Aust coastal tracking

[Steve Thompson]

Having just completed a trip from Brisbane to Adelaide [arriving Christmas day] aboard our 11m cat.On leaving Brisbane I used the Coast Guard / Coastal patrol tracking sheets for the entire trip.These organisations run by volanteer radio operators are doing a FANTASTIC JOB.They were always cheerful,friendly and at all tmes had a wealth of local knowledge from casual berths to shop locations and weather reports.Most shore stations monitor 24hrs a day on vhf 16.I would encourage any visitors to our coasts to make use of the system
cheers Steve

[cat man do]

Hmmm, while I agree with the logging off and logging on thing , I used to get very pi55ed off with the interrogation from each station.

I should just be able to tell, say, Manly CG my details (boatsize, colour, number of bods, rego ,eta and destination) and as I sail past Mooloolabah and start to lose Manly, log on with Mooloolabah for the next leg, WITHOUT going through the interogation again.

The boat details should be passed up the coast in the direction of travel so as all they need from me is "This is________, I am a 15metre cat with 2 POB travelling to_______ ETA _____, Logging off with Manly and on with Mooloolabah"

Many has been the time I just dont have the time for the long discussion with the coasties due to actually sailing a boat, not sitting at a desk.

Dont get me wrong, they do a great job and from what I understand this a Water Police, Govt., Big Brother thing, not a coast guard requirement.

[Steve Thompson]

Cat man do
I think that was the case with the old system.Only information req at each call in point is eta at next position report.Your sheet gets faxed ahead of you all the way to final destination.The tracking sheet can be put on hold at any time if you decide to stop

cheers Steve

[MarkJ]

Its big brother. Fine for the those that want it. But what is a voluntary thing this year is obligitory next year.

What is a tracking sheet going to do thats faster or better than an eprib?

For the small boats that don't have EPIRBs it is prolly a good idea. But for me, if I don't have time to push the EPIRB button there isnt much use launching the rescue boat when I am a few days overdue.


Mark

[catty]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Its big brother. Fine for the those that want it. But what is a voluntary thing this year is obligitory next year.

What is a tracking sheet going to do thats faster or better than an eprib?

For the small boats that don't have EPIRBs it is prolly a good idea. But for me, if I don't have time to push the EPIRB button there isnt much use launching the rescue boat when I am a few days overdue.


Mark

Yep, For those that want to go through the log on/off rigmarole for what ever reason, good on them, its a free country. Hopefully it won't be forced on others that have the skills and the confidence to make a safe passage without all the hoopla. Geeze, what next, notifying the police when you leave the house to go shopping.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by catty

Hopefully it won't be forced on others that have the skills and the confidence to make a safe passage without all the hoopla. .

Its the law in many countries. Mexico till recently. I know it is in India. You have to clear in and out of each port... and that can take a day to do each way.
Even in the Marquesas this year we were told we did not have to report into other islands but the first one we arrived at the police drove down to the wharfe and told us to come and visit him in the police station and brig our passports. I said we diodnt have to and he said it was just safety precautions.... lol We didnt, of course!

Here some of the volunteer rescue services etc would like to make a role for themselves and this is one thing they can do to make themselves 'indespensable'.

When it is obligitory to sign in (etc) then you will find its unlawfulto go to ports that dont have an official to sign you in..... thin edge of the wedge!

[Weyalan]

I used it when I delivered Insatiable from Mooloolaba to Hobart. I figured it didn't do any harm, and could, just possibly, do some good. It was also an additional reassurance for the less experienced members of the crew and gave them a chance to practive their radio skills, heh. I, personally, don't see its existence as an infringement of my civil liberties or whatever.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Steve Thompson

Cat man do
I think that was the case with the old system.Only information req at each call in point is eta at next position report.Your sheet gets faxed ahead of you all the way to final destination.The tracking sheet can be put on hold at any time if you decide to stop

cheers Steve

Yep, never had an issue with the old system, but the new one, well I just stopped using it, so I suppose that makes it a big FAIL in my eyes.

While having a bitch, what is it with the bloody coastwatch spotter planes buzzing in demanding to know who you are (the same guy I was when you asked 6 hours ago) and where you are going to (One of those island up there),where are you from (one of those island down there) what colour underwear you have on and what you had for breakfast?

Was getting hammered twice daily between the top of Fraser and Bowen, which is not an area that would be susceptible to large amounts of illegal immigration, illegal fishing, terrorism or drug running.

Surely there are better areas to patrol like, oh, I don't know, where the illegal immigration, illegal fishing, terrorism and drug running is

Dave

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by cat man do

demanding to know who you are (the same guy I was when you asked 6 hours ago) and where you are going to

Tell them a different destination every time
You don't have to file a plan or keep to it so it would be fun to have a bit of a game with them
They would prolly enjoy it oo after sitting cooped up in a plane for hours.

Mark

[Weyalan]

I never experienced any of the issues you guys described. I gave the basic details - boat name, sail number, hull / deck color / number of crew, destination etc at Mooloolaba, and then this information was passed down the line as I headed south and I didn't have to provide anything more than the vessel name thereafter, except, on occasion, an approximate estimated ETA off given point or headland where we would go from one listening station's juristiction into another's... all in all a painless and non-invasive experience for me.

[nonam]

Any idea what the repercussions are if you fail to respond to radio interagation?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by nonam

Any idea what the repercussions are if you fail to respond to radio interagation?

Yes. Strafing.....


.

[Steve Thompson]

Sorry to hear other people have had negative experiance with the tracking system.Mine was very positive.I suppose we are all differant and I certainly respect your opinions,I was just letting people know that there is a system there if they choose to use it.The only things that buzzed us from above were container ships
cheers Steve

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by cat man do

<snip>...While having a bitch, what is it with the bloody coastwatch spotter planes buzzing in demanding to know who you are (the same guy I was when you asked 6 hours ago) and where you are going to (One of those island up there),where are you from (one of those island down there) what colour underwear you have on and what you had for breakfast?...<snip>

Yep, they can be a real PITA.

Originally Posted by nonam

Any idea what the repercussions are if you fail to respond to radio interagation?

Can't be prosecuted for radio failure or conserving battery power (yet ).

AFAIK, you have to use everything available to maintain a good watch so that includes having the VHF on; but do you have to reply unless it involves a danger to yourself or others, I don't think so.

Or perhaps a few replies like: "crackle crackle static static - you are breaking up... say again... still breaking up... speak slowly... speak words twice please...sorry you are still unreadable but for your information I am still the same boat as yesterday...please call again when you COMS are fixed...standing by on 16...crackle crackle static static"

Perhaps tell them you are happy to oblige with the same old information over and over again as soon as they share all their flight details with you .
Still no point in annoying them I guess, they are just public servants doing a job .

[catty]

Originally Posted by nonam

Any idea what the repercussions are if you fail to respond to radio interagation?

I'm not sure there is any repercussions. I have never felt any.

1/To my knowledge the planes are run by contractors and not customs officers.
2/To my knowledge WA only required a "marine radio" for offshore work. Coastwatch don't call on 27 megs or HF.
3/ NT don't even require you to carry a radio.
4/ Geeze how many excuses is there as to why you couldn't answer until they were out of range.