Virtual channel markers

May 29, 2018
457
Canel 25 foot Shiogama, japan
Yes. Nothing there to see but markers that are shown on AIS as V-AIS markers.
The following post is from Toph, on an Australian site. The main channel is used by large tonnage shipping and naval vessels. The parallel channel only
exists in the cloud. Or so it would seem
gary

Well this is a new one for me..

Sailing in an unfamiliar area to me, and I am heading for a marked channel were I am expecting to see 3 pair of channel markers as seen on Navionics. Everything is making sense (I wasn't totally unfamiliar with the area but it had been probably 5 years since I was last in it) and my AIS was going nuts flashing red indicating that expected channel markers were within my preset 'danger zone'. Nothing new, a lot of the markers around Fremantle and into Cockburn Sound have AIS returns associated with them.

But for the life of me though I couldn't see these markers, and we should've just about run into them. I asked 2 others onboard if they could have a good look too, but nup nothing around. Pulled out the official chart and the channel I was suppose to be in had the marks labeled V-AIS or very basically Virtual AIS, except the AIS signal is from an off location source. There simply is noting physically there.

The future is going to be an awesome place and one day people are going to look back at our era and think we are just as basic as our era views the likes of Christopher Columbus.

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Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
V-AIS makes perfect sense and I am sure it is the wave of the future in navigational aids. Think about how much easier it would be to make adjustments for areas that silting occurs, more easily take some soundings and adjust the position of the V marker
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,373
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I was re-reading Moitessier's "The Long Way" and there is a passage in there where he complains about how boats now use a compass. He says you need to read the water and that the compass will distract you from watching the water and keep your head buried in watching the compass. Little could he have projected where we are going. I'll have to look up the actual quote.

Moitessier learned to sail on Polynesian waters as a young man. The Polynesian sailors only used visual observations of celestial objects, ocean and wave patterns to navigate. A few years ago there was a Polynesian navigator that did a circumnavigation without the use of any modern navigation aids. While I'm not quite that old school, I'd love to sail with someone with those skills long enough to learn at least some of the basics of that type of navigation.

Virtual markers? Not my cup of tea.

dj
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
I think they actually used virtual markers on the Chesapeake a few years ago after a flood event that took out a few buoys. I don't remember details though.
 
Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Not the way to improve boating IMHO. It's much simpler to have a physical marker. When things go wrong as they will eventually do, I'd like to hear the gong, see the light and see the buoy. Try cruising around in some areas like NY harbor or the Charleston inlet and trying to image, at night, where the "virtual channel" is located amongst all the other vessel, channel and backround lighting. It would be impossible to keep your head on a swivel and stay in an imaginary channel.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
It would be impossible to keep your head on a swivel and stay in an imaginary channel.
@uncledom any busy harbor is like that even with the physical markers. Not sure it is "impossible" but it sure is tiring. Makes me want to find a place to stop and rest a moment. As soon as I do someone is powering towards me and there appears no rest for the wicked.

I enjoy the sailing in the off season. Fewer boats. more space less confusion. Virtual Channel or not.
 
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Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Three years ago, as I was going south to South Carolina for the winter, I remember reporting to USCG Charleston that I saw an ATON that was extinguished. He wanted to know how I saw it. I said I'm a mile off and am tracking a radar return right where the ATON should be but there is no light coming from the ATON for the last 15 minutes. They put it on the list for repair. If your AIS receiver goes on the blink you will not have radar or visuals to fall back on. This is not progress, this it the government going on the cheap and making boating more hazardous, in my opinion. I too enjoy the off season John. I am in the process of moving to Hilton Head as I have just retired and can't wait to sail all year long. Just brought the boat down. Great trip.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I have just retired
Congrats... Make the best of it. I am still working on time management. I thought - Oh Boy sailing sailing sailing... My wife had a different plan. Sure I get to go sailing, but I also am traveling and modifying the home (I am told it is retirement remodeling / landscaping). Had to hire a Yard keeper so it is clean for the Ladies wine gatherings even though I am off sailing. :yikes:

Enjoy the experience.
 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,373
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Congrats... Make the best of it. I am still working on time management. I thought - Oh Boy sailing sailing sailing... My wife had a different plan. Sure I get to go sailing, but I also am traveling and modifying the home (I am told it is retirement remodeling / landscaping). Had to hire a Yard keeper so it is clean for the Ladies wine gatherings even though I am off sailing. :yikes:

Enjoy the experience.
My plan is to move onto the boat so I can sail, sail, sail... Then my wife can worry about all the yard work/retirement remodeling etc....

Don't get me wrong, I love my wife but we have the agreement that at retirement, I go sailing. She was offered a place to come along which she declined. So I'll sail. Upon reaching lovely destinations, she will fly there and join me. Then fly home and I will continue on... Best compromise we could come up with...

dj
 
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