Tragedy Strikes.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Salty Mike

Hay, anybody seen this boat? I hear it went missing a while back.

Haha. Not Dagny but his previous, not lost, boat

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by smj

...Used responsibly it is an asset but the use of AIS while anchored in a secure anchorage or at a dock in my opinion is irresponsible.

Used to be I probably agreed with you. But, the very purpose of this thread....

Had Dagny had an AIS on while at anchor, then finding her when she started to drift would have been a piece of cake. So, which way do you go? I think I'd vote for leaving my AIS on while at anchor for just this eventuality.

[Reefmagnet]

Someone should invent a dead man epirb. You activate it with an "alive" time, which if not periodically reset, once up will sound a shrill alarm for a further period of time before triggering the epirb if still not reset. You could locate a missing or distressed vessel, if still afloat, anywhere.

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[smj]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Used to be I probably agreed with you. But, the very purpose of this thread....



Had Dagny had an AIS on while at anchor, then finding her when she started to drift would have been a piece of cake. So, which way do you go? I think I'd vote for leaving my AIS on while at anchor for just this eventuality.

Yes, but if you read my post I said secure anchorage. I can't think of a reason to run AIS in a secure anchorage and especially while docked. Dagny was anchored in an insecure anchorage with known bad holding so maybe run AIS or be more proactive and stay with your boat until you feel you are in a secure anchorage.
I don't think AIS was ever intended to be used as an anchor alarm or means to find your boat if gone adrift.
Still the question, why have it activated while at a dock?
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[Dsanduril]

I did read the 'secure anchorage' bit. But Gil left his vessel unattended in an anchorage. To me that indicates that in his mind at least the anchorage was 'secure'. Can't imagine anyone wanting to leave their boat alone in an anchorage they considered insecure. Obviously he had some doubts since he tells about looking for the mast at regular intervals.

So, how do you make up your mind 'is this anchorage one where I leave on the AIS, or one where I turn it off?'

[smj]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

I did read the 'secure anchorage' bit. But Gil left his vessel unattended in an anchorage. To me that indicates that in his mind at least the anchorage was 'secure'. Can't imagine anyone wanting to leave their boat alone in an anchorage they considered insecure. Obviously he had some doubts since he tells about looking for the mast at regular intervals.

So, how do you make up your mind 'is this anchorage one where I leave on the AIS, or one where I turn it off?'

Easy answer for me, I would never use AIS in an anchorage because in my opinion it wasn't designed for that. Maybe I'm getting old, but the beauty of cruising to us was getting away from it all and being self sufficient and responsible. Heck we have never even used an anchor alarm.


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[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

...how do you make up your mind 'is this anchorage one where I leave on the AIS, or one where I turn it off?'

If you didn't bother to set your anchor, don't know what the bottom is like, haven't secured the bitter end of your anchor rode, (etc) leave the AIS on.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

If you didn't bother to set your anchor, don't know what the bottom is like, haven't secured the bitter end of your anchor rode, (etc) leave the AIS on.

😁😁😁😁oh so true!


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[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by smj

Easy answer for me, I would never use AIS in an anchorage because in my opinion it wasn't designed for that. Maybe I'm getting old, but the beauty of cruising to us was getting away from it all and being self sufficient and responsible. Heck we have never even used an anchor alarm.


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One reason AIS was developed (perhaps a major reason) was for vessel tracking by the gov't and companies that monitor vessel movements. A friend of mine owned a company that has a network of AIS receivers all along the US coastline. The data is fed to "data vaults", servers that do not allow the data to be manipulated. Any time there is a collision, explosion (like the Deepwater Horizon, for example) or demurrage issue, his company is contacted for minute by minute tracking of the vessels involved. This is why so much info is being broadcast in addition to ships position, and also why the transmission frequency increases when turning or in certain areas.

Since the tracking info cannot be manipulated after storage in the data vault, it can be admissible in court as the true course, speed, track, etc of the vessel and is used to determine who hit who, who tried to avoid and when, who was anchored, where exactly was it anchored, etc.

During the Deepwater Horizon incident, any vessel employed by BP in the cleanup process that did not have AIS installed was provided with a satellite tracker glued to their boat. All of the AIS data plus satellite tracking data was provided in real time (although the sat trackers pinged only once every hour) and displayed on large LCD TVs from the corporate website.

It was an immense help in logistics and coordination of a lot of surface and air assets covering a very large area.

[smj]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

One reason AIS was developed (perhaps a major reason) was for vessel tracking by the gov't and companies that monitor vessel movements. A friend of mine owned a company that has a network of AIS receivers all along the US coastline. The data is fed to "data vaults", servers that do not allow the data to be manipulated. Any time there is a collision, explosion (like the Deepwater Horizon, for example) or demurrage issue, his company is contacted for minute by minute tracking of the vessels involved. This is why so much info is being broadcast in addition to ships position, and also why the transmission frequency increases when turning or in certain areas.



Since the tracking info cannot be manipulated after storage in the data vault, it can be admissible in court as the true course, speed, track, etc of the vessel and is used to determine who hit who, who tried to avoid and when, who was anchored, where exactly was it anchored, etc.



During the Deepwater Horizon incident, any vessel employed by BP in the cleanup process that did not have AIS installed was provided with a satellite tracker glued to their boat. All of the AIS data plus satellite tracking data was provided in real time (although the sat trackers pinged only once every hour) and displayed on large LCD TVs from the corporate website.



It was an immense help in logistics and coordination of a lot of surface and air assets covering a very large area.

You've made my mind up. If this scenario is going to overlap into the pleasure vessel use of AIS I want nothing to do with it. We go cruising to get away from the controlling aspects of what has become normal everyday life. I hope to god I'm taking your post in the wrong way.


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[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by smj

You've made my mind up. If this scenario is going to overlap into the pleasure vessel use of AIS I want nothing to do with it. We go cruising to get away from the controlling aspects of what has become normal everyday life. I hope to god I'm taking your post in the wrong way.


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I don't see anything really wrong with it's use, currently. It's not like the NSA is tracking you with it, I doubt they have any interest in Mr. and Mrs. Cruiser. They're already doing a lot more with your cell phone metadata and internet search history.

Perhaps someday you may need to prove that you were at anchor when a merchant ship struck you and they try to deny it. It's like the dash cams on police cars and Russian cars, it helps keep everyone honest. Some of those videos of drunks getting arrested and Russian drivers losing control are pretty funny!

[smj]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

I don't see anything really wrong with it's use, currently. It's not like the NSA is tracking you with it, I doubt they have any interest in Mr. and Mrs. Cruiser. They're already doing a lot more with your cell phone metadata and internet search history.



Perhaps someday you may need to prove that you were at anchor when a merchant ship struck you and they try to deny it. It's like the dash cams on police cars and Russian cars, it helps keep everyone honest. Some of those videos of drunks getting arrested and Russian drivers losing control are pretty funny!

Like I said, I don't cruise to subscribe to this bs.


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[Cap Erict3]

AIS primary purpose is collision avoidance. Not some government plot.

Boats get hit on the hook all the time.

I like being able to see details on anchored tankers outside of a harbor at night. I use that info to plan my approach.

[thruska]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Would it help if I told you we bought it for the wife to commute the 50 miles back and forth to work everyday?
How about if my vehicle is a C3500 Duramax and her other car is a CTS-V?

what do they call this, compensating?

Couldn't help but comment. I own a Prius . And a crew cab C4500 duramax/Allison that pulls the house, as we no longer own" dirt ".
What's that compensating thing about ? Never heard about that , lol.
Unless you mean compensating for having three boats.... But then.... I mean... Oh never mind ....:: frown:

This thread has really covered multiple subjects hasn't it ?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by smj

You've made my mind up. If this scenario is going to overlap into the pleasure vessel use of AIS I want nothing to do with it. We go cruising to get away from the controlling aspects of what has become normal everyday life. I hope to god I'm taking your post in the wrong way.

If you're worried about being tracked, most if not all of the transponder units allow you to turn your transmissions off and operate in receive-only mode. You can also just buy an AIS receiver -- much cheaper but you obviously lose some collision avoidance capability without the ability to also transmit.