Rosalie B. wrote in
:

There was a German warship coming in the river, and we could hear the
very southern pilot on the radio warning sailboats in the ICW. I saw
the superstructure of the ship (mostly the mast part) through the
trees, but did not immediately recognize it as a ship - I thought it
was just some funny kind of tree. There was another sailboat ahead of
us, and I thought the pilot was talking to them. He could only see
our mast, so he couldn't tell that the boat ahead of us was a
catamaran. [When I called Bob's attention to the funny 'tree', he did
recognize it as a ship.]

But when we came out into the river, we saw the warship a very short
distance away, and consequently we put on the power to get out of his
way and onto the other side of the channel.



What a fantastic example for the use of AIS if both boat and ship were so
equipped. You and he would have been plotting each other for 10 miles so
better synchronization between you would have avoided any conflict. He
would have been able to call you BY YOUR NAME AND CALL, not just "sailboat
with a mast sticking up". You would have known, not only something was
there long before you could see it but WHAT is was and WHO it was and his
speed and course for planning purposes.....

The sooner every boat is on AIS, the better for everyone.....