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Bmorgan562 · 15-03-2022, 07:11

I have the opportunity to crew on a boat from california to hawaii along with a buddy ( neither of us have watch /passage experience.) other crew: The Captain and one other person with coastal experience. The boat doesn’t have AIS. capability, it does have radar but i’m not sure yet if you can see it from the cockpit or what the range is ( i will find this out) Am i being overly apprehensive? I know of 4 major shipping company’s that head straight to Hilo from the mainland. If i had to get their attention as they were racing up behind. i’d like to hail them by name. I’d really appreciate some input. cheers!

pjShap · 15-03-2022, 07:26

I would want receive and transmit AIS on-board. It's one more independent way of seeing something, and being seen, that might show something missed by eyeball and radar. The advantage of having a ship name for hailing is probably more important in crowded coastal areas with lots of radio traffic than in emptier areas of the ocean where traffic is uncommon.

PippaB · 15-03-2022, 07:29

Not sure how many times I've made this trip over the past several decades, but only the last couple have I had AIS. Would I prefer (strongly) to have AIS? Yes. Would I do it without AIS, absolutely. AIS is very nice to have, but it's a big ocean and the odds are pretty small.

If adding AIS a transceiver, IMO, is the only way to go. However, that does require some legwork and it's not your boat. For your use case you can get a handheld VHF that has AIS receive capabilities and be able to identify the barge about to run you down. That may increase your comfort level, you'd have to weigh the value proposition for yourself.

jordanbigel · 15-03-2022, 07:47

"Am i being overly apprehensive? I"

I'm not sure, are you saying that you would consider not going because the boat has no AIS? If so, then yes, I think you are being overly apprehensive. Radar, when used properly, will keep you aware of what is around you. It is hard to resist the urge to point out that cruising boats have transitted the oceans of the world without AIS for decades and decades. Not saying AIS isn't great, I have one a few years now and I love it. But I don't consider it to be "required" equipment at this point, like a radar, which you say the boat has.

**tkeithlu** · 15-03-2022, 07:50

Back in the 1960s we had neither radar nor AIS. But, boats got run over going back and forth on the eastern side of the US, one ship docked in Yokohama with standing rigging tangled in the anchor, and my father in law had to change course in a freighter when he met a crusier in the middle of the Pacific that would not answer to his horn.

Radar is a great step forward if someone watches it, but then the US Navy had two collisions in Tokyo Bay and the Norwegian Navy rammed the side of a tanker. Is the radar where it can be checked every 15 minutes? Do you know how to plot a potential collision (the relative bearing from your boat does not change and the range decreases)? Do you keep a good watch behind you? Conscientiousness can be substituted for sophisticated electronics, but the easy way is preferred.

Bmorgan562 · 15-03-2022, 07:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by PippaB

Not sure how many times I've made this trip over the past several decades, but only the last couple have I had AIS. Would I prefer (strongly) to have AIS? Yes. Would I do it without AIS, absolutely. AIS is very nice to have, but it's a big ocean and the odds are pretty small.

If adding AIS a transceiver, IMO, is the only way to go. However, that does require some legwork and it's not your boat. For your use case you can get a handheld VHF that has AIS receive capabilities and be able to identify the barge about to run you down. That may increase your comfort level, you'd have to weigh the value proposition for yourself.

PippaB, do you have a handheld to recommend?

Bmorgan562 · 15-03-2022, 08:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Back in the 1960s we had neither radar nor AIS. But, boats got run over going back and forth on the eastern side of the US, one ship docked in Yokohama with standing rigging tangled in the anchor, and my father in law had to change course in a freighter when he met a crusier in the middle of the Pacific that would not answer to his horn.

Radar is a great step forward if someone watches it, but then the US Navy had two collisions in Tokyo Bay and the Norwegian Navy rammed the side of a tanker. Is the radar where it can be checked every 15 minutes? Do you know how to plot a potential collision (the relative bearing from your boat does not change and the range decreases)? Do you keep a good watch behind you? Conscientiousness can be substituted for sophisticated electronics, but the easy way is preferred.

Thank you. I plan to keep my head on a swivel as i don’t want it to be a limiter.

Scorpius · 15-03-2022, 08:09

I'm with the "AIS is great, but not essential" crowd. If that doesn't satisfy you then the handheld VHF with AIS receive (suggested up thread) idea is a great one. Then, if/when you spot something on the radar, and it's big enough (to have AIS) you should be able to hail it by name.

Also, having your own personal VHF on board can be useful and reassuring. Hopefully it will have DSC as well for emergency calls and to ring the DSC bell on those ships you are trying to call. It's more attention-getting than simply a hail.

Also get a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and wear/carry it at all times when aboard. Make sure you register it before you go.

Have a GREAT trip. It'll be a wonderful experience you will never forget!

Bmorgan562 · 15-03-2022, 08:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scorpius

I'm with the "AIS is great, but not essential" crowd. If that doesn't satisfy you then the handheld VHF with AIS receive (suggested up thread) idea is a great one. Then, if/when you spot something on the radar, and it's big enough (to have AIS) you should be able to hail it by name.

Also, having your own personal VHF on board can be useful and reassuring. Hopefully it will have DSC as well for emergency calls and to ring the DSC bell on those ships you are trying to call. It's more attention-getting than simply a hail.

Also get a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) and wear/carry it at all times when aboard. Make sure you register it before you go.

Thank you kind sir, i was just looking at the ICOM IC-M94D AIS & DSC VHF and i’m planning to get a PLB (recommendation? )

Noisykate · 15-03-2022, 08:18

Radar takes a lot more battery to run than AIS. When we have been offshore, we turn off everything except the AIS transmit.
Large boats will have seen you and taken any necessary avoidance action before you know they are there.
On a smallish boat, I'd expect your radar to be off more than its on - I'm guessing you just won't be able to supply the power unless you're running a generator regularly.
As others have said, that doesn't mean 'don't go', it means scan the entire horizon carefully every 15 mins, 24/7.
99% of the time, you'll see nothing. But keep checking.

Glenncpa9696 · 15-03-2022, 08:44

If you have radar it should have alarm fences- when I sailed from Azores to the states we set up two fences- one at 5 miles and one at 1 miles- so we would be alerted if anything breaches those fences. Even at one mile with waves at 30 feet we would have a difficult time laying eyes on but we knew right where that other vessel was.
Captain Kirk

Hoodsail · 15-03-2022, 08:57

Regarding your question on PLB, I would recommend the ocean signal MOB1. Reason...it displays on the boats chartplotter so the crew on board can track you and on board you. down side is its not a global EPIRB so if the crew on board dont pick you up, you're doneski...should be an amazing trip...

Bmorgan562 · 15-03-2022, 09:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoodsail

Regarding your question on PLB, I would recommend the ocean signal MOB1. Reason...it displays on the boats chartplotter so the crew on board can track you and on board you. down side is its not a global EPIRB so if the crew on board dont pick you up, you're doneski...should be an amazing trip...

I see what your saying. If it’s my watch i would be tethered but It would be nice to have a unit with both?

Godshalk · 15-03-2022, 09:12

I agree that AIS is not essential for that passage BUT I have found it, transatlantic and coastal in US and Europe, much more valuable than radar (except in close quarters in poor visibility):
- you will likely see an AIS target at sea long before you see it on radar
- the other vessel is more likely to see you on AIS than radar (assuming that you have a transponder, not just receive-only)
- when linked to the chart plotter, you'll see the target and get CPA and TCPA (and, on some models, a display of the vessels' positions at TCPA, so that you can avoid crossing ahead) automatically
- you'll get the ship's name, often essential in making contact (and her MMSI so that, if she doesn't answer your call, you can annoy them with a DSC call), speed, course, position, rate of turn, destination and size.
- it uses far less power, which is likely to be a major consideration on that passage

Like power steering, power brakes, rearview mirrors, automatic transmissions, turn signals, things we got along without once now seem pretty fundamental.

sinnerman · 15-03-2022, 09:15

Christian Williams has a YouTube channel with videos about his Los Angeles-Hawaii trips singlehanded at 74 years old.

He deals with AIS on the trips.

The videos are great. He is a good story teller, as he was a Washington Post editor during Watergate and a screenwriter for shows like "Hill Street Blues".

He has books about the trips, both of which I found enjoyable reading especially "Alone Together" .

His YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristianWilliamsYachting

First LA to Hawaii trip video: