For those of you who travel in fog - what percentage of the time is spent looking at AIS and RADAR -vs- looking outward???
Thanks for the input
Les
Thanks for the input
Les
Time management - Fog
- Thread starter LeslieTroyer
- Start date
98% outward. Scan AIS and RADAR once every few minutes for new potential problems, or changes in known vessels that might make a problem. Anything that requires closer monitoring already is a problem.
It depends on how dense and where we are. If transiting a harbor channel where I cannot see much past the cockpit dodger (not advisable), eyes are "glued" to the radar and the chart plotter; but that would pretty much be the case anywhere in such extremely low "visibility." No point looking around so much as there is nothing that could be seen. Quarter- to half-mile visibility in open sea conditions--occasional checks on the radar for big targets that can been picked up several miles away as well as for the small close-in ones that are hard to see on my system. Of course, the fog hailer is sounding off, and all eyes on deck are looking out as well.
Attachments
Last edited:
you do not travel in fog. you stop the vessel. period!
traveling in fog is playing russian roulette with you and your love ones.
yeah, i said it
traveling in fog is playing russian roulette with you and your love ones.
yeah, i said it
Depends on how thick the fog is.. Here in Maine it can get so thick, perhaps 15' beyond the bow, that looking outwards literally does you no good. If you've missed a target on radar, in 15' - 20' of visibility from the bow is not going to help except to avoid a lobster pot at a split second notice. The time spent monitoring radar vs. your surroundings depend upon thickness of the soup. In fog you need to use all your senses not just eyes...
If we had to do that here in Maine & the Canadian Maritimes we'd have about 15 days of sailing per year..... (grin) Course if you are not well attuned as to how to navigate in the fog, I 100% agree that staying put is the best course of action...
in reduced visibility the regs say that you must be able to stop the vessel in half the distance of the visibility.
post look outs on the bow
hand steer only, never auto pilot
radar observer does only that. his eyes will be deminished as a lookout
totally dark cockpit so helms eyes are not comprimized
hand steer only, never auto pilot
radar observer does only that. his eyes will be deminished as a lookout
totally dark cockpit so helms eyes are not comprimized
So, I guess the logic here is: if zero visibility then the vessel must already be stopped for compliance? Interesting. I guess if everybody is stopped, then there can be no collision, etc. However, what is "visibility?" If I can see a vessel on radar, is it not "visible." No radar--stop; radar visibility proceed w/ caution at safe speed?
if moving in reduced visibility broadcasting on the ship to ship radio your course and speed is wise.
take down all dodgers and side curtains
if using electronic nav screens keep those so not to compromise the helms eyes
listen for other vessels
pray to your higher being
take down all dodgers and side curtains
if using electronic nav screens keep those so not to compromise the helms eyes
listen for other vessels
pray to your higher being
to be honest to your question. i was trained and i still believe after a life time at sea, "he who trusts their life to electronics is a fool "
i know that i just ruffeled a lot of feathers, but this forum is mostly made up of newbies and hobbests. to suggest to them that staring in a radar screen and looking at a gps screen while an autopilot is driving is OK is just plain STUPID.
yeah, i said it! ...... and i'll say it again.
regs say you have to be able to stop in half the distance of visibility, got it. nothing is said about what you may or may not see on a radar screen
i know that i just ruffeled a lot of feathers, but this forum is mostly made up of newbies and hobbests. to suggest to them that staring in a radar screen and looking at a gps screen while an autopilot is driving is OK is just plain STUPID.
yeah, i said it! ...... and i'll say it again.
regs say you have to be able to stop in half the distance of visibility, got it. nothing is said about what you may or may not see on a radar screen
Last edited:
stopping in zero visibility is the law. as visibility improves you may make way such that YOU can stop YOUR vessel in half the distance of the visibility.
welcome to seamanship 101
welcome to seamanship 101
Can you cite from the COLREGS where "stop the vessel in half the distance of the visibility" is required under inland or international...?
Rule 6 deals with speed.
RULE 6 Safe Speed:
"Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions."
Again, please cite this law or "rule" from the COLREGS..... Some of us are not "newbies" or "hobby level" and have been or are still actively on-water professionals.
the term 'safe speed' is meaningless for me. stopping in half the distance of the visibility is the correct thinking.
and wood and fiberglass boats do not appear on radar.
and wood and fiberglass boats do not appear on radar.
i do not have my books in front of me this morning. but simple common sense will bare me out!
stop in the fog folks. we do this for fun.
stop in the fog folks. we do this for fun.
Some of this seems a bit weird to me. You don't always have a choice about where you are when the fog rolls in. I have been caught out dozens of miles in open ocean in essentially zero visibility. Maybe a boat length at most. I reduced speed but more for sound management than anything else. Roll up the dodger window. Probably spend most time on radar scanning around me a little less than half the time. Of course, I don't think that's the conditions most of you are talking about. I imagine you are talking about bays, rivers, etc. When in the (huge) Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex, I will try to run along the breakwater which may not be the best choice given the number of fishing skiffs there even in those conditions. I watch the radar, GPS & AIS closely and monitor traffic control but also watch around me. What percentage? I don't know. Whatever feels right I guess. I don't voluntarily go out in those conditions of course. I am installing a 4G radar which will give me better close-in detail. Those big mooring buoys for the barges don't always show up so well on my old radar despite the tune.
So, the sea dawgs and professional mariners who essentially write the regulations lack common sense if your prescription is not included? If we wish to talk to newbies about good seamanship then advising adequate preparation for travelling in fog is better than advising to essentially "freeze" in place and hope for the best--isn't it?
Last edited:
I must have missed the conversation that said to stare at the radar and GPS screens and drive by autopilot. Who said that?
Who said that?