[PUP] AIS

[bob england]

I to like the latest greatest electronic devices, and will have an AIS unit 
as soon as I get back in the water, just because it makes it easier to 
communicate with other vessels. However, I would not consider it to be for 
"collision avoidance" that's the captains job. I boat in a very busy 
shipping area and have never needed to avoid a collision with a ship. In the 
open ocean a radar plot tells me most of what I need to know about 
aproaching ships, but it would be nice to call them by name and tell them my 
intentions. But even ships that won't respond don't really pose a threat to 
a boater, unless he (the boater) does something unexpected, like turn across 
the bow of the ship, that gets them excited (talk to a ship pilot sometime). 
If you like using your auto pilot and leaving the helm, (we seldom do) just 
set your zone alarm on the radar where you're comfortable (an auxillary horn 
helps, louder). Speaking of comfort, I suppose some folks are a little more 
comfortable around big ships than others. A lot of small boat captains get 
nervous when a ship is three miles off and aproaching, I get nervous when I 
get rolled by the bow wave. There's just really not much to be afraid of. 
Your still more likely to be killed going to the corner store.

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