wrote:
wrote:

Hi all,

I am a final year undergraduate student, studying Marine Navigation
(BSc) at the University of Plymouth (UK), conducting a study of the use
of cell phones by recreational boaters. This includes an assessment of
the practices and views of a broad cross section of all recreational
boaters, and I would be very grateful if you would contribute to the
study by taking two minutes to complete a short and anonymous
questionnaire. Please follow the link below to access the
questionnai

http://facultyj.hs.plymouth.ac.uk/cellphone/

Many thanks,

Nick Loewendahl

If you would like a copy of the completed report please email me with
your contact details.


I filled out the survey. I hope that the survey doesn't encourage some
neophyte to think that he can safely substitute a cell phone for a VHF
aboard a boat operating "at sea", or that there's even some serious
debate about the subject.


It's the law to have a VHF so that of itself is not a problem, but the
normal everyday cell phones are becoming much better for normal boat
contacts. Most boats rarely if ever actually go offshore & so most
always have cell coverage. The conversations are private, the other end
doesn't need to have a VHF & be next to it monitoring it 24X7.

I'm clearly well chuffed with the mobile phones from a marine
perspective, mostly I can contact my other halves anytime & like & they
me. In the event of a "problem" short of a sinking or burning boat, I
think a phone call to someone you actually know & trust to organise
whatever you need organised is a better bet than a maybe it's being
monitored VHF. Of course for that to work you really need to be in
serious trouble.

As I said not suggesting throw the VHF over the side but .............
put the mobile in one of those special placky bags for them because it
will do you most good, most places a rec boater is likely to really need it.

Just so you know the barrier reef is probably 30-40 miles offshore in
the Whitsunday region & for tourists they have daily big ferries going
out & a permanently manned pontoon in one of the lagoons. After much
national park compromise they allowed a repeater to go in one of the
mountains on Whitsunday Island now all around the area even out at the
reef people can make & receive normal in the bay type communications.


K