Grumpy about AIS transponders in the marina

[salar]

Am I the only one who gets annoyed by owners leaving their AIS transponders on when the boat is tucked up in a marina berth - or even worse when it contunes to bleep while the boat is laid up ashore? Appart from cluttering up my AIS map unnecessarily, when I turn my AIS on ( because it is switched off when not in use, hint hint) my chart plotter instantly goes into a panic and bleeps to me that vessels all around me are about to run me over and sink me at my berth. I then have to switch the collision alarm off until I am out of the marina, and remember to switch it back on again ALL BECAUSE OWNERS GO HOME LEAVING THEIR AIS ON ALL THE TIME. This is not just occasional forgetfulness, there are two full time culprits in my marina and it is really annoying. There, I feel a lot better now.

 

[fireball]

Surely this is a limitation of your plotters software rather than the fault of the broadcasters.

I've said for a long time that plotters should offer filtered alarms depending on AIS class - this could easily be expanded to work on vessel speed and include size/draft.
Eg A ferry coming into Portsmouth Harbour is not going to cause a problem to anyone tucked up in the marina - and it's not difficult for the software to work out that the charted depth of it's host vessel cannot accomodate the ferry - therefore there is no need to alarm.

Equally, I never wanted AIS class B alarms as being on a sailing boat we'd often be on a collision course with another sailing boat - usually frequently changing course - but the range of the alarm would've been the same as for Class A vessels who tend not to alter course as much - but AIS alarms would treat both vessels the same - hence downgrading the usefulness of the alarm...

 

[CharlieAlpha]

.......This is not just occasional forgetfulness, there are two full time culprits in my marina and it is really annoying. There, I feel a lot better now.

+1 reads like Port Solent to me or perhaps there are 1 or 2 in every marina.

 

[lpdsn]

It makes it easy to identify marinas from the cluster of AIS signals.

I have to admit that I gave up on the AIS CPA alarm after the first couple of trips. It didn't help having to transit a port each time I went to sea, with all the Class A transponders left on by berthed ships. I just turn the CPA alarm on occasionally now, such as in poor visibility.

 

[Martin_J]

Not sure what you mean by 'my plotter goes into a panic'... and are these alarms saying something is really going to 'sink you at your berth'. Perhaps they are .. Perhaps something like the Hoegh Osaka is drifting your way

'All the vessels around you'.. Should be none if neither you nor the other vessel are moving..

Do you really have to 'rely' on AIS alarm sounds for collision avoidance? Perhaps turn off sound and have visual only since with engine noise in a motor boat perhaps you'll not hear a sound.

As lspdn says - If you turn off the alerting then you'll not get the panic/sinking feeling or have to rely on it later.

As to turning on and off a transponder on every visit to the boat.. Electronics I thought were more reliable if left on all the time.. If it's on all the time, one tends to know that the 12v navigation electronics are working, that the transponder is working and that the VHF antenna/cable are also working.

If you turn up to your boat, turn on your transponder then how do you confirm they are actually working or going to work when needed? Do you check that your VHF antenna is good and that your AIS transmission is readable on every outing? It could be easier to depart in the knowledge they are already working.

My tuppence..

 

[prv]

Surely this is a limitation of your plotters software rather than the fault of the broadcasters.

I've said for a long time that plotters should offer filtered alarms depending on AIS class - this could easily be expanded to work on vessel speed and include size/draft.

Exactly. In Harbour mode, my Watchmate hides anything that isn't moving, and brings the CPA threshold right down so that only something that really is nearly on top of me will sound an alarm. In the other modes I also have speed and distance filters on the alarms so that at sea only things which really are going to pass close will alarm. One thing it doesn't have that I'd like is different criteria for Class A and Class B - maybe I can persuade them to add it...

Pete

 

[salar]

Not sure what you mean by 'my plotter goes into a panic'... and are these alarms saying something is really going to 'sink you at your berth'. Perhaps they are .. Perhaps something like the Hoegh Osaka is drifting your way

'All the vessels around you'.. Should be none if neither you nor the other vessel are moving..

Do you really have to 'rely' on AIS alarm sounds for collision avoidance? Perhaps turn off sound and have visual only since with engine noise in a motor boat perhaps you'll not hear a sound.

As lspdn says - If you turn off the alerting then you'll not get the panic/sinking feeling or have to rely on it later.

As to turning on and off a transponder on every visit to the boat.. Electronics I thought were more reliable if left on all the time.. If it's on all the time, one tends to know that the 12v navigation electronics are working, that the transponder is working and that the VHF antenna/cable are also working.

If you turn up to your boat, turn on your transponder then how do you confirm they are actually working or going to work when needed? Do you check that your VHF antenna is good and that your AIS transmission is readable on every outing? It could be easier to depart in the knowledge they are already working.

My tuppence..

Ahh, it's you is it? ......
Perhaps you couldn't tell my post was slightly tongue in cheek. Of course don't really think a moored vessel is about to sink me but the plotter alarm goes off because the default setting when you turn the plotter on is to have collision alarm on. I don't know why you would think that leaving electronics on means that after a week on the berth it is more likely to be still working than if you had switched it off then on again. I check the AIS receive is working by looking at other vessels (actually no need, see above) and for peace of mind look at myself on Ship Finder app on my IPad.
I know I am not alone in my annoyance, and as the boat name and position is being broadcast I wouldn't be at all surprised if some annoyed person leaves some kind of "message" on the offending boat!