[PUP] AIS

[bob Austin]

I would second the thoughts of Sonaia Maryon-Davis on AIS.  If we had had this
watch standing in crowded places would have been much easier.  We had 90%
response rate from ships--the exceptions were boats which seemed to have
hostile intent--playing with us--as two liberian freighters did in the Med--or
if there was no-one awake on the bridge--as seemed to happen on two occasions.

The question we had in converging course situations, was were we seen?  I
would always ask a merchant or fishing vessel, what course change they wanted
me to make.  Being able to positively ID them is essential.

If I was currently boating in crowded waters, I would have AIS on the boat.
Even a reciever only I think is essential--in fact it doesn't even have to be
interphased with the chart plotter (better if it is).

I think we will see NMEA 2000 plug and play AIS units within the year and that
the price will become affordiable--and it will play as much a role in
anticollision as Radar.

Bob Austin