AIS and cruising

[barnakiel]

All boats I know either have one or else they want one. Many have active units.

We have a passive unit built into our radio. We can view the ships on the unit or else on the mobile devices (and on the laptops, but our laptops are off when sailing).

I am getting an active unit before our next trip.

My observations are likely biased as we are where most boats are actually either before, after, or in between serious offshore passages.

b.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

As I noted in my post you are disregarding Colregs.

That's unconscionable.

Tell me how it isn't.


Mark

Colregs don't require me to have AIS. Mine breaks a lot.

Like I said, when IMO fixes AIS broadcast on the Internet, I'll leave it on.

[dilligaf]

I don't post often but if find I must, Our Navigational lights are designed to be seen at ONLY 2 nm and a ship traveling at 15kts will only see us a few miles apart. I prefer to be seen at a longer distance.
Second, I will leave on the AIS if we have Mates that want to find us in a dark marina or anchorage.
Most will see it is an anchorage or marina if the AIS is left on for more than a few minutes.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by DotDun

When MarineTraffic, ShipFinder, and VesselFinder go away, I'll leave AIS on.

Seems like you wasted a lot of money buying and installing one. Makes one wonder why you did so.

Mark

[farm sail]

Originally Posted by colemj

Ah, so you have thrown away your cell phone and computer? And don't drive a licensed vehicle? And don't have a credit card? Or passport? And don't travel to other countries?

See, this whole "privacy stand" thing only works if you really mean it...

Mark

Yup, my cell phonewhen it is activr is prepaid and unanimously registrted i pay cash for "top up cards" most of the time it is just a real small tablet conected via someones free wifi. i have no credit cards, all cash or postal money orders. I do have a drvets license but you cant tell where i am just by looking up my license. No pass port, have not officially gone anywhere requiring a passport yet. Most of those things you mentioned are not easily traceable in rral time. Credit cards and cellphones sure but i dont play within that system. I sure wont put a chip on my home and means of transport that tells anyone with an internet conection where i am with in so many feet.

[farm sail]

Originally Posted by colemj

You can use AIS to look up all those things about me?

I bet you can only use AIS to look up our boat IF the AIS happens to be turned on and IF we are close enough to land and IF that point of land has an AIS receiver/repeater that puts the information in a public area. And even then, the data will be up to a couple of hours old.

For example, you can do that if we are transmitting in Colon Panama, but you will be SOL if we move 25 miles down the coast to Portobello.

Besides, the poster I was responding to was worried about hiding his personal information from governments. That is a lost cause - not to mention businesses and other organizations.

And if I was a private individual with one of many particular jobs, I would have that information available also. Or a hacker.

Are you really that worried about a retired guy in his 50's on a recreational boat possibly knowing where you are IF you have your AIS turned on and IF you are close to land and IF that point of land has a receiver/repeater that puts the data on the internet?

BTW, to answer your question, I think the website today is Espirion.com. It used to be Target.com and before that HomeDepot.com. Definitely LinkedIn.com. There are probably thousands of websites with all that personal information available...

Mark

I used to think AIS was line of sight ground level only but recently found out both private corporations and many governments are intentionally tracking AIS with satellites.

I also dont dabble in any of those sites you mention because i can choose not to.

Right now if i want to let that 1000' long tanker doing 20 knts that someone is in his way i have to broadcast my identity to anyone listening. Not gona happen

[haiqu]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just curious: what is the significance of solar power? The transmit function of a transceiver uses insignificant power and is easily supported by even a small panel set up. The benefit of transmitting is there no matter what the energy source.

Jim

Hiya Jim,

I've been using an SR-161 AIS receiver for about two years, only runs <1W. However my assumption that a Class B transceiver uses far more power was unfounded, I just looked up the power usage of the Comar CSB200 which I happen to have lying around and was surprised to see it's a mere 3W. Might install that after all ...

Nice one!

BTW watch out for the fast ferries in Sydney Harbour, being restricted to sheltered waters they're not required to have AIS. I've lodged a complaint about that already. And it sure would be handy to use AIS to find out when they next one's coming while sitting at a ferry terminal as well.

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by farm sail

Yup, my cell phonewhen it is activr is prepaid and unanimously registrted i pay cash for "top up cards" most of the time it is just a real small tablet conected via someones free wifi. i have no credit cards, all cash or postal money orders. I do have a drvets license but you cant tell where i am just by looking up my license. No pass port, have not officially gone anywhere requiring a passport yet. Most of those things you mentioned are not easily traceable in rral time. Credit cards and cellphones sure but i dont play within that system. I sure wont put a chip on my home and means of transport that tells anyone with an internet conection where i am with in so many feet.

Its OK, most tankers are not looking for you anymore. If you don't want to be seen, most people will probably ignore you. It is up to you to be safe. If you get in the way and they are going 20 knts and you are going 3, they probably won't even hear you at night, much less see you. I am glad that you have taken great pains to be stealthy, because there will probably not be anyone to notice that you are overdue. That would cause a useless search and rescue. I doubt that they would find you even in death.
I on the other hand, plan to go down squawking. AIS, radar, VHF, flares, Distress beacon and laser pointer are all going to be deployed. If I am run over by a freighter, they will have to be asleep at the wheel, and I will have to make some super blunders.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by colemj

Seems like you wasted a lot of money buying and installing one. Makes one wonder why you did so.

Mark

I already stated, I use AIS in high traffic and/or low visibility situations.

Do you leave your radar running 24/7/365?

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

Its OK, most tankers are not looking for you anymore. If you don't want to be seen, most people will probably ignore you. It is up to you to be safe. If you get in the way and they are going 20 knts and you are going 3, they probably won't even hear you at night, much less see you. I am glad that you have taken great pains to be stealthy, because there will probably not be anyone to notice that you are overdue. That would cause a useless search and rescue. I doubt that they would find you even in death.
I on the other hand, plan to go down squawking. AIS, radar, VHF, flares, Distress beacon and laser pointer are all going to be deployed. If I am run over by a freighter, they will have to be asleep at the wheel, and I will have to make some super blunders.

And when the miscreants in Russia notice you on MarineTraffic, their counterparts will do their Xmas shopping at your L*&#$n home.

There is a reason you can't lookup the license plate on my car. Comparatively, it's somewhat bothersome that I can find you using boat name and/or MMSI, but that's compounded exponentially by the fact your current location is broadcast on the Internet for all to see.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by DotDun

And when the miscreants in Russia notice you on MarineTraffic, their counterparts will do their Xmas shopping at your L*&#$n home.

Only to run in to me, because the fact that my boat is out there doesn't mean I am out there...

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by frozenhawaiian

I say this as someone who has been on both sides. in the little sailboat and up on the big ship. I can't say this enough or stress this enough: I can't see you. it's that simple, in flat water, sure my radar will pick you and your radar reflectors up. at sea in even a moderate sea state my ability to see you is severely impaired. even on radar as you ride over the swells and troughs you're only going to be a transient contact on my radar, yes, even the powerful high tech radars on merchant ships.
but with AIS there is 100% of me knowing that you're there. and knowing that you're there means that I WILL NOT run you over. AIS is worth it's weight in gold.

I had the pleasure of spending a week on a big container ship last summer. This allowed me to experience the whole "big ship versus small sailboat" from the other side. And the skipper there indeed seemed to share your view. Asked what I as a yacht skipper cold do to decrease the risk of a collsion he basically told me to make sure to be visible, and stick to the colregs. Do that and you will not likely be run over.
And the best way to be visible, in this skippers opinion is to have an AIS transponder.

[a64pilot]

The thing that astonishes me is that the Feds don't have or don't use AIS.
I had CBP cruising all around my boat, taking pictures, asking questions etc when I came into Clearwater last Summer at night. I asked them if they had AIS, after I explained to them what it was, I told them if they had it, they would have know all this info about me hours before I got there.
There were four of them aboard a 1,000 HP Center Console, money was not the reason they didn't have an AIS receiver.

Then I was sailing on Memorial Day weekend outside of Panama City Fl headed to Port St. Joe, and the Coast Guard was out in their Cutter, moving slowly on the same course, I was curious to know the name of the Cutter, but they were not broadcasting their AIS?

I guess they don't want everyone withing 50NM to know they are there?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by farm sail

Yup, my cell phonewhen it is activr is prepaid and unanimously registrted i pay cash for "top up cards" most of the time it is just a real small tablet conected via someones free wifi. i have no credit cards, all cash or postal money orders. I do have a drvets license but you cant tell where i am just by looking up my license. No pass port, have not officially gone anywhere requiring a passport yet. Most of those things you mentioned are not easily traceable in rral time. Credit cards and cellphones sure but i dont play within that system. I sure wont put a chip on my home and means of transport that tells anyone with an internet conection where i am with in so many feet.

You must buy a lot of tinfoil.

Mark

[colemj]

Originally Posted by DotDun

And when the miscreants in Russia notice you on MarineTraffic, their counterparts will do their Xmas shopping at your L*&#$n home.

You too.

Mark