AIS/PLB

HMT2

HMT2

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Mar 20, 2014
900
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
I am preparing my list of safety equipment and maintenance items for a 150 mile off shore race in the Gulf in October. I am thinking about purchasing two AIS MOB transmitter to be worn by the crew on watch in particular for the nighttime hours. I know that If you fall off your boat your best chance of rescue is from your boat, but at night even with strobes on the life jackets a person in the water can be hard to find. I have read the stories, but I was wondering if anyone has had first hand knowledge of these AIS/Mob units effectiveness. I already have a PLB with SART satellite capability I use it as a poor man's EPIRB.I have a Simrad Rs35 on a N2K network accurately showing AIS on my Garmin 541 s are there any compatibility problems I should now about?
 
chuckwayne

chuckwayne

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Mar 20, 2004
1,753
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
We've got several of the srs safelink r10s on our vests. Never used in anger, but tested on the dock - several hundred feet from the boat(s) worked well with my rs35 and Simrad and Lowrance MFDs. Also tested with a friend's Raymarine A series MFD and worked well.
 
J

JohnShannon

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Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
Did the SART show up as a MOB?? I am under the impression that this is a newer AIS feature and older chart plotters may not give it the attention it deserves, i.e show up as a target but you have to click on it to find out what it is. With newer software sounds a klaxon and puts a flashing X on the chart plotter so no mistaking that it is important.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,211
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Ahhh fun; Harvest Moon; have participated a few times.. back in the day, we had no useful MOB stuff but the rule was that if you are on deck from dusk to dawn, you had on a "life jacket" (we used inflatables because of the heat)and an attached harness.
 
HMT2

HMT2

.
Mar 20, 2014
900
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
kloudie1 said:
Ahhh fun; Harvest Moon; have participated a few times.. back in the day, we had no useful MOB stuff but the rule was that if you are on deck from dusk to dawn, you had on a "life jacket" (we used inflatables because of the heat)and an attached harness.
Click to expand
Yes sir, we have those same rules on board S/V Sanctuary (and they are race rules as well). I'm trying to justify the $$$ for an "abundance of caution."
 
chuckwayne

chuckwayne

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Mar 20, 2004
1,753
Hunter 356 and 216 Portland, ME
It shows up as a MOB but I haven't tested it since loading the latest software - will try to test next time I,m on board
 
J

JohnShannon

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Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
Chuck Thanks for you response that is interesting. Spin lock is selling a SART AIS that retrofits to their lifejackets, when the jacket inflates the pin is pulled on the SART, I am interested in that but wasn't sure how well it would the chart plotters would support that function.
 
J

JTulls

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Dec 6, 2014
89
International 14 and J-Boat J80 San Diego
For your question of effectiveness...kind of extreme examples but in the 13-14 edition of the Clipper Race, a crewman went over in the North Pacific and the boat was able to locate him after 1.5 hours in the water because of his AIS transponder (he survived). The latest race had another crew go overboard but she was not so lucky -- they again were able to find her, just too late.

Not sure about comparability issues but I'd be interested in knowing that too if anyone has ever had issues. I've only ever borrowed AIS transponders from other people but I plan to pick one up in the next few weeks before my next offshore race in SoCal
 
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