Shipping containers (navigation hazard)

[exfishnz]

Here's another unit from Farsounder. They claim it'll see a container @ 1000'

3D Forward Looking Sonar for Obstacle Avoidance

Edit: apparently the unit is $60k USD, maybe we'll give it a miss

[rossad]

Yes there is alot on the net about these forward seeking sonar. I have heard that the interphase models are pretty good. The latest are very reliable and proven from a guy in Picton. This model Interphase: V90 se . It would be of interest to know of anybody whom is using any of these devices. 1200ft forward seeking is pretty good by what they say. Do they really work or is it just talk? Maybe this topic should be in another Thread but not sure what area on this forum.

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by rossad

Do they really work or is it just talk?

Apart from what I've already posted, I'm gonna try & trawl up some more data (eg: real usage reviews) on 'em & post back later. Am keen on hearing further data from Wheels about the probs with older models etc.

Maybe this topic should be in another Thread but not sure what area on this forum.

As the OP - I'm pretty cool with it (& I don't wanna create more work for Sir Wheels ) Also, its related to attempting to detect/avoid containers etc.

[FarSounder]

Originally Posted by exfishnz

Here's another unit from Farsounder. They claim it'll see a container @ 1000'

3D Forward Looking Sonar for Obstacle Avoidance

Edit: apparently the unit is $60k USD, maybe we'll give it a miss

This is from the sales department and it is not my intention to use this or any other quality forum as a soap box.

I would like to say though that the claims are valid, the price unfortunately is actually [a little?] higher, and if anyone would like to see a demo of the system, it can easily be downloaded from here: Demo | Farsounder

Another factor that has to be taken into account is the size of the transducer. It is fairly large and needs to be mounted in the bow or stem, facing forward, and at least 3' (1m) below the waterline...for example, the smallest vessel to date that we have installed on has been a Nordhavn 62.

Other than that, apologies for butting in to your forum.

[Hud3]

Hello, Farsounder, and welcome to Cruisers Forum.

You've made me curious, so I'm now downloading the demo that you mentioned (takes a while since it's 75 MB). We appreciate your restraint in not getting too "commercial" in your post. We welcome members with commercial interests here on the forum, but there are some Rules governing participation which are designed to help preserve the non-commercial character of the forum.

[Hud3]

Interesting. The demo looks to be computer generated animation. True? Or is it what you'd see in actual use?

[Boracay]

The biggest fear for Sydney Hobart Race contestants is the Sunfish.

I would have thought that there are many "floaties" that might endanger a yacht, but the classical floating container is not really one of them.

Up there with sunfish I would put basking sharks, trees/root systems, 44 gal drums, discarded fishing nets - anything large that floats.

I'd suspect that an older fibreglass yacht might not have the structural integrity that it started with, though it would be unlikely to be traveling at 20 kts.

And having gotten an ear infection from polluted water in Thailand I'd include that in my list of risks.

[FarSounder]

Hello Hud,

Thanks for the kind welcome and your curiosity. The demo is real data taken from a system on a vessel heading between those two piers and is exactly how the user would see it. Did you have a chance click and hold the mouse on the image to rotate the views? I would be happy to help you get comfortable with it although it is fairly intuitive once you get going.

By the way, we do get a lot of compliments on the man machine interface and I put that down to our engineers spending too much time on computer games in their other lives!

[FarSounder]

Originally Posted by Boracay

Up there with sunfish I would put basking sharks, trees/root systems, 44 gal drums, discarded fishing nets - anything large that floats.

Quite right. Whales and ice are also considered good acoustic targets, and like containers etc. have a good amount of air trapped in them.

Hard targets like concrete, rock, metal etc. also show up well. Soft [Mississippi type] mud not so, although you would see rocks "in" the mud for example.

Floating logs may not always be as good a target especially if they are waterlogged but still buoyant and therefore a hazard.

[Stillraining]

Definitely something I will seriously consider here in a few years when competition cuts the price in half..very cool

[Brent Swain]

I imagine with most electronics , having so much styrofoam in their packaging would keep them afloat far longer. They contain far more floatation than weight.
Steel hulls are a far more reliable solution to collisions with floating debris, and cheaper.
Brent

[Blue Stocking]

I seem to recall that some years ago, 15 maybe, a cold molded boat named Air Force, on an OSTAR shakedown trip from Maine(?) to Bermuda sunk after hitting what the lone sailor thought was a container, NE of Bermuda.
Also, the bermuda registered 56 ft motor yacht Full Hott sunk at night NE of bermuda after hitting what they thought was a container. No loss of life, I Know a number of the guys on Full Hott.

[Dave852]

I could see the value for approaching a pass though the reef very slowly when the visibility was not perfect such as a cloudy day or sun a little ahead. But even in that case the distraction of looking down at a digital image may cause a loss of bearings causing a costly mistake.
As for underway looking for shipping containers, sounds like a good way to have a stressed out trip with no rest. I can not imagine staring at a display my entire watch. What happens when you need to use the head? I am not saying I did not think about what would happen if I did hit a container quite often surfing down the waves at 20 knots. Best not to spend to much time thinking about what that would feel like.
Dave

[roverhi]

Dave 852's 2nd paragraph reminds me of a story I heard. A veteran sailor had made numerous trips down the coast from the PNW to Mexico without radar and without great enjoyment and without any problems. He finally installed radar and never sailed offshore again after his first passage. Seeing all the targets on the radar made him so nervous he was totally freaked afterwards and lost his nerve

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[dacust]

I would bet you could set an alarm on the sonar just like you would on a radar. I don't think you would have to stay glued to it.

As for loosing your bearings, with practice, I bet you can get where you can get the info you need from it in between .5 and 1.5 seconds.

Key thing for me would be that it has a night mode for color and intensity.

Summing all that up, I'd love one of the Interphase ones at $1500-$2000. But it's a ways down on my list of priorities. Quite a ways down. Considering my budget and project list, it's so far down I may never have one. But I definitely think it'd be useful. Just another tool in the arsenal.

-dan