Use of AIS by the Big Boys

[psneeld]

Sad that people did it for a long time before AIS with zero ptoblems doing tbe mental calculations.

Sure it can make it easier like gps does for all of us. Pros using it with experience and training are a diffetent animal from the average TFer...but I mentioned that before.

Bet most boats here are piloted and cruised differently than a log boom tow.

People constantly warn me about comparing professional use/acts versus what this forun is really about, and for that I am constantly sorry when I mix the two unecessarily.

I am considered an expert in accident investigation and cockpit ergonomics and crew coordination, but even without those quals...there is tons of info on info overload one can google.

I have left homeport ( if you consider a bunch of the western hemisphere from Pine Island Bay, Antarctica to Nome, Alaska to Nova Scotia leaving homeport) and have towed barges well outside my towboat limitations. Nothing new and one possibly shouldnt make assumptions about the actual field one may not have expertise in.

[dhays]

Originally Posted by tiltrider1

I use AIS for long range planning and radar for avoidance. With in VTS, AIS can let you know if a ship has made a course change or is about to make a change, this gives you better knowledge for making that go or no go decision when crossing a VTS channel.

That was the situation I faced last month. I was looking at a container ship and even based on the AIS listed destination (which even with commercial traffic is often wrong), I didn't know which of three possible directions they were going to head when they reached Sierra Alpha outside Admiralty Inlet. I thought they would be heading West, but wasn't sure. If I turned East to pass astern of them, and it turns out they were actually going to be heading NW or NE, then I would be turning into their path.

A radio call to the ship cleared that up and was able to alter course to the East so I would be well clear of his stern. AIS told me who to call, it also gave me (at least in this case) more accurate course and speed info than my radar.

In the future, since I am a slow boat, I'm going to try to be further to the East or West of Sierra Alpha.

[Codger2]

Originally Posted by tiltrider1

I like the way some people have all the answers for everyone even though they have never left their home port.

Wrong side of the bed this morning?

[tiltrider1]

I was jabbing at psneeld. I should have added an LOL, so you could tell I was making fun of his VTS crossing comment as I assumed he was making a joke as well.

[markpierce]

Do understand why ships would not monitor B-AIS for detecting small boats. Most boats don't use it, so radar and vision are the ships' best way to detect small boats. Besides, in crowded waters, ships have limited maneuverability, so boats need to keep out of the way of ships.

[psneeld]

Right.....

[cappy208]

I have not been on yachts, mega yachts, tugs and ships where all methods of Nav information was not included, considered and used for Nav decisions. (Including AIS)

Class B transceivers DO have a lag in display which makes them suspect. But not ignored. The Mk 1 eyeball is being often overlooked on many vessels and is being replaced in a mistaken over reliance on electronics, plotters and displays.

[SaltyDawg86]

It's simple. It's a tool. It should be used as such. Nothing replaces looking out the window.

[JDCAVE]

We came down from the Pender Harbour Area last week and up the Fraser River. In doing so I have to cross the Vessel Traffic Separation lanes. It's a busy place with cruisers crossing your path back and forth to the Gulf Islands and a mass of recreational fishing boats off Sandheads. So...

There's this sailboat travelling in the wrong direction in one of the Traffic Separation Lanes. We are both transceiving AIS. We are the stand-on vessel and the bearing vectors suggest a collision situation, the radar suggests a collision situation and my view from the window suggests this as well. So I hail the guy...on 16 and then 9 and then 6. Nothing! Geez! So I change course and pass him on his stern. The vessel is flying a French flag!Meanwhile, I'm not the only kid on the block. There's a container ship bearing down on him. So I get on the Blower to VTS and inform them that they should me mindful of him as he does not respond on the VHS. VTS hails him on the VTS channel, then 16 with no luck, so they advise the Pilot on the container ship. The ship had been monitoring him as well and had to make a move.

The amazing thing is that guy travelled all the way from France without being plowed!

Small fishing boats off the Lightstation (11 o'clock on the 0.75 nm range ring):



Jim

[twistedtree]

Mr Magoo. There are lots of them around in all forms.