Type "A" AIS for Yachts?

[witzgall]

My personal opinion is that Class B is good enough for pleasure vessels. If you ask, I won't be able to technically defend that assertion, but all the same, it works well. The only situation I might go for "A" is if I sailed regularly in and out of very busy ports, and this had to deal with commercial shipping every sail. This would not be so much for the close to port ships, but dealing with them once you left the immediate area, with the ships "Spreading out" if that makes any sense.

Our experience with an AIS class B transponder on the east coast (USA) was very positive. The biggest issue you still face is that most commercial fishing boats don't carry transponders, but they are also usually lit up like Christmas barges.

If I had the space and $$$, I would go with the Vesper unit. We ended up with the Em-trak transponder, wich does NMEA 0183+2000 +++ USB at the same time.

Chris

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by DotDun

You should use your boat more...

We actually use it quite a lot already... although more is always better.

We don't blast around at high cruising speed as often as some do, though

-Chris

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by Bash

Owners of large racing boats often request their delivery crews to motor the boat to its next venue because "diesel is cheaper than sails."

Of course, to remain competitive many racers purchase a new suit of sails every other year.

When I did the racing thing we had an old suit of sails for delivery. Pretty standard stuff.