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fgraham · 09-06-2016, 19:46

What system is best to wake you up so you don't get run over by another boat? AND How much does it cost?

**StuM** · 09-06-2016, 20:25

A crewman on watch. Cost??? Value - priceless.

**JPA Cate** · 09-06-2016, 20:55

fgraham, StuM's answer is the only truly correct one, and here are the reasons:
1. Radar does a lousy job in a downpour, and also for wooden boats;
2. AIS only reports other vessels with AIS;

Therefore, the only thing that can both identify hard to see objects and make sure you wake up is another human being.

Ann

Moody Mike · 09-06-2016, 20:58

Yes a crewman on watch is best second best is a radar & ASI proximity alarm. You set your proximity alarm to a range say 3 nm any ship or other item like say a floating container the radar picks up inside that or as it crosses that 3nm line sets off an alarm. ASI can be set up for the same but will only ho off when vessels fitted with ASI enter your protection zone. These radar packages are very reasonably priced these days no reason not to have one.
Mike

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TurninTurtle · 09-06-2016, 21:01

Anchoring WELL out of the shipping/traffic lane is a big help.

Moody Mike · 09-06-2016, 21:04

My proximity alarm went off near Hunter Island South of Noumea at 1.15 am my crew on watch woke me up. We could see a vessel approaching fast at 20 knots from Hunter Island with no lights. I called them on the radio no reply at 2nm the bilp on the radar split into two objets in tandem keeping the same course directly at us still no lights. All crew no on deck & preparing to be boarded or collision. At 1/2 Nm the vessel disappeared off the screen . My crew were still searching for it when a large blue light passed beneath our boat.
Proximity alarms work very well , now who can guess what that vessel was . Took me a while to work it out.
Mike

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ausaviator · 09-06-2016, 21:09

That sounds moderately scary MM !

My wife had a big scare when a large whale went underneath us showing us his belly, but a submarine is a different story all together!

Navicula · 09-06-2016, 21:16

I set my radar and check my plotter and course....but on watch I have an egg timer on a lanyard around my neck .....I set it for an hour and it goes off nice and load......I cannot hear the buzzers or beeps, but that egg timer gets me everytime

TurninTurtle · 09-06-2016, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moody Mike

My proximity alarm went off near Hunter Island South of Noumea at 1.15 am my crew on watch woke me up. We could see a vessel approaching fast at 20 knots from Hunter Island with no lights. I called them on the radio no reply at 2nm the bilp on the radar split into two objets in tandem keeping the same course directly at us still no lights. All crew no on deck & preparing to be boarded or collision. At 1/2 Nm the vessel disappeared off the screen . My crew were still searching for it when a large blue light passed beneath our boat.
Proximity alarms work very well , now who can guess what that vessel was . Took me a while to work it out.
Mike

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Sounds like you caught a sub's periscope & snorkel and they dove under you.

Moody Mike · 09-06-2016, 21:51

I hope it was a sub. Could have been French it was in their territory or Chinese ,US , Russian who knows. The French Navy were active in the area a yacht we met the day before Honkydory heading in the opposite direction towards Fiji had been boarded by the French Navy. Does anyone know if subs have blue lights ?

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Tkeeth · 09-06-2016, 22:12

Or you could have been abducted by aliens...

**Jim Cate** · 09-06-2016, 22:20

Hunter Island, south of Noumea??? Where is that? doesn't ring a bell. There is a Hunter Island off the NW corner of Tasmania, but I can't place one anywhere in the Coral Sea near New Caledonia.

Jim

ausaviator · 09-06-2016, 22:26

Subs do use blue and red lights so as to not upset night vision, even on the outside is my understanding. They wouldn't use red on the outside so as to not affect the navigation of other vessels.

If you were using radar they may have detected this and then dived under you rather than change course.

I can't help but think that there was a movie once where a family was in a life-raft and a sub went under them, however they heard it coming.

**StuM** · 09-06-2016, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hunter Island, south of Noumea??? Where is that? doesn't ring a bell. There is a Hunter Island off the NW corner of Tasmania, but I can't place one anywhere in the Coral Sea near New Caledonia.

Jim

Hunter Island | island, New Caledonia | Britannica.com

Hunter Island, island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, within the French overseas country of New Caledonia, although France’s claim to the island is disputed by Vanuatu. It is located about 350 miles (560 km) east of the New Caledonian mainland.