T&T: AIS Class B status

[John Marshall]

Relative to Class A AIS systems (I also have the Furuno unit), I've  
been cruising the waters of Puget Sound and north for 18 months with  
my AIS transmitting. I did indeed have issues (initially) as Rich  
notes below, mainly with VTS contacting me and wanting me to  
participate.

I soon figured out why... I hadn't programmed the AIS with the length,  
beam and draft characteristics for my vessel, so they assumed I was a  
"big guy".

However, once I programmed those values (I'm only 55 feet), and  
religiously entered the date, destination and expected arrival time,  
they never bothered calling me again, but would often report my vessel  
location and direction to commercial traffic and ferries, often with a  
note that I was "non-participating".

I do scan the VTS channel on my single VHF along with 16, but that's  
mainly to hear what advice VTS is giving commercial ships about me. On  
a couple of occasions, a piloted container ship has hailed me on VTS  
frequency to negotiate passage when overtaking me as I travel along  
the side of the traffic lanes. That's when there were a dozen other  
non-AIS boats directly in his path that the pilot was unable to  
communicate with. (Note that VTS controlled vessels in the lanes have  
right-of-way over all other ships, including ships under sail). I  
figure there is nothing wrong with them keeping an eye out for me.

Its not a hassle at all to have on board, and when the weather does  
deteriorate and I want to travel with the "big guys" in the lanes and  
under VTS control, a single call to VTS puts me in the system.

My theory is that most boaters avoid the traffic lanes during heavy  
fog (traveling just outside them or crossing at right angles). At  
those times, its far safer (IMHO) to travel well inside the lanes and  
under VTS control, given the "see and be seen" status of a Class A  
unit. I never worry about collisions with big ships now, only with  
small, difficult radar targets who don't have AIS.

Bottom line, based on 3000nm of cruising in the Pacific Northwest with  
my Class A, there are no operational downsides at all to having an AIS  
transmitter.

John Marshall
Serendipity - Nordhavn 55
Sequim, WA

On Aug 24, 2008, at 3:43 PM, Rich Losch wrote:

> We've had a Furuno Class A AIS system aboard for the last year,  
> cruising
> Puget Sound, Southern Canada, and Columbia River.  Used alone or with
> ARPA, it a great aid.
>
> My experiences with AIS give me an indication as to why the regulatory
> agencies are/have been reluctant to approve the Class B systems.
>
> The first obstacle will be ECDIS clutter and perhaps saturation.
> Areas like
> Seattle, Portland, and Vancouver BC have high traffic densities, and  
> as
> the AIS systems are usually left ON, transmitting 24/7, chart displays
> and radars are cluttered with vessel symbols.  Add pleasure craft to
> this and it your display screens will be a mess.  What do users
> experience in Europe?
>
> The second is AIS and VTS areas:  If you are in a regulated Vessel
> Traffic Area as in Puget Sound, or southern Canada with a transmitting
> AIS system, the traffic cops will expect you to participate.  This
> requires a professional radio watch and at least 2 VHF radios, as well
> as familiarity with the lingo and local area knowledge.  Maintaining
> this VTS radio watch can take the fun out of cruising.  Yachts cruise
> where they
> desire, and that means sometimes crossing a lot of traffic lanes,
> whereas VTS expects predictability.
>
> I also see the majority of AIS-equipped vessels do not update their
> NavStatus, or
> have incorrectly entered basic vessel data.  On the other hand, we've
> been challenged by the VTS cops as to what we were, so apparently they
> disregard the transmitted info as well.
>
> We've just returned from a trip from Portland Oregon to the San Juan
> Islands.  By getting deep into the service screens on my AIS Class A
> unit, I'm able to change to "RX only mode", that is receive (Class C)
> only.  We used the Class A mode offshore and RX mode in the river and
> Washington VTS areas.  Seems a good solution for us.  It would be nice
> if we could switch the transmit function on/off a bit easier.
>
> Rich Losch
> RIO LINDA  KK 48-37
> Salpare Bay, OR
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