

This!


In clear conditions, away from crowded shipping, with a good watch, AIS is not really that important or useful.

Exactly Stu.... Here in Asia I am ALWAYS in heightened security mode .
Not paranoid but certainly not open to being tracked.

AIS is a tool to be used when needed or mandated, but mine is mostly turned off.

I prefer to travel mostly at night because of the heat, so.Radar is the tool I use the most.

[jmh2002]

An active radar transponder is surely an option for those concerned about privacy and/or security? It will return an amplified radar reflection but without any personally identifiable details.

Better even perhaps as far as big ships are concerned since they will mostly be using RADAR / ARPA instead of AIS for collision avoidance.

[Jim Cate]

If I deliver a boat and the Transponder is set to receive only there's not a lot I can do.

On our Vesper it is a simple click entry to toggle between active and listen only. I don't have knowledge of other marques so won't comment.

But from your description there are regional differences in AIS practice... guess here in Oz folks are not so worried about privacy and piracy... more about getting run down!

Jim

[st0nes]

Pros, not pro's. Sorry, but when I swallowed the anchor I became an English teacher.

[captainwd40]

Pandor: I couldn't have said it any better!!

Thank you for your post!

Cheers!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Got it, thanks.

Just hope I eventually get to use it..
So far it's looking like 2022 could be the earliest..

[refuge]

As an unlimited Master of 21 years I not only prefer that all vessels follow the law, I expect it. Regardless if it’s a VLCG Tanker or a kayak. When “Captains” deviate from the rules is when the issues start.

If a “Captain” is not superbly familiar with the rules then they should stay off the water. But if they must go on the water, then stay well out of the way. In my experience I’d say about 80% of recreational boaters are completely oblivious of the rules. I try my best to anticipate that. When I am on my own recreational vessel I stay out of the way of commercial ships because I know what the watch officer on the ship’s bridge is thinking. And a side note, charter fishing boats are considered recreational boats by ship officers. Not commercial vessels.

Aside from just knowing the rules, a boater needs to be able to put them into practice by actually executing procedures in a way that are anticipated by all other vessels involved. If you’re not there, then stay out of the way for your own safety. And communicate by actually calling vessels on 16 and monitoring 16 which most rec boaters do not.

The rules only apply to those who are also obeying the rules. The rules in a meeting situation go out the window if you are constantly deviating from your course. When you zig zag you become the instigator of the problem. If you are meeting a large vessel in open water hold your heading and speed until clear. Do not second guess yourself and change course at the last minute. Ships are tracking you and make alterations based on your projections.

I’ve had recreational boats circle my ship throwing beer bottles at the ship sides while their women passengers show us where babies feed. While that’s all fun and games, I don’t consider them as part of a real situation as there is nothing I can do and if I were to alter course, it would jeopardize their safety by changing what they are anticipating.

Rules of the road are not cut and dry in real world practice. They are uniquely dynamic in every meeting situation. So there can be many strong opinions and no real answers. In the end, it is usually the professionally licensed mariner who shoulders the brunt of responsibility even if the naive recreational boater is 100% at fault. I knew of a ship captain who was docked and got reprimanded when a drunk boater crashed into them. Recreational boaters should be required to get licensed no differently than a driver of a car. That way they legally share more of the responsibility.

I guess it all depends how many lawyers you have.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by captainwd40

Pandor: I couldn't have said it any better!!

Thank you for your post!

Cheers!

Which post is Pandor's ???

[Captain Rick 50]

Whenever I have a question about how I should act I have a simple test. I imagine myself on a witness stand trying to explain my actions to a court. My choice is obvious after that.
Rick

[Tri Del Sur]

I usually only read this forum but as I am in the "unfortunate" situation to know both sides of this argument since 15+ years (being a master mariner unlimited 6 month of the year and cruising on sailboats the other 6) I think I can contribute a bit.I voted for the follow the COLREG option as this is what in an ideal world would be right. Unfortunately we are not in an ideal world meaning that a lot of people (professional and pleasure alike) have not even a clue of the 3 basic rules of COLREG for engine driven vessels in sight of each other let alone the rules for sailboats, fishing vessels, resricted vessels etc. The problem in open waters is that no one on a commercial ship is keeping the lookout they should due to lack of manpower and the ever growing administrative duties they are forced to do. If you don't show up on radar in 5-7 miles distance chances are very high no one even notices you are there. And contrary to popular believe most yachts under 20m in normal sea conditions don't show up on radars in that distance unless they have an active radar reflector. I could go on about the not so easy task of trying to avoid a speeding ship when it is already quite close etc. but no one wants to read that and it is also not helpful in the end. What hopefully is helpful though are these basic thoughts:

1. Always assume that no one else than you yourself is aware of an upcoming situation.

2. VHF is your friend if you are on a yacht. Call the ship in time (not when he is only a mile away) and even if you get a grumpy answer you still did the right thing as they are now aware of the fact that you are out there.

3. AIS receivers are a life saver nowadays as you can call the commercial ships by name and call sign or even send a DSC ship to ship alert to him if he doesn't answer your call.
4. Navigate in a way that you always have a plan B in case someone screws up or equipment breaks down. That thought prevented me so far from having any kind of traffic related accidents (as a regular driver in german autobahn traffic, officer of 300m commercial ships or my own yachts)

5. No one on purpose wants to kill himself or someone else out there. A bit of respect, awareness and common sense goes a long way.
6. If it comes to the worst (a collision) unfortunately size matters. No one wants to be dead but right I assume.



That said I am still shouting at bloody WAFIS when on a commercial ship or drunk ignorant idiots when on my yacht if the opposing traffic screws up. So I guess I am a bit bipolar when it comes to anything that moves on this beautiful blue oceans of ours

[Talbot]

I sail in the English channel predominately. The main merchant traffic is basically east / west whereas the majority of the small craft are tracking north / south.

I have AIS receive only which allows me to adjust my course before seeing any merchant ship, so that I can pass astern (when possible).

I am not comfortable assuming a merchant vessel is keeping a good lookout, or can be bothered to alter. If it looks like I have to pass relatively close to any oncoming merchant vessel, I will alter (in plenty of time to be obvious.

I am even more safety conscious in bad weather, where even wit a good lookout, it can be hard to see a small (relatively) craft.

Relying on a transmitting AIS from a small craft in a crowded shipping area is a recipe for becoming a statistic. Small craft AIS use channel B. in crowded areas channel A will swamp the circuit, and there will not be sufficient transmission time for your B Channel signal.