I’m sure AIS can be helpful at times, I just personally do not like it philosophically.

For me AIS breeds stupidity as, in my humble opinion, I like my eyes, and the eyes of my crew on the sea and not a screen that only gives partial information.

I’m a big fan of radar but would rather promote practical seamanship skills like beaing able to read ships light patterns at night and learning how to avoid collisions with eyesight and radar. I’ve used AIS, I just dont like the product nor am I concerned with reporting anyone to any agency nor making anyone’s privacy mandatory.
And the price isin’t the issue, you couldn’t give it to me.

I have been using a receive only AIS for a season in the Carib and it has made a big difference for some safety situations. It still will not help if there is no beacon installed on the craft approaching you – but for the big boats out there, where class A AIS is becoming mandatory it gives us little sailboats a huge advantage. Why? Names!

When you see lights on the horizon, or get a blip painted onto your GPS by the AIS, it tells you one key piece of information. The ships name. This has made a world of difference when hailing a fast moving boat-cruncher over the VHF. Saying “Hey you, fast moving mystery ship at approximately LatLong, do you see me, a wee boat on your xx bow” often goes on deaf ears for some bridge crew” – with AIS, you can say “Hey MV FastShipper going xx knots bearing XXdeg – this is so and so off your bow” – and that often gets the attention you want fast. We got responses direct from freighters and managed to avert a close call, and I am pretty sure the AIS got them to acknolwledge us a lot sooner than if we hadn’t had it. Of course, we had to call them, as we had no class B transmitter to send our info to them to do collision computation, but thats my choice.

AIS recieve only boxes are dirt cheap, hook onto any old antenna (no xmit SWR issues) and let you have another pair of eyes. No brainer for us.

I did get hitched, and its a great thing! I never thought I’d enjoy being married but I do.

I haven’t been fishing as much as I should be. Just been so damn busy trying to ready Splendid for some trans-ocean sailing. I have a buddy that might come in a few months to fly-fish San Blas. I’m really looking forward to fly-fishing. I only did it once and loved it.

I am going to hit the reef later to look for some dinner.

Peace

How have you been? Got hitched did ya Hahaha grats!
Been dating a sailing girl last 6months. St Pete
She wants to go, as do I. Couple 2,treee yrs away. You do any spearfishing, rod and reel?
You’re my hero ;)

Stand by for lots more information.

As it stands im really interested in the Actisense DST-2, and the NDC-4 multiplexer.

I’ve got a slew of interest in this system and will write about it every step of the way.

Peace amigo.

Stand by for lots more information.

As it stands im really interested in the Actisense DST-2, and the NDC-4 multiplexer.

I’ve got a slew of interest in this system and will write about it every step of the way.

Peace amigo.

I’m in a busy season here in SW Florida, which is good, but I’m behind on all the stuff I love to read like this blog. Soooo, as I sip my morning java, I’m catching up.

I love this post. This is really lean meat you are sharing with the World. GREAT STUFF. Thanks. I’m going to wrap my brain around this system and play around with it.

You have a way of living, sharing and prompting me to think. In fact that’s what my Dad used to “yell” at me when I was a kid… I’d be building a mound of dirt, 5 or 6 feet high and getting the angle just right so I could coast down a steep hill and make the “big” jump. He would watch and just before I shot down that slop, he would yell, “THINK.”

I would give it a thought and then release the breaks. As I shot through the air and watched my front wheel fly off from the stress, and I’m looking at empty forks, that’s when I really knew what he was talking about. Lessons come hard, real hard sometimes.

So just wanted to say thanks for reminding me to “Think.” It’s where it starts. Thanks for sharing the research and thanks for making all those “Leaps” and making the mistakes so we don’t have to do, unless we want to.

My best to Carla. Take good care of each other and Splendid. Sail on Brother… Sail on.

Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea

As for AIS I’ve never felt a need for it and feel developing skills where the watchmen knows how to read lights, ships speeds, and generally knows something about navagation beats the video game aspect of AIS. I just personally don’t want it on my boat.