Len....do you run a radar system w/a alarm, as well?
if so, how reliable is it? can one set up audible alarms
w/the AIS systems?

thanx...




"I "only" installed an AIS receiver where the AIS transponder is
getting cheaper and almost reasonable. I bought the nasamarine
engine thats connevted to a serial port of my pc. Together with
SeaClear nav software the system is complete and functions well.
I see my map, my own position, others together with the info I
want presented"

Hi Rich (that IS your first name, no?),

In foul weather and when nothing comes on the screen I run the radar
with intervals of 15 minutes (range 25 sm) to reduce power
consumption. In good weather I just have it on standby at nights.
Doesn't use much (dunno how much eaxactly this minute) and it saves me
2 full minutes warming up time when I need it fast. My radar is not
that modern but it's a big mother, Simrad-Anritsu. Doesn't put out
nmea of any kind, doesn't have marpa or all that. So you see why I'm
happy with the addition AIS gives me.

I take it you go singlehanded? We (the admiral and me) run watches of
3 hours. To be sure we use the old eggtimer for the next lookout and
screen-study... Never felt the need for an auditive alarm other than
my anchor alarm... But there surely will be nav software around
that get's you awake when it calculates (a risk of) collision course
from the AIS data... I can ask my dutch sailing computer club if you
like...

Len
S/v Present


On 18 Oct 2005 13:21:27 -0700, "~^ beancounter ~^"
wrote:

Len....do you run a radar system w/a alarm, as well?
if so, how reliable is it? can one set up audible alarms
w/the AIS systems?

thanx...




"I "only" installed an AIS receiver where the AIS transponder is
getting cheaper and almost reasonable. I bought the nasamarine
engine thats connevted to a serial port of my pc. Together with
SeaClear nav software the system is complete and functions well.
I see my map, my own position, others together with the info I
want presented"

I just completed a 20 day crossing to Hawaii and then 20 days
back from Oahu to the Columbia River. It is a 38ft sail boat and I had
my wife, 11yr old son and 7yr old daughter as crew. I asked a lot of
experienced sailors in Mexico what their standard "actual practice" for
keeping watches was for ocean crossings. I got a lot of different
answers, but they fit into a couple categories, all for when you 150+
miles off shore. Closer, most people I know have someone on deck pretty
much all the time.
1. Set radar alarm and the autopilot and the whole crew goes to
sleep for the night (only met a couple that did this one)
2. 24 hours a day, someone goes up on deck every 15 or 20 min
and checks the heading, sail trim and the scans the horizon, and
someone is fully awake at all times, watches from 3 to 4 hours. (A lot
of people did this)
3. 24 hours a day, someone goes up deck every 15 min, leave the
radar on alarm status all the time. At night the watch person can take
cat naps in between the egg timer going off (we did this, and found a
lot of others that did also)
4. Keep someone on deck at all times with 3 to 4 hour watches.
(This was common for racers who do a lot of sail adjusting at night,
boaters with larger crews, and for boaters who don't want to run the
lights all night). For many more primitive boats the tri color or side
and stern lights are a heavy percentage of the daily amperage
consumption.

I bought the low end monochrome radar from Raymarine. It uses
very little power when the alarm is set and it is in sleep mode. It
comes on every 15 min and does 20 sweeps. If it sees anything, then the
alarm sounds. It was very good once we played with the gain a little.
We set it to go off for anything from 2 miles to the max range it was
effective, about 16 miles for ships at sea. We never saw a ship the
alarm hadn't found first, so it gave us a lot of security, but we still
kept the 15 min watch. I had to set the min distance on the alarm to 2
miles or the waves would set it off.
We hailed every ship that was even remotely in our path. All but
a couple answered our hail. Most did not see us until we hailed, but
had no trouble changing course. The ships were usually about 1000ft by
300 ft and were doing 20 knots, most said they had crews of 19 . The
captains often loved to talk wanted to know how long we had been out
and where we were going etc. They were excellent sources to check the
calibration of our barometer and were great at confirming our weather
routing decisions. We saw very few ships, 4 on the way over and about
10 on the way back. My experience with ships has always been very
positive, either in Puget sound, SF bay or on the left coast. I just
hail them and recognize that I am out there having fun and they are
making a living. The fishermen outside of the Columbia were great in
helping me with a strategy for crossing bar for the first time.
John
S/V Pangea

great info John...congrat's on your crossing!!

helpful info...thanx......

Interesting reading.
I often read various post regarding unmanned watches on ships (probably
happens, but I'd consider it uncommon) and from what I'm reading below, it
appears that most ships need be aware that an alarming percentage of
cruising boats are employing unmanned watches AND possibly running without
lights.

1. AIS is relatively new. Be aware that some of the information contained
can be in error (junkin-junkout).
2. Radar alarms have improved greatly, but should be used only as a back-up
to the on watch lookout.
3. Never run without lights .... can you guarantee you'll remember to turn
them back on when needed?

BTW, if you do get to one of those sites that show AIS info, notice the
density of traffic in many areas ...... and those are only the vessels with
AIS transponders.

otn

wrote in message
ups.com...
I just completed a 20 day crossing to Hawaii and then 20 days
back from Oahu to the Columbia River. It is a 38ft sail boat and I had
my wife, 11yr old son and 7yr old daughter as crew. I asked a lot of
experienced sailors in Mexico what their standard "actual practice" for
keeping watches was for ocean crossings. I got a lot of different
answers, but they fit into a couple categories, all for when you 150+
miles off shore. Closer, most people I know have someone on deck pretty
much all the time.
1. Set radar alarm and the autopilot and the whole crew goes to
sleep for the night (only met a couple that did this one)
2. 24 hours a day, someone goes up on deck every 15 or 20 min
and checks the heading, sail trim and the scans the horizon, and
someone is fully awake at all times, watches from 3 to 4 hours. (A lot
of people did this)
3. 24 hours a day, someone goes up deck every 15 min, leave the
radar on alarm status all the time. At night the watch person can take
cat naps in between the egg timer going off (we did this, and found a
lot of others that did also)
4. Keep someone on deck at all times with 3 to 4 hour watches.
(This was common for racers who do a lot of sail adjusting at night,
boaters with larger crews, and for boaters who don't want to run the
lights all night). For many more primitive boats the tri color or side
and stern lights are a heavy percentage of the daily amperage
consumption.


snip
John
S/V Pangea

otnmbrd.....3 good points to remember...thanx...Len posted a great
link on they system (ais) http://www.uais.org/87BStory.doc it
pretty much explained it all to me...We used the electronic
transponders
in the planes we fly...I guess it makes since to use a like kind model
on the water...But, one does have to participate....The traffic jams
are
interesting....I was watching asia and the panama canal...Its pretty
cool...
esp for the price....Talk about arm chair boating........I am learning
there
is no substition for good watches and running lights...Spronkled w/some
electronic back up systems...So far that is.....