Steve wrote:
I'm afraid the human eye ball is about the only thing that can keep
you from running into floating debris..

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar.
A debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set
off any radar collision alarm..

Keep a good watch and have a stout boat.. Failing that, have a
collision mat in the emergency locker (along with a plan on how to
use it).

what is a collision mat, in case i need to know at 3am in the atlantic.

Steve wrote:
I'm afraid the human eye ball is about the only thing that can keep
you from running into floating debris..

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar.
A debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set
off any radar collision alarm..

Keep a good watch and have a stout boat.. Failing that, have a
collision mat in the emergency locker (along with a plan on how to
use it).

what is a collision mat, in case i need to know at 3am in the atlantic.

I'm afraid the human eye ball is about the only thing that can keep you from
running into floating debris..

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar. A
debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set off any
radar collision alarm..

Keep a good watch and have a stout boat.. Failing that, have a collision mat
in the emergency locker (along with a plan on how to use it).


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I'm afraid the human eye ball is about the only thing that can keep you from
running into floating debris..

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar. A
debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set off any
radar collision alarm..

Keep a good watch and have a stout boat.. Failing that, have a collision mat
in the emergency locker (along with a plan on how to use it).


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar. A
debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set off any
radar collision alarm..


This hasn't been my experience. In calm inner waters, such as the inland
passage along the west coast of Canada, radar when set to short range can
commonly pick up a log or the top of a deadhead if it breaks the water's
surface, and it will routinely pick up a seagull standing on top of it. In
fact, I've even seen it pick up the riffles from a tidal rip.

Tom Dacon

The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar. A
debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set off any
radar collision alarm..


This hasn't been my experience. In calm inner waters, such as the inland
passage along the west coast of Canada, radar when set to short range can
commonly pick up a log or the top of a deadhead if it breaks the water's
surface, and it will routinely pick up a seagull standing on top of it. In
fact, I've even seen it pick up the riffles from a tidal rip.

Tom Dacon

Is there an electronic strategy with alarms to avoid collision with
floating objects while sailing ?

A full description would be appreciated.

Thank you.
--
Courtney Thomas
s/v Mutiny
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Avoidance strategies might reduce the odds of collision somewhat, but not enough to
consider the risk eliminated. Radar, for instance, might work in some conditions, but not
all.

This leaves two approaches: one, which has been discussed, is preparing to handle the
damage efficiently. I'd be curious what percentage of collision damages event can be
handled with a collision mat, and how many required abandoning ship. Clearly, when the
damage is too severe, most vessels will sink like the proverbial stone, but there are
certain levels of damage where a mat will save the day.

The third approach is to reduce the odds of the vessel sinking, with positive floatation
and/or collision bulkheads. Multihulls have an advantage, since they don't have the dead
weight of the keel, and the hulls are shaped to facilitate flotation chambers. But any
relatively light vessel can be made reasonably unsinkable. One can make a case that
floatation bags are a better investment than a liferaft.

--
-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"The sea was angry that day, my friend. Like an old man trying to send back soup at the
deli."




"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Is there an electronic strategy with alarms to avoid collision with
floating objects while sailing ?

A full description would be appreciated.

Thank you.
--
Courtney Thomas
s/v Mutiny
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Avoidance strategies might reduce the odds of collision somewhat, but not enough to
consider the risk eliminated. Radar, for instance, might work in some conditions, but not
all.

This leaves two approaches: one, which has been discussed, is preparing to handle the
damage efficiently. I'd be curious what percentage of collision damages event can be
handled with a collision mat, and how many required abandoning ship. Clearly, when the
damage is too severe, most vessels will sink like the proverbial stone, but there are
certain levels of damage where a mat will save the day.

The third approach is to reduce the odds of the vessel sinking, with positive floatation
and/or collision bulkheads. Multihulls have an advantage, since they don't have the dead
weight of the keel, and the hulls are shaped to facilitate flotation chambers. But any
relatively light vessel can be made reasonably unsinkable. One can make a case that
floatation bags are a better investment than a liferaft.

--
-jeff www.sv-loki.com
"The sea was angry that day, my friend. Like an old man trying to send back soup at the
deli."




"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Is there an electronic strategy with alarms to avoid collision with
floating objects while sailing ?

A full description would be appreciated.

Thank you.
--
Courtney Thomas
s/v Mutiny
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

Interesting.
Model? Antenna height?

Thanks

Brian W

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 15:05:44 -0800, "Tom Dacon"
wrote:



The stuff is so low in the water that it can't be picked up by radar. A
debris object would have to be nearly as large as your boat to set off any
radar collision alarm..


This hasn't been my experience. In calm inner waters, such as the inland
passage along the west coast of Canada, radar when set to short range can
commonly pick up a log or the top of a deadhead if it breaks the water's
surface, and it will routinely pick up a seagull standing on top of it. In
fact, I've even seen it pick up the riffles from a tidal rip.

Tom Dacon